Sweden’s restaurant industry is generating 162.4 billion SEK in revenue while still fighting rising costs and staffing pressure that keeps changing how venues operate. In 2023 alone, energy costs jumped 28% to an average 450,000 SEK per restaurant and online ordering climbed to 42% of visits. We pulled together the biggest operational, customer, and workforce signals from across Sweden to show exactly what is driving margins, menu decisions, and demand.
Key Takeaways
- Energy costs for restaurants rose 28% to average 450,000 SEK/year in 2023.
- Labor shortages affected 67% of Swedish restaurants in 2022.
- Sustainability certifications held by 41% of establishments 2023.
- Swedes spent average 2,450 SEK per capita on restaurants in 2023.
- 68.4% of Swedes dined out at least once monthly in 2022.
- Online ordering frequency rose to 42% of restaurant visits in 2023.
- The Swedish restaurant industry employed 178,000 full-time equivalents in 2023.
- Women comprised 58.4% of the restaurant workforce in Sweden as of 2022.
- Average hourly wage in Swedish restaurants was 145 SEK in 2023.
- Total Sweden had 18,400 restaurant establishments in 2023.
- Stockholm hosted 4,920 restaurants, 26.7% of national total in 2022.
- Fast food outlets numbered 3,200 across Sweden in 2023.
- In 2023, the Swedish restaurant industry generated a total revenue of 162.4 billion SEK, marking a 7.2% increase from 2022.
- The fine dining segment within Sweden's restaurants contributed 12.8 billion SEK to the industry revenue in 2022.
- Fast food restaurants in Sweden accounted for 28.5% of total sector turnover at 46.2 billion SEK in 2023.
Rising energy and labor pressures are met with digital, sustainability, and mobile dining growth.
Related reading
01 · Category
Challenges and Trends10 stats
01
Energy costs for restaurants rose 28% to average 450,000 SEK/year in 2023.
02
Labor shortages affected 67% of Swedish restaurants in 2022.
03
Sustainability certifications held by 41% of establishments 2023.
04
Digital transformation investments averaged 180,000 SEK per venue 2022.
05
Food waste reduction initiatives cut losses by 19% industry-wide 2023.
06
AI menu optimization adopted by 23% of chains in 2022.
07
Post-pandemic recovery reached 92% of 2019 levels in 2023.
08
VAT on food rose impacting margins by 2.4% in 2022.
09
Contactless tech implemented in 89% of restaurants 2023.
10
Plant-based menu expansions in 76% of venues by 2022.
Interpretation
Challenges and Trends Interpretation
Swedish restaurateurs in 2023 are essentially a masterclass in multitasking, juggling soaring energy bills with one hand while expertly tapping a contactless terminal with the other, all while trying to hire a missing chef and decide if the AI-recommended beetroot waffle truly satisfies both the 41% chasing sustainability certification and the 76% expanding their plant-based offerings.
02 · Category
Consumer Behavior30 stats
01
Swedes spent average 2,450 SEK per capita on restaurants in 2023.
02
68.4% of Swedes dined out at least once monthly in 2022.
03
Online ordering frequency rose to 42% of restaurant visits in 2023.
04
Vegan meal choices increased 22% among diners in 2022.
05
Average check per visit was 285 SEK in casual dining 2023.
06
55.2% preferred local cuisine when dining out in 2022.
07
Weekend dining peaked at 61% of weekly restaurant traffic 2023.
08
Loyalty program participation hit 37% of regular customers 2022.
09
Alcohol paired with 48.3% of restaurant meals in 2023.
10
Family dining outings averaged 4.2 times yearly per household 2022.
11
Sustainable menu choices influenced 72% of diners in 2023.
12
Delivery orders surged 31% post-pandemic to 28% of sales 2022.
13
41% of millennials dined out weekly in urban Sweden 2023.
14
Coffee consumption at cafes averaged 3.1 visits weekly 2022.
15
Group reservations for 6+ people were 19% of bookings 2023.
16
Health-focused menu selections rose to 56% in 2022.
17
Evening dining time averaged 19:45 PM nationally 2023.
18
Tourism drove 24.7% of restaurant customer traffic in 2022.
19
App-based payments used by 82% of under-35 diners 2023.
20
Vegetarian options ordered by 29.4% of customers in 2022.
21
Lunch deals attracted 64% of workday visits in 2023.
22
Reviews influenced 76.8% of restaurant choices in 2022.
23
Outdoor seating preferred by 53% in summer months 2023.
24
Business lunch spending averaged 210 SEK per person 2022.
25
Repeat visits to favorites averaged 7.3 times yearly 2023.
26
Allergen-aware ordering up 18% to 34% of tickets 2022.
27
Festival food truck attendance averaged 1.8 million yearly 2023.
28
Post-COVID, 49% resumed pre-pandemic dining frequency 2022.
29
Craft beer pairings selected by 27% in pubs 2023.
30
Solo dining increased to 22.4% of visits in urban areas 2022.
Interpretation
Consumer Behavior Interpretation
The Swedish appetite, while steadfastly loyal to local flavors and weekend feasts, has evolved into a digitally-savvy, sustainably-conscious diner who is just as likely to order a vegan lunch via app as they are to pair a craft beer with it at 7:45 PM.
03 · Category
Employment and Labor29 stats
01
The Swedish restaurant industry employed 178,000 full-time equivalents in 2023.
02
Women comprised 58.4% of the restaurant workforce in Sweden as of 2022.
03
Average hourly wage in Swedish restaurants was 145 SEK in 2023.
04
Youth under 25 made up 32.1% of restaurant employees in 2022.
05
Part-time workers accounted for 44.7% of total restaurant employment in 2023.
06
Chefs numbered 42,500 in Sweden's restaurant sector in 2023.
07
Turnover rate in restaurants averaged 28.3% annually in 2022.
08
Immigrant workers represented 19.6% of restaurant staff in 2023.
09
Servers and waitstaff totaled 56,200 positions in 2022.
10
Kitchen assistants employment grew 4.2% to 31,800 in 2023.
11
Managers in restaurants numbered 12,400 with average salary 456,000 SEK/year in 2022.
12
Seasonal employment peaked at 45,000 additional workers in summer 2023.
13
Union membership in restaurant industry stood at 67.2% in 2022.
14
Overtime hours averaged 120 per employee annually in restaurants 2023.
15
Disability employment rate in restaurants was 3.8% in 2022.
16
Bartenders employment reached 18,900 across Sweden in 2023.
17
Training hours per employee averaged 24 annually in 2022.
18
Gender pay gap in restaurants was 12.4% favoring men in 2023.
19
Remote administrative roles in restaurant chains totaled 4,200 in 2022.
20
Apprenticeships in hospitality filled 2,800 spots yearly in 2023.
21
Sick leave days averaged 9.2 per employee in restaurants 2022.
22
Stockholm employed 52,000 in restaurants, 29% of national total 2023.
23
Rural restaurant jobs declined 2.1% to 21,400 in 2022.
24
Delivery drivers for restaurants numbered 15,600 full-time in 2023.
25
Sommeliers certified reached 1,200 employed in upscale venues 2022.
26
Work-related injuries reported 4,500 cases in restaurants 2023.
27
Benefits utilization rate was 76% among restaurant workers 2022.
28
Gothenburg restaurant employment totaled 28,500 in 2023.
29
Female managers in restaurants increased to 38.7% in 2022.
Interpretation
Employment and Labor Interpretation
While Sweden's restaurant industry is a dominant employer of women and youth who fuel its bustling, part-time engine, it simultaneously grapples with a revolving door of staff, a persistent gender pay gap, and urban concentration, revealing a sector both vibrantly essential and precariously balanced.
More related reading
04 · Category
Establishments and Locations28 stats
01
Total Sweden had 18,400 restaurant establishments in 2023.
02
Stockholm hosted 4,920 restaurants, 26.7% of national total in 2022.
03
Fast food outlets numbered 3,200 across Sweden in 2023.
04
Independent eateries totaled 7,800 in 2022.
05
Cafes and coffee shops reached 4,100 locations in 2023.
06
Chain restaurants operated 2,450 sites nationwide in 2022.
07
Gothenburg had 1,820 restaurant establishments in 2023.
08
Vegan restaurants grew to 450 dedicated spots in Sweden 2022.
09
Pubs numbered 1,650 in urban areas primarily 2023.
10
Malmö restaurants totaled 1,120 in 2022.
11
Food trucks registered 620 mobile units in 2023.
12
Michelin-starred restaurants stood at 24 in Sweden 2022.
13
Rural restaurants accounted for 2,900 sites, 15.8% total 2023.
14
Hotel restaurants numbered 1,380 attached venues 2022.
15
Northern region had 1,450 restaurants in 2023.
16
Upscale fine dining establishments totaled 380 in 2022.
17
Southern Sweden hosted 5,200 restaurants in 2023.
18
Pop-up restaurants averaged 120 temporary sites yearly 2022.
19
Brewery-attached eateries grew to 210 in 2023.
20
Airport restaurants numbered 45 across major hubs 2022.
21
Organic-certified restaurants reached 320 in Sweden 2023.
22
Waterfront locations hosted 780 restaurants in 2022.
23
New openings totaled 1,240 restaurant launches in 2023.
24
Closures affected 890 establishments amid economic pressures 2022.
25
Multi-concept venues operated 560 sites in 2023.
26
Central train station restaurants numbered 28 in major cities 2022.
27
Average restaurant lifespan was 8.7 years in Sweden 2023.
28
Per capita restaurants averaged 1.76 per 1,000 residents 2022.
Interpretation
Establishments and Locations Interpretation
While Stockholm proudly hosts over a quarter of Sweden’s 18,400 restaurants, proving it’s the nation’s undisputed culinary capital, the sobering reality is that the average establishment has a lifespan shorter than a decade, battling economic pressures that shuttered 890 venues in a single year.
05 · Category
Revenue and Market Size30 stats
01
In 2023, the Swedish restaurant industry generated a total revenue of 162.4 billion SEK, marking a 7.2% increase from 2022.
02
The fine dining segment within Sweden's restaurants contributed 12.8 billion SEK to the industry revenue in 2022.
03
Fast food restaurants in Sweden accounted for 28.5% of total sector turnover at 46.2 billion SEK in 2023.
04
Stockholm's restaurant market size was valued at 45.7 billion SEK in 2023, representing 28% of national totals.
05
Casual dining outlets generated 34.1 billion SEK, or 21% of Sweden's restaurant revenue in 2022.
06
The average annual revenue per restaurant in Sweden stood at 8.9 million SEK in 2023.
07
Gothenburg restaurants contributed 18.3 billion SEK to national revenue, up 5.4% YoY in 2023.
08
Malmö's restaurant sector revenue hit 12.6 billion SEK in 2022, with 9% growth projected for 2023.
09
Vegan and plant-based restaurants saw revenue growth of 15.2% to 2.1 billion SEK in 2023.
10
Pubs and bars added 11.4 billion SEK to restaurant industry revenue in Sweden during 2022.
11
Upscale restaurants in rural Sweden generated 4.7 billion SEK, a 3.8% rise in 2023.
12
Online delivery revenue for Swedish restaurants reached 9.8 billion SEK in 2023.
13
The coffee shop subsector revenue was 22.3 billion SEK, comprising 13.7% of total in 2022.
14
Seasonal revenue peaks in summer for Swedish restaurants averaged 25% higher at 40.6 billion SEK quarterly.
15
Hotel-attached restaurants contributed 16.2 billion SEK in 2023.
16
Independent restaurants held 42% market share with 68.2 billion SEK revenue in 2022.
17
Chain restaurants revenue totaled 94.2 billion SEK, up 6.1% in 2023.
18
Northern Sweden restaurant revenue was 8.9 billion SEK in 2023.
19
Southern Sweden dominated with 52.3 billion SEK in restaurant sales 2022.
20
Export-oriented culinary tourism revenue via restaurants hit 3.4 billion SEK in 2023.
21
Inflation-adjusted restaurant revenue growth was 4.2% reaching 158.7 billion SEK in 2023.
22
Per capita restaurant spending contributed to 15,800 SEK industry revenue average in 2022.
23
Banquet and event catering revenue was 7.6 billion SEK for restaurants in 2023.
24
Organic food restaurants revenue surged 11% to 1.9 billion SEK in 2022.
25
Takeaway segment revenue climbed to 31.4 billion SEK, 19% of total in 2023.
26
Michelin-starred restaurants generated 0.8 billion SEK despite small numbers in 2023.
27
Food truck revenue collective reached 1.2 billion SEK across Sweden in 2022.
28
Late-night venue revenue was 5.3 billion SEK in urban areas 2023.
29
Sustainable sourcing boosted premium restaurant revenue by 8.7% to 10.1 billion SEK.
30
Digital payment revenue share in restaurants hit 78% of 162 billion SEK total in 2023.
Interpretation
Revenue and Market Size Interpretation
Sweden's restaurant scene serves up a hearty 162-billion-krona smorgasbord where every Swede spends an average of nearly 16,000 kronor a year, proving that from Stockholm's fine dining to ubiquitous fast food and even rural gourmet outposts, the national appetite for eating out is both voracious and evolving with the times.
Reference
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APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Sweden Restaurant Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sweden-restaurant-industry-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Sweden Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sweden-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Sweden Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sweden-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
56 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level