Full-service restaurants / California
How many full-service restaurants are in California?
The Census Bureau counted 31,333 full-service restaurants with paid employees in California in 2023. That is 0.5% more than in 2017.
CALIFORNIA · 2023
The count
31,333
full-service restaurants with paid employees
- Employees
- 628,541
- Average per site
- 20.1
- Change since 2017
- +0.5%
- State rank
- 1 of 51
What the number means
California had 31,333 full-service restaurants in 2023, ranking number 1 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Together they employed 628,541 people and paid $20.8 billion in annual payroll, an average of 20.1 employees per site.
These businesses make up 3.04% of every employer establishment in California, close to the 3.09% national share. A site count is not the same as the number of companies: a chain with 40 locations counts 40 times.
25% of full-service restaurants in California have fewer than 5 employees, against 26% across the U.S.
California holds 12.1% of the nation's full-service restaurants and 12.3% of all U.S. employer establishments, so, measured against the state's overall size, the trade is about as common as in the country as a whole. The most common size class is under 5 employees (7,741 sites). Average payroll per employee is $33,101, against $28,018 for the U.S. trade.
Size of the businesses
| Employees per site | Share | Sites | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 7,741 | 24.7% | |
| 5 to 9 | 5,777 | 18.4% | |
| 10 to 19 | 7,437 | 23.7% | |
| 20 to 49 | 7,384 | 23.6% | |
| 50 to 99 | 2,401 | 7.7% | |
| 100 to 249 | 577 | 1.8% | |
| 250 to 499 | 16 | 0.1% |
Count since 2017
Index: 2017 = 100. Employer establishments only. 2017 count 31,173; 2019 count 31,957; 2022 count 31,374; 2023 count 31,333. Employment −6.4% since 2017.
Biggest other trades in California
| Trade | Sites | Employees | Since 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops and snack bars | 13,412 | 165,621 | +20.7% |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 11,686 | 126,947 | +14.6% |
| General auto repair | 9,799 | 46,943 | +2.4% |
| Child day care | 9,670 | 89,288 | +12.4% |
| Landscaping services | 9,393 | 103,803 | +10.8% |
| Beauty salons | 8,733 | 33,898 | +17.9% |
| Janitorial services | 6,956 | 116,330 | +27.1% |
| Fitness centers | 5,371 | 86,970 | +22.2% |
Full-service restaurants in nearby ranks
All states for full-service restaurants · Every trade in California
Questions
How many full-service restaurants are in California?
The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns counted 31,333 full-service restaurants with paid employees in California in 2023. That ranks California number 1 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Is the number of full-service restaurants in California growing?
Between 2017 and 2023 the count grew (0.5%), from 31,173 to 31,333. Across the United States the count changed by +3.1% over the same period. These years include the 2020 pandemic.
Does this count include self-employed owners with no staff?
No. County Business Patterns covers establishments with at least one paid employee. A sole proprietor with no employees is counted in a separate Census series called Nonemployer Statistics, which this site does not use yet, so the real number of people working in this trade is higher than the figure shown.
Read this before using the number
These counts describe how many businesses already exist. They say nothing about demand, profit, competition near you or how much any owner earns, and we make no estimate of income. Check local licensing, costs and rules before acting on any figure here. See the disclaimer.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns (2023; change measured against 2017, 2019 and 2022). Establishments with paid employees only; employment and payroll carry Census noise infusion. Retrieved November 2, 2026. Method and sources.