Restaurants in the U.S. - statistics & facts
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From McDonald’s Golden Arches to KFC’s Colonel Sanders, some of the most iconic restaurant companies in the world were founded the United States. In 2024, the top three global food and drink services companies by market value were U.S.-based. McDonald’s topped the ranking, with a market value of over 196 billion U.S. dollars. These big players are mainly quick service restaurants (QSRs); however, the U.S. also has a thriving full service restaurant (FSR) industry. In 2023, the output of U.S. full service restaurant industry grew to over 78 billion U.S. dollars.
The U.S. online food delivery industry is also booming, with companies like DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats dominating this market. However, the relationship between restaurants and delivery services can be contentious. Considering delivery providers charge restaurants high commission fees, many restaurant owners have implemented their own delivery solutions. Consumers are also aware of being charged extra through delivery apps, as seen in a 2023 survey when the preferred method of ordering takeout in the U.S. was through a restaurant's website or app.
While fast food restaurants remain the leaders of the restaurant industry, full service restaurant chains still reach billions in revenue. In 2023, the FSR with the highest sales in the U.S. was Olive Garden, generating 5.1 billion U.S. dollars.
How big is the U.S. restaurant industry?
In 2023, U.S. food service and drinking place sales reached a whopping 1.09 trillion U.S. dollars. Supporting this industry was as many as 13.2 million U.S. restaurant employees.The U.S. online food delivery industry is also booming, with companies like DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats dominating this market. However, the relationship between restaurants and delivery services can be contentious. Considering delivery providers charge restaurants high commission fees, many restaurant owners have implemented their own delivery solutions. Consumers are also aware of being charged extra through delivery apps, as seen in a 2023 survey when the preferred method of ordering takeout in the U.S. was through a restaurant's website or app.
What is the biggest restaurant chain in the U.S.?
Not only was McDonald’s the most valuable restaurant worldwide in 2023, it was also the most well-known U.S. restaurant chain. Despite this, McDonald’s received the lowest American customer satisfaction score that year, with a rating of 71 out of 100, eight points under the QSR industry average.While fast food restaurants remain the leaders of the restaurant industry, full service restaurant chains still reach billions in revenue. In 2023, the FSR with the highest sales in the U.S. was Olive Garden, generating 5.1 billion U.S. dollars.
