From juicy barbecue joints to sizzling Tex-Mex cantinas, Texas has cooked up a staggering $128.5 billion in restaurant sales, proving the Lone Star State’s table isn't just set—it's a massive economic powerhouse.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the Texas restaurant industry generated over $128.5 billion in total sales, representing 4.2% of the state's GDP
- Texas full-service restaurants accounted for $72.3 billion in sales in 2022, while limited-service restaurants contributed $56.2 billion
- Between 2021 and 2022, Texas restaurant sales grew by 15.7%, outpacing the national average of 13.4%
- The Texas restaurant industry employed 1,492,000 people in 2023, accounting for 10.2% of total state employment
- Texas restaurants added 45,200 jobs in 2023, with a net growth rate of 3.1%
- Food preparation and serving workers numbered 678,900 in Texas restaurants in 2023
- Texas had 62,400 restaurant establishments in 2023, up 2.8% from 2022
- Full-service restaurants in Texas: 28,900 locations in 2023
- Limited-service restaurants: 33,500 in Texas 2023
- Texans dined out an average of 4.8 times per week in 2023, spending $52 per outing
- 68% of Texas consumers preferred casual dining over fine dining in 2023 surveys
- Average check size in Texas full-service restaurants: $28.50 in 2023
- 29% of Texas restaurant sales came from alcohol in 2023
- Labor shortage affected 87% of Texas restaurants in 2023
- Food cost inflation hit 11.2% for TX restaurants in 2023
Texas restaurants thrive with soaring sales and employment across diverse state markets.
Consumer Spending and Habits
- Texans dined out an average of 4.8 times per week in 2023, spending $52 per outing
- 68% of Texas consumers preferred casual dining over fine dining in 2023 surveys
- Average check size in Texas full-service restaurants: $28.50 in 2023
- Quick-service average transaction: $9.75 in Texas 2023
- 42% of Texas millennials ate at restaurants 5+ times weekly in 2023
- Delivery orders grew 28% in Texas restaurants to 1.2 billion in 2023
- Takeout represented 32% of Texas restaurant sales in 2023
- 55% of Texans used loyalty apps at restaurants weekly in 2023
- Alcohol beverage spend per visit: $12.40 in Texas restaurants 2023
- Family dining outlays averaged $145 weekly per household in TX 2023
- 76% of Texas consumers cited price as top factor in restaurant choice 2023
- Vegetarian/vegan options ordered by 24% of TX diners in 2023, up 15%
- Houston diners spent $1,200 annually on restaurants per capita 2023
- DFW per capita restaurant spend: $1,050 in 2023
- Austin young professionals averaged $85 per restaurant visit 2023
- San Antonio tourists spent $450 million on food/bev 2023
- 61% of TX Gen Z preferred fast-casual, spending $8.90 avg
- Weekend brunch visits up 19% in TX, avg spend $22 in 2023
- Craft cocktail bars saw 35% spend increase per visit to $18.50 TX 2023
- Sustainable sourcing influenced 48% of TX diners to spend more 2023
- Late-night dining (after 10pm) accounted for 12% of TX sales 2023
- Group dining parties averaged 4.2 people, spend $112 TX 2023
- Online reservations used by 39% TX consumers weekly 2023
- Health-focused menu items boosted spend by 14% in TX 2023
- BBQ restaurant visits: 2.3 per month avg TX consumer 2023
- Tex-Mex dining frequency: 1.8 times weekly for 67% TX households 2023
Consumer Spending and Habits Interpretation
Texans have mastered the art of the high-volume, high-value, and strategically tipsy dining circuit, where price rules supreme but loyalty apps, brunch, and a side of sustainable guacamole are the new currency.
Employment and Labor
- The Texas restaurant industry employed 1,492,000 people in 2023, accounting for 10.2% of total state employment
- Texas restaurants added 45,200 jobs in 2023, with a net growth rate of 3.1%
- Food preparation and serving workers numbered 678,900 in Texas restaurants in 2023
- Cooks in Texas restaurants totaled 312,400 in 2023, with median wage of $28,450 annually
- Waiters and waitresses in Texas: 289,700 employed in 2023, average hourly wage $12.85
- Bartenders in Texas restaurants: 78,500 in 2023, median wage $14.20 per hour
- Restaurant managers in Texas: 56,200 in 2023, average annual salary $62,340
- Dishwashers employed 89,300 in Texas restaurants in 2023, wage $11.45/hour
- Hosts and hostesses: 45,600 in Texas in 2023, median wage $12.10/hour
- Food servers non-restaurant was minimal, but restaurant-specific tipped servers: 210,400 total servers in TX 2023
- Texas restaurant workforce turnover rate averaged 78% in 2023, higher in quick-service at 92%
- 62% of Texas restaurant employees were part-time in 2023
- Hispanic/Latino workers comprised 48.3% of Texas restaurant employees in 2023
- Women made up 52.1% of the Texas restaurant workforce in 2023
- Average tenure for Texas restaurant workers: 2.1 years in 2023
- Houston restaurants employed 312,000 people in 2023
- DFW metro: 285,400 restaurant jobs in 2023
- Austin: 112,000 restaurant employees in 2023, growth of 4.5%
- San Antonio: 98,700 restaurant jobs in 2023
- Texas restaurant industry supported 2.1 million total jobs including indirect in 2023
- Entry-level restaurant jobs in TX grew by 12% post-pandemic to 456,000 in 2023
- Chefs and head cooks: 24,800 in TX 2023, median $52,100 salary
- Counter attendants: 56,900 in TX quick-service 2023, wage $11.90/hr
- First-line supervisors: 89,200 in TX restaurants 2023, salary $42,500 avg
- Dining room attendants: 34,100 in 2023 TX, $11.20/hr
Employment and Labor Interpretation
Texas restaurants are a massive, churning engine of employment—adding 45,200 jobs last year alone—but they’re powered by a predominantly part-time and transient workforce earning modest wages, while somehow still managing to be the cornerstone of one in every ten Texas paychecks.
Industry Trends and Challenges
- 29% of Texas restaurant sales came from alcohol in 2023
- Labor shortage affected 87% of Texas restaurants in 2023
- Food cost inflation hit 11.2% for TX restaurants in 2023
- 45% of Texas restaurants adopted ghost kitchens by 2023
- Online ordering platforms used by 92% of TX restaurants 2023
- Sustainability initiatives in 56% of TX restaurants, reducing waste 22% 2023
- Regulatory compliance costs rose 8% for TX food safety in 2023
- Tech investments averaged $45,000 per TX restaurant in 2023
- Menu price increases averaged 7.9% in TX restaurants 2023
- Supply chain disruptions impacted 63% of TX operators in 2023
- Electric kitchen equipment adoption: 34% in TX 2023 for energy savings
- Health inspections: 12,500 violations cited in TX restaurants 2023
- Insurance premiums up 15% for TX restaurants due to weather risks 2023
- Contactless payment usage: 88% of TX restaurants 2023
- Plant-based menu items grew 41% in TX restaurants 2023
- Workforce training programs reached 23% of TX restaurants 2023
- Energy costs rose 9.4% for TX restaurants in 2023
- Drive-thru lanes expanded in 28% of quick-service TX spots 2023
- Diversity hiring goals met by 41% of TX chains 2023
- Cyberattack incidents: 7% of TX restaurants affected 2023
Industry Trends and Challenges Interpretation
Texans are drinking through their troubles, as restaurants combat soaring costs and staffing shortages by charging more for everything—except, it seems, for a little southern comfort in a glass.
Number of Businesses and Locations
- Texas had 62,400 restaurant establishments in 2023, up 2.8% from 2022
- Full-service restaurants in Texas: 28,900 locations in 2023
- Limited-service restaurants: 33,500 in Texas 2023
- Houston metro had 12,400 restaurants in 2023
- Dallas-Fort Worth: 11,800 restaurant locations in 2023
- Austin metro: 5,600 restaurants in 2023, growth 5.2%
- San Antonio: 4,900 restaurants in 2023
- Independent restaurants comprised 71% of Texas total, or 44,300 locations in 2023
- Chain restaurants: 18,100 in Texas 2023
- Fast-food outlets: 15,200 in TX 2023
- Bars and taverns: 6,800 licensed in Texas 2023
- Food trucks and mobile: 4,200 permitted in TX 2023
- Texas restaurant openings: 3,200 new in 2023, closures 2,100 net +1,100
- El Paso: 2,100 restaurants in 2023
- Corpus Christi: 1,500 restaurants 2023
- Lubbock: 1,100 restaurants in 2023
- Amarillo: 950 restaurants 2023
- McAllen: 1,400 restaurants 2023
- Tyler: 900 restaurants in 2023
- Abilene: 850 restaurants 2023
- Midland: 750 restaurants in 2023
- Waco: 950 restaurants 2023
- Longview: 700 restaurants 2023
- Wichita Falls: 650 restaurants 2023
- Killeen: 850 restaurants 2023
- Beaumont: 800 restaurants 2023
- Victoria: 550 restaurants 2023
Number of Businesses and Locations Interpretation
Texas is the land of dietary contradictions, where the noble independent restaurateur heroically outnumbers the corporate chain three-to-one, yet a full quarter of our establishments are dedicated to the efficient science of the drive-thru.
Revenue and Sales
- In 2023, the Texas restaurant industry generated over $128.5 billion in total sales, representing 4.2% of the state's GDP
- Texas full-service restaurants accounted for $72.3 billion in sales in 2022, while limited-service restaurants contributed $56.2 billion
- Between 2021 and 2022, Texas restaurant sales grew by 15.7%, outpacing the national average of 13.4%
- In 2023, Houston-area restaurants generated $28.4 billion in sales, making it the largest metro market in Texas
- Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants reported $25.6 billion in sales for 2023, driven by population growth and tourism
- Austin's restaurant sales reached $12.1 billion in 2023, with a 18.2% year-over-year increase
- San Antonio restaurants generated $9.8 billion in sales in 2022, boosted by military bases and conventions
- Average annual sales per Texas restaurant in 2023 was $2.21 million, higher than the national average of $1.98 million
- Quick-service restaurants in Texas saw $45.7 billion in sales in 2023, representing 35.6% of total industry sales
- Fine dining establishments in Texas contributed $18.4 billion to sales in 2022, with upscale growth at 12%
- Texas restaurant industry supported $48.2 billion in related economic activity from supply chains in 2023
- Food-away-from-home sales in Texas reached 52% of total food spending in 2023, up from 48% in 2019
- Bar and tavern sales in Texas totaled $14.3 billion in 2023, with craft beer driving 22% growth
- Texas Tex-Mex restaurants generated $8.9 billion in sales in 2022, leading ethnic cuisine categories
- Independent Texas restaurants had average sales of $1.45 million per unit in 2023, versus $3.2 million for chains
- Pandemic recovery led to Texas restaurant sales rebounding to 105% of 2019 levels by 2023
- El Paso restaurants reported $4.2 billion in sales for 2023, with border trade boosting traffic
- Corpus Christi coastal restaurants saw $2.8 billion in sales from seafood and tourism in 2023
- Lubbock area restaurants generated $1.9 billion in sales in 2022, driven by Texas Tech University
- Amarillo restaurants contributed $1.6 billion to sales in 2023, with meatpacking industry support
- McAllen border region restaurants had $3.1 billion in sales in 2023, up 14% from cross-border visitors
- Tyler East Texas restaurants reported $2.4 billion in sales for 2022, BBQ segment leading
- Abilene restaurants generated $1.7 billion in 2023, with college and military influence
- Midland-Odessa oil boom drove restaurant sales to $2.9 billion in 2023
- Waco restaurants saw $1.8 billion in sales in 2022, boosted by Baylor University
- Longview restaurants contributed $1.5 billion to sales in 2023, manufacturing hub effect
- Wichita Falls restaurants generated $1.3 billion in 2023, Sheppard AFB key driver
- Killeen-Temple area restaurants had $2.2 billion in sales in 2022, Fort Hood proximity
- Beaumont-Port Arthur restaurants reported $2.1 billion in 2023, petrochemical workforce
- Victoria restaurants generated $1.1 billion in sales in 2023, agribusiness support
Revenue and Sales Interpretation
Texas is powering its colossal economy, one plate at a time, with restaurants serving as both the state's financial engine and its communal dining room from Houston's fine dining to Lubbock's college-town tacos.
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