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
1Texans dined out an average of 4.8 times per week in 2023, spending $52 per outing
Verified268% of Texas consumers preferred casual dining over fine dining in 2023 surveys
Verified3Average check size in Texas full-service restaurants: $28.50 in 2023
Verified4Quick-service average transaction: $9.75 in Texas 2023
Directional542% of Texas millennials ate at restaurants 5+ times weekly in 2023
Single source6Delivery orders grew 28% in Texas restaurants to 1.2 billion in 2023
Verified7Takeout represented 32% of Texas restaurant sales in 2023
Verified855% of Texans used loyalty apps at restaurants weekly in 2023
Verified9Alcohol beverage spend per visit: $12.40 in Texas restaurants 2023
Directional10Family dining outlays averaged $145 weekly per household in TX 2023
Single source1176% of Texas consumers cited price as top factor in restaurant choice 2023
Verified12Vegetarian/vegan options ordered by 24% of TX diners in 2023, up 15%
Verified13Houston diners spent $1,200 annually on restaurants per capita 2023
Verified14DFW per capita restaurant spend: $1,050 in 2023
Directional15Austin young professionals averaged $85 per restaurant visit 2023
Single source16San Antonio tourists spent $450 million on food/bev 2023
Verified1761% of TX Gen Z preferred fast-casual, spending $8.90 avg
Verified18Weekend brunch visits up 19% in TX, avg spend $22 in 2023
Verified19Craft cocktail bars saw 35% spend increase per visit to $18.50 TX 2023
Directional20Sustainable sourcing influenced 48% of TX diners to spend more 2023
Single source21Late-night dining (after 10pm) accounted for 12% of TX sales 2023
Verified22Group dining parties averaged 4.2 people, spend $112 TX 2023
Verified23Online reservations used by 39% TX consumers weekly 2023
Verified24Health-focused menu items boosted spend by 14% in TX 2023
Directional25BBQ restaurant visits: 2.3 per month avg TX consumer 2023
Single source26Tex-Mex dining frequency: 1.8 times weekly for 67% TX households 2023
VerifiedConsumer 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
1The Texas restaurant industry employed 1,492,000 people in 2023, accounting for 10.2% of total state employment
Verified2Texas restaurants added 45,200 jobs in 2023, with a net growth rate of 3.1%
Verified3Food preparation and serving workers numbered 678,900 in Texas restaurants in 2023
Verified4Cooks in Texas restaurants totaled 312,400 in 2023, with median wage of $28,450 annually
Directional5Waiters and waitresses in Texas: 289,700 employed in 2023, average hourly wage $12.85
Single source6Bartenders in Texas restaurants: 78,500 in 2023, median wage $14.20 per hour
Verified7Restaurant managers in Texas: 56,200 in 2023, average annual salary $62,340
Verified8Dishwashers employed 89,300 in Texas restaurants in 2023, wage $11.45/hour
Verified9Hosts and hostesses: 45,600 in Texas in 2023, median wage $12.10/hour
Directional10Food servers non-restaurant was minimal, but restaurant-specific tipped servers: 210,400 total servers in TX 2023
Single source11Texas restaurant workforce turnover rate averaged 78% in 2023, higher in quick-service at 92%
Verified1262% of Texas restaurant employees were part-time in 2023
Verified13Hispanic/Latino workers comprised 48.3% of Texas restaurant employees in 2023
Verified14Women made up 52.1% of the Texas restaurant workforce in 2023
Directional15Average tenure for Texas restaurant workers: 2.1 years in 2023
Single source16Houston restaurants employed 312,000 people in 2023
Verified17DFW metro: 285,400 restaurant jobs in 2023
Verified18Austin: 112,000 restaurant employees in 2023, growth of 4.5%
Verified19San Antonio: 98,700 restaurant jobs in 2023
Directional20Texas restaurant industry supported 2.1 million total jobs including indirect in 2023
Single source21Entry-level restaurant jobs in TX grew by 12% post-pandemic to 456,000 in 2023
Verified22Chefs and head cooks: 24,800 in TX 2023, median $52,100 salary
Verified23Counter attendants: 56,900 in TX quick-service 2023, wage $11.90/hr
Verified24First-line supervisors: 89,200 in TX restaurants 2023, salary $42,500 avg
Directional25Dining room attendants: 34,100 in 2023 TX, $11.20/hr
Single sourceEmployment 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
129% of Texas restaurant sales came from alcohol in 2023
Verified2Labor shortage affected 87% of Texas restaurants in 2023
Verified3Food cost inflation hit 11.2% for TX restaurants in 2023
Verified445% of Texas restaurants adopted ghost kitchens by 2023
Directional5Online ordering platforms used by 92% of TX restaurants 2023
Single source6Sustainability initiatives in 56% of TX restaurants, reducing waste 22% 2023
Verified7Regulatory compliance costs rose 8% for TX food safety in 2023
Verified8Tech investments averaged $45,000 per TX restaurant in 2023
Verified9Menu price increases averaged 7.9% in TX restaurants 2023
Directional10Supply chain disruptions impacted 63% of TX operators in 2023
Single source11Electric kitchen equipment adoption: 34% in TX 2023 for energy savings
Verified12Health inspections: 12,500 violations cited in TX restaurants 2023
Verified13Insurance premiums up 15% for TX restaurants due to weather risks 2023
Verified14Contactless payment usage: 88% of TX restaurants 2023
Directional15Plant-based menu items grew 41% in TX restaurants 2023
Single source16Workforce training programs reached 23% of TX restaurants 2023
Verified17Energy costs rose 9.4% for TX restaurants in 2023
Verified18Drive-thru lanes expanded in 28% of quick-service TX spots 2023
Verified19Diversity hiring goals met by 41% of TX chains 2023
Directional20Cyberattack incidents: 7% of TX restaurants affected 2023
Single sourceIndustry 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
1Texas had 62,400 restaurant establishments in 2023, up 2.8% from 2022
Verified2Full-service restaurants in Texas: 28,900 locations in 2023
Verified3Limited-service restaurants: 33,500 in Texas 2023
Verified4Houston metro had 12,400 restaurants in 2023
Directional5Dallas-Fort Worth: 11,800 restaurant locations in 2023
Single source6Austin metro: 5,600 restaurants in 2023, growth 5.2%
Verified7San Antonio: 4,900 restaurants in 2023
Verified8Independent restaurants comprised 71% of Texas total, or 44,300 locations in 2023
Verified9Chain restaurants: 18,100 in Texas 2023
Directional10Fast-food outlets: 15,200 in TX 2023
Single source11Bars and taverns: 6,800 licensed in Texas 2023
Verified12Food trucks and mobile: 4,200 permitted in TX 2023
Verified13Texas restaurant openings: 3,200 new in 2023, closures 2,100 net +1,100
Verified14El Paso: 2,100 restaurants in 2023
Directional15Corpus Christi: 1,500 restaurants 2023
Single source16Lubbock: 1,100 restaurants in 2023
Verified17Amarillo: 950 restaurants 2023
Verified18McAllen: 1,400 restaurants 2023
Verified19Tyler: 900 restaurants in 2023
Directional20Abilene: 850 restaurants 2023
Single source21Midland: 750 restaurants in 2023
Verified22Waco: 950 restaurants 2023
Verified23Longview: 700 restaurants 2023
Verified24Wichita Falls: 650 restaurants 2023
Directional25Killeen: 850 restaurants 2023
Single source26Beaumont: 800 restaurants 2023
Verified27Victoria: 550 restaurants 2023
VerifiedNumber 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
1In 2023, the Texas restaurant industry generated over $128.5 billion in total sales, representing 4.2% of the state's GDP
Verified2Texas full-service restaurants accounted for $72.3 billion in sales in 2022, while limited-service restaurants contributed $56.2 billion
Verified3Between 2021 and 2022, Texas restaurant sales grew by 15.7%, outpacing the national average of 13.4%
Verified4In 2023, Houston-area restaurants generated $28.4 billion in sales, making it the largest metro market in Texas
Directional5Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants reported $25.6 billion in sales for 2023, driven by population growth and tourism
Single source6Austin's restaurant sales reached $12.1 billion in 2023, with a 18.2% year-over-year increase
Verified7San Antonio restaurants generated $9.8 billion in sales in 2022, boosted by military bases and conventions
Verified8Average annual sales per Texas restaurant in 2023 was $2.21 million, higher than the national average of $1.98 million
Verified9Quick-service restaurants in Texas saw $45.7 billion in sales in 2023, representing 35.6% of total industry sales
Directional10Fine dining establishments in Texas contributed $18.4 billion to sales in 2022, with upscale growth at 12%
Single source11Texas restaurant industry supported $48.2 billion in related economic activity from supply chains in 2023
Verified12Food-away-from-home sales in Texas reached 52% of total food spending in 2023, up from 48% in 2019
Verified13Bar and tavern sales in Texas totaled $14.3 billion in 2023, with craft beer driving 22% growth
Verified14Texas Tex-Mex restaurants generated $8.9 billion in sales in 2022, leading ethnic cuisine categories
Directional15Independent Texas restaurants had average sales of $1.45 million per unit in 2023, versus $3.2 million for chains
Single source16Pandemic recovery led to Texas restaurant sales rebounding to 105% of 2019 levels by 2023
Verified17El Paso restaurants reported $4.2 billion in sales for 2023, with border trade boosting traffic
Verified18Corpus Christi coastal restaurants saw $2.8 billion in sales from seafood and tourism in 2023
Verified19Lubbock area restaurants generated $1.9 billion in sales in 2022, driven by Texas Tech University
Directional20Amarillo restaurants contributed $1.6 billion to sales in 2023, with meatpacking industry support
Single source21McAllen border region restaurants had $3.1 billion in sales in 2023, up 14% from cross-border visitors
Verified22Tyler East Texas restaurants reported $2.4 billion in sales for 2022, BBQ segment leading
Verified23Abilene restaurants generated $1.7 billion in 2023, with college and military influence
Verified24Midland-Odessa oil boom drove restaurant sales to $2.9 billion in 2023
Directional25Waco restaurants saw $1.8 billion in sales in 2022, boosted by Baylor University
Single source26Longview restaurants contributed $1.5 billion to sales in 2023, manufacturing hub effect
Verified27Wichita Falls restaurants generated $1.3 billion in 2023, Sheppard AFB key driver
Verified28Killeen-Temple area restaurants had $2.2 billion in sales in 2022, Fort Hood proximity
Verified29Beaumont-Port Arthur restaurants reported $2.1 billion in 2023, petrochemical workforce
Directional30Victoria restaurants generated $1.1 billion in sales in 2023, agribusiness support
Single sourceRevenue 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.
Sources & References
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