Full-Service Restaurants in Wake County, NC — Market Data (2023)
1,021 full-service restaurants operate in Wake County, NC, 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 8.578 establishments per 10,000 residents, 11.1% 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 | 1,021 |
| Density (per 10,000 residents) | 8.578 |
| Employment | 24,672 |
| Annual payroll | $663,307,000 |
| Average business size (employees/establishment) | 24.2 |
| County population (2023) | 1,190,275 |
Less saturated nearby markets
These counties have a lower full-service restaurants density than Wake County — fewer competitors per capita for the same industry.
- Cook County, IL: 8.512 per 10,000 residents (4,330 establishments)
- Los Angeles County, CA: 8.5 per 10,000 residents (8,214 establishments)
- Travis County, TX: 8.345 per 10,000 residents (1,114 establishments)
- Collin County, TX: 8.157 per 10,000 residents (975 establishments)
See the full Full-Service Restaurants by county ranking for all 45 counties with available data.
Other industries in Wake County, NC
Establishment counts and density for other tracked business types in Wake County, NC, 2023 CBP.
- Limited-Service Restaurants: 984 (8.267/10k)
- Doctors Offices: 618 (5.192/10k)
- Dentists: 562 (4.722/10k)
- Home Remodelers: 503 (4.226/10k)
- Landscaping Companies: 464 (3.898/10k)
- Hair Salons: 422 (3.545/10k)
- Child Day Care Centers: 322 (2.705/10k)
- Coffee Shops: 303 (2.546/10k)
- Auto Repair Shops: 282 (2.369/10k)
- Gyms and Fitness Centers: 251 (2.109/10k)
- Grocery Stores: 230 (1.932/10k)
- Chiropractors: 169 (1.42/10k)
- Veterinary Clinics: 164 (1.378/10k)
- Sports and Recreation Instruction: 150 (1.26/10k)
- Bars: 134 (1.126/10k)
- Pet Grooming and Boarding: 126 (1.059/10k)
- Auto Body Shops: 109 (0.916/10k)
- Optometrists: 102 (0.857/10k)
- Self-Storage Facilities: 92 (0.773/10k)
- Car Washes: 81 (0.681/10k)
- Family Clothing Stores: 80 (0.672/10k)
- Nail Salons: 76 (0.639/10k)
- Tax Preparation Services: 75 (0.63/10k)
- Dry Cleaners: 59 (0.496/10k)
- Bakeries: 50 (0.42/10k)
- Barbershops: 45 (0.378/10k)
- Funeral Homes: 30 (0.252/10k)
- Florists: 29 (0.244/10k)
- Weight Loss Centers: 17 (0.143/10k)
Frequently asked questions
How many full-service restaurants are there in Wake County, NC?
1,021 full-service restaurants operate in Wake County, NC, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data.
Is the full-service restaurants market in Wake County, NC saturated compared to the national average?
Wake County, NC has 8.578 full-service restaurants per 10,000 residents, which is 11.1% 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 Wake County, NC?
The average full-service restaurant business in Wake County, NC has about 24.2 employees (24,672 total employment ÷ 1,021 establishments).
Are there less saturated nearby markets for full-service restaurants?
Yes — Cook County, IL has a lower density (8.512 per 10,000 residents) than Wake County, NC, along with 3 other nearby counties listed below.