Limited-Service Restaurants in Wake County, NC — Market Data (2023)
984 limited-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 8.267 establishments per 10,000 residents, 2.7% 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 | 984 |
| Density (per 10,000 residents) | 8.267 |
| Employment | 21,922 |
| Annual payroll | $436,539,000 |
| Average business size (employees/establishment) | 22.3 |
| County population (2023) | 1,190,275 |
Less saturated nearby markets
These counties have a lower limited-service restaurants density than Wake County — fewer competitors per capita for the same industry.
- Travis County, TX: 8.262 per 10,000 residents (1,103 establishments)
- Harris County, TX: 8.186 per 10,000 residents (3,958 establishments)
- Riverside County, CA: 8.137 per 10,000 residents (2,028 establishments)
- Bexar County, TX: 8.014 per 10,000 residents (1,673 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 Wake County, NC?
984 limited-service restaurants operate in Wake County, NC, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data.
Is the limited-service restaurants market in Wake County, NC saturated compared to the national average?
Wake County, NC has 8.267 limited-service restaurants per 10,000 residents, which is 2.7% 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 Wake County, NC?
The average limited-service restaurant business in Wake County, NC has about 22.3 employees (21,922 total employment ÷ 984 establishments).
Are there less saturated nearby markets for limited-service restaurants?
Yes — Travis County, TX has a lower density (8.262 per 10,000 residents) than Wake County, NC, along with 3 other nearby counties listed below.