Full-Service Restaurants in San Diego County, CA — Market Data (2023)
2,650 full-service restaurants operate in San Diego 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 8.104 establishments per 10,000 residents, 5.1% above the national average of 7.7116 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 | 2,650 |
| Density (per 10,000 residents) | 8.104 |
| Employment | 63,776 |
| Annual payroll | $2,118,435,000 |
| Average business size (employees/establishment) | 24.1 |
| County population (2023) | 3,269,973 |
Less saturated nearby markets
These counties have a lower full-service restaurants density than San Diego County — fewer competitors per capita for the same industry.
- Dallas County, TX: 8.027 per 10,000 residents (2,092 establishments)
- Cuyahoga County, OH: 7.972 per 10,000 residents (983 establishments)
- Fairfax County, VA: 7.952 per 10,000 residents (908 establishments)
- Philadelphia County, PA: 7.797 per 10,000 residents (1,209 establishments)
See the full Full-Service Restaurants by county ranking for all 45 counties with available data.
Frequently asked questions
How many full-service restaurants are there in San Diego County, CA?
2,650 full-service restaurants operate in San Diego County, CA, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data.
Is the full-service restaurants market in San Diego County, CA saturated compared to the national average?
San Diego County, CA has 8.104 full-service restaurants per 10,000 residents, which is 5.1% above the national average of 7.7116 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 San Diego County, CA?
The average full-service restaurant business in San Diego County, CA has about 24.1 employees (63,776 total employment ÷ 2,650 establishments).
Are there less saturated nearby markets for full-service restaurants?
Yes — Dallas County, TX has a lower density (8.027 per 10,000 residents) than San Diego County, CA, along with 3 other nearby counties listed below.