Full-Service Restaurants Revenue Benchmarks
The average full-service restaurants business in the United States generates $1.6M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 219,017 full-service restaurants businesses in the U.S., employing 4,361,855 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $30K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Full-Service Restaurants Business Actually Do?
Sit-down restaurants where customers order from a server, are served at their table, and pay at the end. Range from independent bistros to chains like Cheesecake Factory. Alcohol service is a key revenue and margin driver.
Who buys: Consumers dining out — casual, occasion, business meals.
How this is different: Different from limited-service (fast food, fast casual) where customers order at counter and there's no server.
Average Revenue
$1.6M
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$82K
per year
Total Businesses
219,017
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$82K
small business avg
Labor Cost
33.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$30K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
66.1
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Full-Service Restaurants Charge?
Full-service restaurants price per menu item; food cost target is 28–35% of revenue.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Casual dining check average | $18–35 per person |
Upscale casual | $40–75 per person |
Fine dining | $80–200 per person |
Food cost as % of revenue | 28–35% |
Alcohol as % of revenue (if licensed) | 20–30% |
Labor as % of revenue | 30–40% |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete full-service restaurants business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a full-service restaurants business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the full-service restaurants industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Food & beverage costs | $34 | $558K | Ingredients, food, beverages, disposables — the raw cost of what's served. |
Wages & benefits | $33 | $540K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $12 | $203K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $51K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $12 | $203K | Utilities, cleaning, licenses, credit-card processing, kitchen equipment depreciation, insurance. |
Net profit | $5 | $82K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
11.02%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.81%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+4.8%
annual
Businesses Closed
40,490
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Full-Service Restaurants Business?
Startup Cost
$250K – $900K
Break-Even
84 months
5-Year Survival Rate
40.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a full-service restaurants business do?
- Sit-down restaurants where customers order from a server, are served at their table, and pay at the end. Range from independent bistros to chains like Cheesecake Factory. Alcohol service is a key revenue and margin driver. Consumers dining out — casual, occasion, business meals.
- How much do full-service restaurants charge?
- Full-service restaurants price per menu item; food cost target is 28–35% of revenue. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average full-service restaurants make per year?
- The average full-service restaurants business generates $1.6M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $82K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many full-service restaurants businesses are there in the US?
- There are 219,017 full-service restaurants businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 4,361,855 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a full-service restaurants business?
- Startup costs for a full-service restaurants business typically range from $250K to $900K, with a 5-year survival rate of 40.0%.
- What is the average salary in the full-service restaurants industry?
- The average employee in the full-service restaurants industry earns $30K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The full-service restaurants industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 4.8% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (11.0% entry vs 8.8% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 63% of full-service restaurants businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 40,490 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the full-service restaurants industry earns $29,723/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 262,155 establishments employing 5,331,268 people, the typical business has about 20 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The full-service restaurants industry has grown 55% since 2000 (from 262,668 to 407,800 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Full-Service Restaurants revenue with other industries: