Limited-Service Restaurants in Cook County, IL — Market Data (2023)
4,656 limited-service restaurants operate in Cook County, IL, 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 9.153 establishments per 10,000 residents, 13.7% above the national average of 8.0513 per 10,000 residents for limited-service restaurants. Markets with lower density have fewer competitors per capita; markets with higher density have more.
Market data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Establishments | 4,656 |
| Density (per 10,000 residents) | 9.153 |
| Employment | 71,531 |
| Annual payroll | $1,691,721,000 |
| Average business size (employees/establishment) | 15.4 |
| County population (2023) | 5,087,072 |
Less saturated nearby markets
These counties have a lower limited-service restaurants density than Cook County — fewer competitors per capita for the same industry.
- Salt Lake County, UT: 9.091 per 10,000 residents (1,078 establishments)
- Collin County, TX: 9.018 per 10,000 residents (1,078 establishments)
- Tarrant County, TX: 9.002 per 10,000 residents (1,965 establishments)
- Allegheny County, PA: 8.989 per 10,000 residents (1,101 establishments)
See the full Limited-Service Restaurants by county ranking for all 45 counties with available data.
Frequently asked questions
How many limited-service restaurants are there in Cook County, IL?
4,656 limited-service restaurants operate in Cook County, IL, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data.
Is the limited-service restaurants market in Cook County, IL saturated compared to the national average?
Cook County, IL has 9.153 limited-service restaurants per 10,000 residents, which is 13.7% above the national average of 8.0513 per 10,000 residents. That means more competitors per capita than the typical U.S. county.
What is the average size of a limited-service restaurant business in Cook County, IL?
The average limited-service restaurant business in Cook County, IL has about 15.4 employees (71,531 total employment ÷ 4,656 establishments).
Are there less saturated nearby markets for limited-service restaurants?
Yes — Salt Lake County, UT has a lower density (9.091 per 10,000 residents) than Cook County, IL, along with 3 other nearby counties listed below.