Limited-Service Restaurants in San Diego County, CA — Market Data (2023)
3,086 limited-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 9.437 establishments per 10,000 residents, 17% above the national average of 8.0644 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 | 3,086 |
| Density (per 10,000 residents) | 9.437 |
| Employment | 55,315 |
| Annual payroll | $1,379,560,000 |
| Average business size (employees/establishment) | 17.9 |
| County population (2023) | 3,269,973 |
Less saturated nearby markets
These counties have a lower limited-service restaurants density than San Diego County — fewer competitors per capita for the same industry.
- Alameda County, CA: 9.222 per 10,000 residents (1,496 establishments)
- Orange County, FL: 9.182 per 10,000 residents (1,351 establishments)
- Cook County, IL: 9.153 per 10,000 residents (4,656 establishments)
- Salt Lake County, UT: 9.091 per 10,000 residents (1,078 establishments)
See the full Limited-Service Restaurants by county ranking for all 45 counties with available data.
Other industries in San Diego County, CA
Establishment counts and density for other tracked business types in San Diego County, CA, 2023 CBP.
- Full-Service Restaurants: 2,650 (8.104/10k)
- Doctors Offices: 2,576 (7.878/10k)
- Dentists: 1,927 (5.893/10k)
- Home Remodelers: 1,691 (5.171/10k)
- Coffee Shops: 1,123 (3.434/10k)
- Landscaping Companies: 943 (2.884/10k)
- Child Day Care Centers: 883 (2.7/10k)
- Auto Repair Shops: 874 (2.673/10k)
- Hair Salons: 847 (2.59/10k)
- Grocery Stores: 580 (1.774/10k)
- Gyms and Fitness Centers: 578 (1.768/10k)
- Nail Salons: 574 (1.755/10k)
- Chiropractors: 435 (1.33/10k)
- Veterinary Clinics: 371 (1.135/10k)
- Tax Preparation Services: 360 (1.101/10k)
- Bars: 348 (1.064/10k)
- Family Clothing Stores: 337 (1.031/10k)
- Sports and Recreation Instruction: 313 (0.957/10k)
- Auto Body Shops: 308 (0.942/10k)
- Pet Grooming and Boarding: 303 (0.927/10k)
- Optometrists: 231 (0.706/10k)
- Self-Storage Facilities: 195 (0.596/10k)
- Car Washes: 185 (0.566/10k)
- Dry Cleaners: 177 (0.541/10k)
- Florists: 122 (0.373/10k)
- Bakeries: 105 (0.321/10k)
- Barbershops: 81 (0.248/10k)
- Funeral Homes: 60 (0.183/10k)
- Weight Loss Centers: 33 (0.101/10k)
Frequently asked questions
How many limited-service restaurants are there in San Diego County, CA?
3,086 limited-service restaurants operate in San Diego County, CA, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data.
Is the limited-service restaurants market in San Diego County, CA saturated compared to the national average?
San Diego County, CA has 9.437 limited-service restaurants per 10,000 residents, which is 17% above the national average of 8.0644 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 San Diego County, CA?
The average limited-service restaurant business in San Diego County, CA has about 17.9 employees (55,315 total employment ÷ 3,086 establishments).
Are there less saturated nearby markets for limited-service restaurants?
Yes — Alameda County, CA has a lower density (9.222 per 10,000 residents) than San Diego County, CA, along with 3 other nearby counties listed below.