Full-Service Restaurants in Orange County, CA — Market Data (2023)
2,919 full-service restaurants operate in Orange County, CA, based on 2023 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns (CBP) data — the same establishment counts the federal government uses for economic statistics.
Market density
That works out to 9.309 establishments per 10,000 residents, 20.6% above the national average of 7.7221 per 10,000 residents for full-service restaurants. Markets with lower density have fewer competitors per capita; markets with higher density have more.
Market data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Establishments | 2,919 |
| Density (per 10,000 residents) | 9.309 |
| Employment | 67,911 |
| Annual payroll | $2,163,083,000 |
| Average business size (employees/establishment) | 23.3 |
| County population (2023) | 3,135,755 |
Less saturated nearby markets
These counties have a lower full-service restaurants density than Orange County — fewer competitors per capita for the same industry.
- Orange County, FL: 9.277 per 10,000 residents (1,365 establishments)
- Suffolk County, NY: 9.145 per 10,000 residents (1,393 establishments)
- Santa Clara County, CA: 9.07 per 10,000 residents (1,703 establishments)
- Queens County, NY: 9.045 per 10,000 residents (2,037 establishments)
See the full Full-Service Restaurants by county ranking for all 45 counties with available data.
Other industries in Orange County, CA
Establishment counts and density for other tracked business types in Orange County, CA, 2023 CBP.
- Doctors Offices: 3,946 (12.584/10k)
- Limited-Service Restaurants: 3,354 (10.696/10k)
- Dentists: 2,876 (9.172/10k)
- Coffee Shops: 1,391 (4.436/10k)
- Home Remodelers: 1,349 (4.302/10k)
- Hair Salons: 1,033 (3.294/10k)
- Auto Repair Shops: 835 (2.663/10k)
- Nail Salons: 765 (2.44/10k)
- Landscaping Companies: 738 (2.354/10k)
- Child Day Care Centers: 632 (2.015/10k)
- Gyms and Fitness Centers: 582 (1.856/10k)
- Chiropractors: 555 (1.77/10k)
- Grocery Stores: 505 (1.61/10k)
- Tax Preparation Services: 429 (1.368/10k)
- Veterinary Clinics: 385 (1.228/10k)
- Sports and Recreation Instruction: 382 (1.218/10k)
- Optometrists: 378 (1.205/10k)
- Auto Body Shops: 364 (1.161/10k)
- Family Clothing Stores: 352 (1.123/10k)
- Pet Grooming and Boarding: 247 (0.788/10k)
- Dry Cleaners: 246 (0.785/10k)
- Bars: 243 (0.775/10k)
- Car Washes: 230 (0.733/10k)
- Self-Storage Facilities: 185 (0.59/10k)
- Bakeries: 131 (0.418/10k)
- Florists: 113 (0.36/10k)
- Barbershops: 60 (0.191/10k)
- Funeral Homes: 52 (0.166/10k)
- Weight Loss Centers: 35 (0.112/10k)
Frequently asked questions
How many full-service restaurants are there in Orange County, CA?
2,919 full-service restaurants operate in Orange County, CA, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data.
Is the full-service restaurants market in Orange County, CA saturated compared to the national average?
Orange County, CA has 9.309 full-service restaurants per 10,000 residents, which is 20.6% above the national average of 7.7221 per 10,000 residents. That means more competitors per capita than the typical U.S. county.
What is the average size of a full-service restaurant business in Orange County, CA?
The average full-service restaurant business in Orange County, CA has about 23.3 employees (67,911 total employment ÷ 2,919 establishments).
Are there less saturated nearby markets for full-service restaurants?
Yes — Orange County, FL has a lower density (9.277 per 10,000 residents) than Orange County, CA, along with 3 other nearby counties listed below.