About what share of US restaurants have fewer than 50 employees?
Answerabout 90%
The restaurant industry is overwhelmingly made up of small operations, not big chains.
Source: National Restaurant Association (2024) restaurant.org
Food · Facts & sources
Chain facts & stats
5 sourced facts about chain restaurants versus independent restaurants, each with the context behind the number. 4 more are in today's round and appear here after it closes.
Going deeper
About how many independent restaurant locations were there in the US in 2025?
Answerabout 412,500
That number actually shrank during 2025 amid rising food, labor and interest costs.
Source: Nation's Restaurant News (2025) nrn.com
How did the number of independent restaurants change in 2025?
Answerdown 2.3% (over 9,500 closures)
Rising costs and lower consumer spending hit small independent operators harder than large chains.
Source: Nation's Restaurant News (2025) nrn.com
Expert level
How did chain restaurant locations trend in 2025, versus independents?
Answerup about 1.4%
Analysts described 2025 as a year where 'the haves grew, the have-nots did not.'
Source: Nation's Restaurant News (2025) nrn.com
What share of restaurant firms are minority-owned, compared with 30% across all US businesses?
Answer41%
The restaurant industry is often cited as an accessible entry point for first-time business owners.
Source: National Restaurant Association (2024) restaurant.org
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