Graph and download economic data for All Employees, Food Services and Drinking Places (CES7072200001) from Jan 1990 to May 2025 about leisure, hospitality, establishment survey, food, services, employment, and USA.

The number of people employed in the restaurant industry in the United States fluctuated throughout the past decade. As of May 2023, this figure reached 13.2 million, a slight increase from the previous year's total of 12.5 million from the previous year. The number of employees in the restaurant industry in the U.S. peaked in 2016 at 14.7 million and has since declined. What are the hourly wages of fast-food employees in the U.S.? The hourly wages of U.S. fast food and counter workers varied throughout 2023. As of May of that year, fast food employees in the United States had a median hourly wage of 14.2 U.S. dollars. In total, approximately 10 percent of fast-food employees earned less than 10.67 U.S. dollars per hour, and 90 percent of those same workers earned less than 17.73 U.S. dollars per hour. Leading U.S. restaurant chain The leading restaurant chain in the U.S., by a measure of sales, was McDonald’s in 2022. During that year, the quick service chain experienced sales amounting to 48.67 billion U.S. dollars. McDonald’s was also the most valuable quick service restaurant brand in the world in 2023, with an estimated brand value of over 191 billion U.S. dollars. Starbucks, who came second in the ranking, had an estimated brand value of approximately 61.5 billion U.S. dollars.

Graph and download economic data for All Employees: Leisure and Hospitality: Food Services and Drinking Places in New York City, NY (SMU36935617072200001SA) from Jan 1990 to Apr 2025 about beverages, New York, NY, food, services, employment, and USA.

This statistic illustrates the share of labor costs in the restaurant industry in the United States from 2014 to 2017, broken down by restaurant type. In 2017, labor costs in fast casual restaurants in the U.S. amounted to **** percent of the industry costs.

In 2024, over *** million employees were estimated to have worked in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) franchise industry in the United States. This shows an increase when compared to the previous year's total of **** million. The number of employees in the U.S. QSR franchise industry is forecast to peak in 2025 at around **** million. Restaurant franchising in the United States There are two types of QSR: company-owned stores and franchised. Company-owned stores are managed by a qualified and experienced employee of the company, whereas the franchise model sees an entrepreneur invest their own money into the project. The franchisee becomes the owner of the restaurant once they pay the initial start-up fees, and it is their responsibility to ensure the success of the store. In the United States, the number of franchised stores in the QSR industry was estimated to be nearly ******* in 2024. How do companies make money from franchised stores? Burger chain McDonald’s has grown from humble beginnings to become the leading QSR worldwide. In 2023, McDonald's restaurant sales from the company’s franchised stores located around the world increased to more than *** billion U.S. dollars. The company's franchised restaurants generated a worldwide revenue of around ** billion U.S. dollars in 2023 – over half of which was made through rent payments. It is worth noting that franchised sales are not recorded as revenues of McDonald’s.

The statistic depicts the employment in the U.S. restaurant industry as of ***********, by segment. Full-service restaurants in the U.S. employed over *** million people at that time.

This statistic shows the number of food-preparation workers employed in the restaurant industry in the United States from 2010 to 2026. The number of food-preparation workers in the U.S. was forecasted to reach 1.02 million by 2026.

United States Employment: NF: PW: LH: Limited-Service Restaurant data was reported at 4,020.600 Person th in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,972.700 Person th for Feb 2025. United States Employment: NF: PW: LH: Limited-Service Restaurant data is updated monthly, averaging 3,013.800 Person th from Jan 1990 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 423 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,152.300 Person th in Jul 2024 and a record low of 2,051.900 Person th in Jan 1991. United States Employment: NF: PW: LH: Limited-Service Restaurant data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Employment Statistics: Employment: Production Worker: Non Farm Payroll.

After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants in the U.S. have been able to find enough staff to fill all open positions. According to the source, ** percent of restauranteurs reported that workers higher expectation for competitive wages was a reason for the labor shortage.

Graph and download economic data for All Employees: Leisure and Hospitality: Full-Service Restaurants in California (SMU06000007072251101) from Jan 1990 to May 2025 about restaurant, CA, services, employment, and USA.

Employment statistics on the Fast Food Restaurants industry in United States

Graph and download economic data for Unit Labor Costs for Accommodation and Food Services: Restaurants and Other Eating Places (NAICS 72251) in the United States (IPUTN72251U101000000) from 1988 to 2024 about restaurant, accommodation, unit labor cost, NAICS, IP, food, services, and USA.

Employment: NF: LH: Restaurants & Oth Eating Place (RU) data was reported at 10,954.700 Person th in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 10,842.100 Person th for Feb 2025. Employment: NF: LH: Restaurants & Oth Eating Place (RU) data is updated monthly, averaging 8,453.500 Person th from Jan 1990 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 423 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11,370.100 Person th in Jul 2024 and a record low of 5,542.000 Person th in Jan 1991. Employment: NF: LH: Restaurants & Oth Eating Place (RU) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Employment Statistics: Employment: Non Farm Payroll.

This statistic shows the states with the highest summer employment in the United States restaurant industry in 2014. California was forecasted to have the highest level of summer employment in the restaurant industry with an increase of 47,600 jobs in the summer months.

Employment figures in the food services industry in India amounted to over seven million in 2021. Despite over two million jobs lost during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry is expected to make a full recovery, back to its growth trajectory in the coming years, an estimated ten million by 2025.

Graph and download economic data for All Employees: Leisure and Hospitality: Full-Service Restaurants in District of Columbia (SMU11000007072251101SA) from Jan 1990 to Apr 2025 about restaurant, DC, services, employment, and USA.

United States AHE: PW: LH: Restaurants & Other Eating Places data was reported at 18.950 USD in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 18.880 USD for Feb 2025. United States AHE: PW: LH: Restaurants & Other Eating Places data is updated monthly, averaging 9.180 USD from Jan 1990 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 423 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.950 USD in Mar 2025 and a record low of 5.170 USD in Feb 1990. United States AHE: PW: LH: Restaurants & Other Eating Places data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Employment Statistics: Average Hourly Earnings: Production Workers.

United States AHE: PW: LH: Full-service Restaurants data was reported at 21.110 USD in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 20.940 USD for Feb 2025. United States AHE: PW: LH: Full-service Restaurants data is updated monthly, averaging 9.870 USD from Jan 1990 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 423 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.110 USD in Mar 2025 and a record low of 5.460 USD in Jan 1990. United States AHE: PW: LH: Full-service Restaurants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Employment Statistics: Average Hourly Earnings: Production Workers.

United States AHE: PW: LH: Limited-service Restaurants data was reported at 16.530 USD in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 16.550 USD for Feb 2025. United States AHE: PW: LH: Limited-service Restaurants data is updated monthly, averaging 8.250 USD from Jan 1990 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 423 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.560 USD in Jan 2025 and a record low of 4.780 USD in Feb 1990. United States AHE: PW: LH: Limited-service Restaurants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G: Current Employment Statistics: Average Hourly Earnings: Production Workers.

United States AHE: sa: PW: LH: Limited-service Restaurants data was reported at 16.560 USD in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 16.470 USD for Feb 2025. United States AHE: sa: PW: LH: Limited-service Restaurants data is updated monthly, averaging 8.290 USD from Jan 1990 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 423 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.560 USD in Mar 2025 and a record low of 4.770 USD in Jan 1990. United States AHE: sa: PW: LH: Limited-service Restaurants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G076: Current Employment Statistics: Average Hourly Earnings: Production Workers: Seasonally Adjusted.