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, 11.2% 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 | 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.
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 11.2% 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 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.