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, 17.2% 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 | 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.
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 17.2% 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 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.