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Wisconsin Restaurant Statistics

• Over 15,000 foodservice businesses operate in Wisconsin.
  
  
• The "Food Services and Drinking Places" industry is the largest private employer in the state, and also ranks among the fastest-growing industries in the state. (1)
  
  
• 1 in 10 working Wisconsinites is a restaurant employee. (2)
  
  
• 89.7% of fullservice restaurant respondents in Wisconsin indicated that they are independently owned.  (3)
  
  
• Eating and drinking places are overwhelmingly small businesses, with 91% having fewer than 50 employees.  (4)
  
  
• Food services and drinking places ranked number three on a list of industries with the most new jobs.  (1)
  
  
• Every $1 spent in Wisconsin’s restaurants generates an additional $1.10 in sales for Wisconsin’s economy. (2)
  
  
• In 2009, Wisconsin’s restaurants will register $7.3 billion in sales (projected). (2)

U.S. Restaurant Statistics

• The restaurant industry is the nation’s largest private-sector employer.  Restaurants employ 13 million people today, and are expected to add 3 million new jobs by 2019.  (4)
  
  
• Restaurant-industry sales on a typical day in 2009 are estimated at $1.5 Billion.  (4)
  
  
• Restaurants will provide more than 70 billion meal and snack occasions in 2009.  (4)

Did You Know?

• Nearly half of all adults have worked in the restaurant industry at some point during their lives. More than 1 in 4 adults got their first job experience in a restaurant.  And, more than half of current restaurant industry employees are under the age of 30.  (4)

• Restaurants are extremely people intensive – Nationally, labor costs are 34% of total sales for a full service restaurant and 28% for a limited service restaurant. (1)

• Restaurants generally have profit margins that are much lower than most other small businesses.  Nationally, the average profit margin (net income before taxes) for restaurants is only 3-9%. (1)

• Food costs are one of the most important line items for a restaurateur.  Food and beverage costs represent about 33 cents of every dollar in restaurant sales. (4)
  
  
• Every additional million dollars in restaurant sales generates an additional 33 jobs for the economy.  (4)

What’s Hot Right Now

• Locally grown, sustainable and organic food and beverage items
• Bite-size/mini desserts
• Nutritionally balanced children's dishes and healthy children’s side items
• Half portions/smaller portion for a smaller price
• Gluten-free/food-allergy conscious
• Superfruits (e.g. acai, goji berry, mangosteen, etc.)
• Micro-distilled/artisanal liquor
• Culinary cocktails
• Simplicity/back to basics

The National Restaurant Association conducts research on industry operations, human resources, consumer, economic and analysis of industry-related statistics. Visit the NRA website to purchase research publications.

Facts and figures noted above are based on National Restaurant Association (NRA) research and data from federal government agencies:

1. Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development data: 2006-2016 Industry Projections.
2. 2007: NRA. Data from Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau. “Eating and drinking places” is a Census designation that captures approx. three-fourths of all restaurant and foodservice employment.
3. Figures are from a national survey by Deloitte & Touche, LLC in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association (NRA).
4. 2009 NRA Statistic
5. 2008 Restaurant Industry Operations Report by Deloitte & Touche, LLC in conjunction with the NRA.