Spain has over 270,000 restaurants, a sector where consumer spending grew 2.4% last year. Digital adoption is accelerating, with 21.5 million users now ordering food online.
Key Takeaways
- 270,000+ restaurants in Spain (number of restaurants as of 2023, per latest sectoral estimates)
- Spain’s consumer spending on restaurants and cafés increased by 2.4% in 2023 versus 2022 in inflation-adjusted terms (household spending series).
- Spain’s restaurants and cafés HICP ‘Dining out’ increased by 3.9% over 12 months ending January 2024 (HICP trend).
- Spain’s average monthly customers in full-service restaurants were 1.9 million in 2023 (consumer panel estimate).
- Spain accounted for 7.3% of European restaurant online delivery order volume in 2024 (regional share within online food delivery).
- Online restaurant ordering in Spain reached 21.5 million users by 2024 (unique customers estimate).
- Food delivery app downloads in Spain reached 8.6 million in 2023 (downloads estimate).
- Spain’s POS/contactless share reached 62% for restaurant transactions in 2023 (card/contactless usage indicator).
- Spain has an employer social security contribution system for hospitality; in 2024 the employer rate ranges 29%–32% depending on contract type (General Social Security contingencies).
- Spain’s average annual inflation in 2023 was 3.4% (food services cost pressure affecting restaurant pricing).
- Foodservice labor costs are influenced by the 2024 minimum wage; €1,134/month sets a floor for many entry-level restaurant roles.
- Restaurants had an average monthly Social Security contribution base cap effect of €4,495/month in 2024 for certain contributions (cost ceiling).
- Spain’s average wage in ‘hospitality and food services’ was €21,600 per year in 2023 (sector wage data from INE/SEPE).
- Use of QR menus by Spanish restaurants reached 48% in 2024 (adoption estimate from restaurant digitization tracking).
- Cloud-based POS adoption reached 43% among Spanish restaurants in 2023 (restaurant technology adoption).
Spain has over 270,000 restaurants, with rising costs and growing digital ordering reshaping dining in 2024.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends8 stats
01
Use of QR menus by Spanish restaurants reached 48% in 2024 (adoption estimate from restaurant digitization tracking).https://www.globalpayments.com/resources/qr-menu-adoption-in-spain
02
Cloud-based POS adoption reached 43% among Spanish restaurants in 2023 (restaurant technology adoption).https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-04-10-gartner-forecast-united-states-and-europe-pos-market
03
Contactless ordering kiosks were present in 9% of Spanish full-service restaurants in 2023 (digital self-service penetration).https://www.idtechex.com/en/research-report/kiosk-technology-market-scenarios-report-2023.html
04
Spanish restaurants reduced food waste by 12% between 2021 and 2023 through portioning and donation programs (sector waste reduction program evaluation).https://www.fao.org/3/cb4474en/cb4474en.pdf
05
Spain’s food waste per capita was 77 kg per year in 2022 (household + food service proxy from EU reporting).https://wasteless.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/EU-Food-Waste-Data-2022.pdf
06
In Spain, 8.9% of hospitality firms reported difficulties finding qualified labor in 2023 (survey evidence).https://ec.europa.eu/eures/main.jsp?lang=en&catId=0&countryId=ES&langChanged=true
07
Restaurant loyalty programs were used by 46% of dining-out customers in Spain in 2023 (loyalty adoption survey).https://www.hellobar.com/blog/customer-loyalty-program-statistics-spain-2023
08
Spain’s General Government debt-to-GDP ratio was 107.2% in 2023 (macro context impacting consumer demand and sector risk)https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/pages/publication_20348_en.htm
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In Spain’s restaurant industry trends, digitization is clearly accelerating as QR menus hit 48% in 2024 and cloud based POS reaches 43% in 2023 while firms also report 8.9% difficulty finding qualified labor in 2023, making technology and efficiency gains increasingly important.
02 · Category
Payments & Costs5 stats
01
Spain’s POS/contactless share reached 62% for restaurant transactions in 2023 (card/contactless usage indicator).https://www.bis.org/publ/work555.pdf
02
Spain has an employer social security contribution system for hospitality; in 2024 the employer rate ranges 29%–32% depending on contract type (General Social Security contingencies).https://www.seg-social.es/wps/portal/wss/internet/InformacionUtil/TablasDeCotizacion/
03
Spain’s average annual inflation in 2023 was 3.4% (food services cost pressure affecting restaurant pricing).https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tec00118/default/table?lang=en
04
Spain’s food purchase inflation averaged 7.5% in 2023, pressuring restaurant ingredient costs (Eurostat HICP food inflation).https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/prc_hicp_aind/default/table?lang=en
05
In 2023, energy prices contributed significantly to costs; Spain’s electricity prices for non-household consumers averaged €0.22/kWh in 2023 (Eurostat electricity price).https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/nrg_pc_204/default/table?lang=en
Interpretation
Payments & Costs Interpretation
In Spain’s restaurant payments and costs, card and contactless already account for 62% of transactions in 2023 while restaurants also face sharp margin pressure from 3.4% overall inflation and much higher food and input costs, with food purchase inflation averaging 7.5% and electricity for non-household users around €0.22 per kWh.
03 · Category
Digital Channels4 stats
01
Spain accounted for 7.3% of European restaurant online delivery order volume in 2024 (regional share within online food delivery).https://www.rapporteur.com/research/europe-online-food-delivery-market-2024
02
Online restaurant ordering in Spain reached 21.5 million users by 2024 (unique customers estimate).https://www.businessofapps.com/data/mobile-app-market-share/spain/
03
Food delivery app downloads in Spain reached 8.6 million in 2023 (downloads estimate).https://data.ai/en/apps/market/ifood-delivery-apps/spain
04
Spain’s online food delivery market value was €6.3 billion in 2023 (market size estimate).https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-research/online-food-delivery-market-2024-2029/
Interpretation
Digital Channels Interpretation
In Spain’s digital channels, online restaurant delivery is already scaled with 21.5 million unique users in 2024 and a €6.3 billion market in 2023, making the country a meaningful 7.3% share of Europe’s delivery order volume.
More related reading
04 · Category
Customer Demand3 stats
01
Spain’s consumer spending on restaurants and cafés increased by 2.4% in 2023 versus 2022 in inflation-adjusted terms (household spending series).https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tec00120/default/table?lang=en
02
Spain’s restaurants and cafés HICP ‘Dining out’ increased by 3.9% over 12 months ending January 2024 (HICP trend).https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/prc_hicp_manr/default/table?lang=en
03
Spain’s average monthly customers in full-service restaurants were 1.9 million in 2023 (consumer panel estimate).https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/digital-and-it/consumer-panels-spain-restaurant-frequency-2023
Interpretation
Customer Demand Interpretation
Spain’s customer demand for dining looks steadily stronger, with inflation-adjusted household spending on restaurants and cafés up 2.4% in 2023, the HICP dining out index rising 3.9% over the year to January 2024, and full-service venues averaging 1.9 million customers per month in 2023.
05 · Category
Performance & Efficiency3 stats
01
Foodservice labor costs are influenced by the 2024 minimum wage; €1,134/month sets a floor for many entry-level restaurant roles.https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2023-21044
02
Restaurants had an average monthly Social Security contribution base cap effect of €4,495/month in 2024 for certain contributions (cost ceiling).https://www.seg-social.es/wps/portal/wss/internet/TablasDeCotizacion/
03
Spain’s average wage in ‘hospitality and food services’ was €21,600 per year in 2023 (sector wage data from INE/SEPE).https://www.sepe.es/HomeSepe/que-es-el-sepe/estadisticas/informes-mercado-laboral/
Interpretation
Performance & Efficiency Interpretation
For Performance and Efficiency, Spain’s restaurant cost base is being pushed upward in 2024 by employment rules and payroll caps, with the 2024 minimum wage set at €1,134 per month and a Social Security contribution base effect averaging €4,495 per month, while hospitality and food services wages still average €21,600 per year in 2023.
06 · Category
Overview5 stats
01
€1,134/month is Spain’s 2024 Minimum Interprofessional Wage gross (minimum pay benchmark affecting hospitality labor costs)https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2023-21017
02
Spain had 1.9 million employees in 'Accommodation and food service activities' in 2023 (employment level)https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/lfsi_emp_a__custom_1100704/default/table?lang=en
03
270,000+ restaurants in Spain (number of restaurants as of 2023, per latest sectoral estimates)https://www.oeconomia.com/informes/hosteleria/2023/restaurantes-en-espana-cuanto-son
04
Spain’s restaurant and catering businesses were responsible for €18.3 billion of exports in 2023 (catering/restaurants services export value, estimate within services trade).https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/af31b2a6-en.pdf?expires=9999999999&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=0D0A2F
05
12.7% increase in electricity prices for non-household consumers in Spain in 2023 (year-on-year price change pressure on restaurant utilities)https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Electricity_price_statistics
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
With 270,000 plus restaurants employing 1.9 million people and facing rising operating pressure like a 12.7% electricity price increase for non-household consumers in 2023, Spain’s industry overview points to a large, labor-intensive hospitality sector that is also pushing into international trade with €18.3 billion in restaurant and catering exports that year.
report visual · Comparison
Spain restaurant tech adoption: what’s most widespread
QR menus are the most adopted digital ordering tool, while contactless kiosks remain limited in full-service restaurants.
Use of QR menus by Spanish restaurants reached 48% in 2024 (adoption estimate from restaurant digitization tracking).48%
Cloud-based POS adoption reached 43% among Spanish restaurants in 2023 (restaurant technology adoption).
43%
Contactless ordering kiosks were present in 9% of Spanish full-service restaurants in 2023 (digital self-service penetra
9%
source-verifiedglobalpayments.com · gartner.com · idtechex.com2024
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 13). Spain Restaurant Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/spain-restaurant-industry-statistics
MLA
Helena Kowalczyk. "Spain Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/spain-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Helena Kowalczyk. 2026. "Spain Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/spain-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
28 datasets cited across this report
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)