Full-service restaurants / North Carolina
How many full-service restaurants are in North Carolina?
The Census Bureau counted 8,543 full-service restaurants with paid employees in North Carolina in 2023. That is 11.4% more than in 2017.
NORTH CAROLINA · 2023
The count
8,543
full-service restaurants with paid employees
- Employees
- 179,683
- Average per site
- 21.0
- Change since 2017
- +11.4%
- State rank
- 7 of 51
What the number means
North Carolina had 8,543 full-service restaurants in 2023, ranking number 7 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Together they employed 179,683 people and paid $4.4 billion in annual payroll, an average of 21.0 employees per site.
These businesses make up 3.31% of every employer establishment in North Carolina, 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.
24% of full-service restaurants in North Carolina have fewer than 5 employees, against 26% across the U.S.
North Carolina holds 3.3% of the nation's full-service restaurants and 3.1% 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 20 to 49 employees (2,422 sites). Average payroll per employee is $24,319, against $28,018 for the U.S. trade.
Size of the businesses
| Employees per site | Share | Sites | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 2,050 | 24.0% | |
| 5 to 9 | 1,298 | 15.2% | |
| 10 to 19 | 1,880 | 22.0% | |
| 20 to 49 | 2,422 | 28.4% | |
| 50 to 99 | 784 | 9.2% | |
| 100 to 249 | 107 | 1.3% | |
| 250 to 499 | 0 | 0.0% |
Count since 2017
Index: 2017 = 100. Employer establishments only. 2017 count 7,671; 2019 count 7,997; 2022 count 8,385; 2023 count 8,543. Employment +3.8% since 2017.
Biggest other trades in North Carolina
| Trade | Sites | Employees | Since 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping services | 4,361 | 31,542 | +19.9% |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 3,973 | 45,037 | +14.9% |
| General auto repair | 2,793 | 12,861 | +5.3% |
| Child day care | 2,612 | 35,736 | +0.8% |
| Janitorial services | 2,277 | 31,655 | +10.4% |
| Beauty salons | 2,226 | 9,747 | +16.3% |
| Coffee shops and snack bars | 2,224 | 26,455 | +50.3% |
| Fitness centers | 1,415 | 23,688 | +16.8% |
Full-service restaurants in nearby ranks
| State | Sites | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 18,200 | 4 |
| Illinois | 9,928 | 5 |
| Pennsylvania | 9,433 | 6 |
| New Jersey | 8,060 | 8 |
| Georgia | 7,925 | 9 |
| Ohio | 7,698 | 10 |
All states for full-service restaurants · Every trade in North Carolina
Questions
How many full-service restaurants are in North Carolina?
The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns counted 8,543 full-service restaurants with paid employees in North Carolina in 2023. That ranks North Carolina number 7 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Is the number of full-service restaurants in North Carolina growing?
Between 2017 and 2023 the count grew (11.4%), from 7,671 to 8,543. 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.