Market rankings · Arkansas

Fast food and sandwich shops in Arkansas

Markets across Arkansas ranked by the Groundwork market score for fast food and sandwich shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings: 1,717; 1,537 chain locations (90%)
Official establishments: 2,382; All limited-service restaurants · +11.1% since 2019
Household spending a year: $4.1B; On food away from home
Listings per 10k households: 14.2; 7% above the U.S.
Spending per listing: $2.4M; 22% below the U.S.
Rank among states: #45 of 51; Market score 31 · Lower middle

A site report maps the fast food and sandwich shops on map listings around any address in Arkansas by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,717 fast food and sandwich shops in Arkansas. Chain locations make up 90% of them, against 79% across the U.S. That comes to 14.2 for every 10,000 households, 7% above the U.S. rate of 13.3.

Households in Arkansas spend about $4.1B a year on food away from home, or $3,400 per household, 16% below the U.S. average. That works out to $2.4M per shop, 22% below the U.S. figure of $3.1M. That spending covers all food away from home, which fast food and sandwich shops share with other businesses in the trade.

In 2023, official counts showed 2,382 businesses with payroll in Arkansas classed as limited-service restaurants, up 11.1% from 2019. That is one for every 506 households, against one for every 478 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 6.1% over the same years. The official count takes in all limited-service restaurants, not only fast food and sandwich shops: pizza places are counted too. Since fiscal 2022, 41 SBA-backed loans worth $18.5M have gone to businesses classed as limited-service restaurants in Arkansas.

Among the 50 states and DC, Arkansas ranks #45 for fast food and sandwich shops, with a Groundwork market score of 31 (lower middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arkansas, the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area scores highest (60). Of the 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arkansas, the Malvern area scores highest (68).

Every market in Arkansas for fast food and sandwich shops

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Arkansas, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.

Metro areas

Metro areas reaching Arkansas, ranked for fast food and sandwich shops by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	60	309	14.3	$2.8M	+13.1%	#135 of 387
2Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	39	446	14.3	$2.5M	+3.8%	#264 of 387
3Fort Smith, AR-OK	30	128	14.1	$2.3M	+3.1%	#312 of 387
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	28	808	15.5	$2.3M	−0.3%	#324 of 387
4Hot Springs, AR	23	56	12.8	$2.5M	−0.6%	#347 of 387
5Jonesboro, AR	20	93	17.5	$1.9M	+3.6%	#359 of 387
Texarkana, TX-AR	6	115	20.4	$1.6M	−0.4%	#387 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Arkansas, ranked for fast food and sandwich shops by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Malvern, AR	68	10	8.1	$3.9M	+1.1%	#100 of 537
2Harrison, AR	57	23	12.4	$2.5M	+2.4%	#217 of 537
3Mountain Home, AR	54	23	11.9	$2.5M	+3.1%	#240 of 537
4Batesville, AR	46	17	11.6	$2.8M	+2.2%	#310 of 537
5Paragould, AR	44	28	15.6	$2.1M	+3.4%	#337 of 537
6Camden, AR	42	12	11.6	$2.6M	−3.6%	#347 of 537
7Searcy, AR	39	52	17.6	$1.8M	+4.2%	#374 of 537
8Russellville, AR	38	45	13.8	$2.4M	+1.6%	#377 of 537
9El Dorado, AR	20	22	14.7	$2.2M	−5.2%	#499 of 537
10Blytheville, AR	13	30	19.4	$1.6M	−6.7%	#518 of 537
11Pine Bluff, AR	12	41	15.2	$2M	−5.6%	#521 of 537
12Forrest City, AR	11	19	24.4	$1.1M	−5.3%	#527 of 537
13Arkadelphia, AR	9	18	22.2	$1.4M	−2.2%	#531 of 537
14Magnolia, AR	7	19	22.6	$1.4M	−3.7%	#533 of 537

Counties

Counties in Arkansas, ranked for fast food and sandwich shops by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Marion County, AR	72	5	6.5	$4.5M	+4.3%	#302 of 2,222
2Saline County, AR	71	52	10.4	$3.7M	+7.6%	#334 of 2,222
3Benton County, AR	66	166	14.8	$2.9M	+16.0%	#533 of 2,222
4Polk County, AR	65	5	6.3	$4.8M	+1.6%	#536 of 2,222
5Lonoke County, AR	64	32	11.2	$3.2M	+3.5%	#582 of 2,222
6Izard County, AR	62	5	9.6	$3M	+5.9%	#661 of 2,222
7Grant County, AR	62	9	12.9	$2.8M	+4.1%	#666 of 2,222
8Hot Spring County, AR	61	10	8.1	$3.9M	+1.1%	#682 of 2,222
9Van Buren County, AR	58	7	9.4	$3.1M	+2.8%	#821 of 2,222
10Conway County, AR	56	9	10.9	$2.8M	+3.2%	#918 of 2,222
11Franklin County, AR	55	8	11.4	$2.7M	+3.5%	#957 of 2,222
12Clay County, AR	54	5	8.3	$3.6M	−3.3%	#974 of 2,222
13Logan County, AR	52	11	12.9	$2.6M	+2.5%	#1,078 of 2,222
14Sharp County, AR	51	7	10.2	$2.9M	+4.7%	#1,107 of 2,222
15Washington County, AR	49	140	14.4	$2.6M	+9.9%	#1,188 of 2,222
16Crawford County, AR	48	28	12.0	$2.8M	+4.1%	#1,220 of 2,222
17Randolph County, AR	48	8	10.9	$2.7M	+1.5%	#1,222 of 2,222
18Baxter County, AR	46	23	11.9	$2.5M	+3.1%	#1,310 of 2,222
19Boone County, AR	44	21	13.7	$2.3M	+3.3%	#1,385 of 2,222
20Faulkner County, AR	44	78	15.8	$2.3M	+8.2%	#1,386 of 2,222
21Independence County, AR	40	17	11.6	$2.8M	+2.2%	#1,485 of 2,222
22Greene County, AR	38	28	15.6	$2.1M	+3.4%	#1,584 of 2,222
23Miller County, AR	37	20	12.2	$2.5M	−0.5%	#1,603 of 2,222
24Sevier County, AR	37	7	12.5	$2.4M	−0.1%	#1,605 of 2,222
25Cleburne County, AR	36	13	12.4	$2.5M	+3.9%	#1,635 of 2,222

Show all 75 counties

Counties in Arkansas, ranked for fast food and sandwich shops by Groundwork market score, continued
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
26Stone County, AR	35	5	9.5	$2.9M	+2.9%	#1,662 of 2,222
27Lawrence County, AR	35	9	13.6	$2.2M	+0.3%	#1,677 of 2,222
28White County, AR	35	52	17.6	$1.8M	+4.2%	#1,689 of 2,222
29Sebastian County, AR	33	72	13.8	$2.4M	+2.2%	#1,740 of 2,222
30Howard County, AR	32	5	9.8	$2.9M	−3.6%	#1,766 of 2,222
31Pulaski County, AR	32	272	15.8	$2.3M	+1.3%	#1,780 of 2,222
32Jackson County, AR	32	8	13.2	$2.2M	0.0%	#1,781 of 2,222
33Carroll County, AR	31	19	16.7	$1.9M	+3.6%	#1,822 of 2,222
34Ashley County, AR	30	7	9.5	$2.9M	−5.9%	#1,833 of 2,222
35Craighead County, AR	30	80	18.0	$1.9M	+4.8%	#1,851 of 2,222
36Garland County, AR	29	56	12.8	$2.5M	−0.6%	#1,862 of 2,222
37Cross County, AR	28	7	10.8	$2.9M	−3.6%	#1,884 of 2,222
38Ouachita County, AR	28	11	12.8	$2.4M	−3.9%	#1,893 of 2,222
39Johnson County, AR	28	17	16.5	$1.7M	+2.0%	#1,909 of 2,222
40Bradley County, AR	25	5	13.3	$2.2M	−6.4%	#1,964 of 2,222
41Pope County, AR	25	41	16.8	$2M	+2.5%	#1,970 of 2,222
42Pike County, AR	25	9	22.0	$1.4M	−1.9%	#1,981 of 2,222
43Little River County, AR	23	7	14.5	$2.2M	−1.8%	#1,994 of 2,222
44Phillips County, AR	23	10	16.6	$1.6M	−13.0%	#2,006 of 2,222
45Poinsett County, AR	21	13	14.8	$1.9M	−2.0%	#2,033 of 2,222
46Hempstead County, AR	18	9	12.0	$2.4M	−4.6%	#2,081 of 2,222
47Union County, AR	17	22	14.7	$2.2M	−5.2%	#2,098 of 2,222
48Drew County, AR	15	12	16.7	$1.7M	−1.5%	#2,134 of 2,222
49Arkansas County, AR	15	12	17.9	$1.7M	−7.4%	#2,135 of 2,222
50Mississippi County, AR	14	30	19.4	$1.6M	−6.7%	#2,151 of 2,222
51Crittenden County, AR	14	39	21.4	$1.4M	−3.9%	#2,155 of 2,222
52Desha County, AR	13	6	13.0	$2.1M	−11.8%	#2,162 of 2,222
53St. Francis County, AR	11	19	24.4	$1.1M	−5.3%	#2,189 of 2,222
54Clark County, AR	8	18	22.2	$1.4M	−2.2%	#2,202 of 2,222
55Jefferson County, AR	7	40	16.7	$1.8M	−5.7%	#2,204 of 2,222
56Columbia County, AR	7	19	22.6	$1.4M	−3.7%	#2,208 of 2,222
Yell County, AR	Not scored	4	4.8	$6.5M	−1.3%
Madison County, AR	Not scored	3	4.6	$6.9M	+11.2%
Lincoln County, AR	Not scored	4	11.1	$2.8M	−1.0%
Fulton County, AR	Not scored	4	8.4	$3.3M	+3.7%
Perry County, AR	Not scored	3	7.3	$4.5M	+3.1%
Scott County, AR	Not scored	5	12.5	$2.2M	+1.4%
Chicot County, AR	Not scored	8	20.2	$1.4M	−10.3%
Montgomery County, AR	Not scored	3	8.1	$3.7M	+1.1%
Lee County, AR	Not scored	6	22.3	$1.2M	−6.4%
Nevada County, AR	Not scored	4	12.3	$2.4M	−4.1%
Prairie County, AR	Not scored	2	6.1	$5M	−3.9%
Searcy County, AR	Not scored	7	21.9	$1.3M	0.0%
Cleveland County, AR	Not scored	1	3.4	$9.5M	−4.3%
Newton County, AR	Not scored	2	6.3	$4.8M	−2.3%
Monroe County, AR	Not scored	7	25.1	$1.1M	−7.8%
Dallas County, AR	Not scored	5	19.5	$1.5M	−6.7%
Lafayette County, AR	Not scored	0	0.0	n/a	−6.4%
Woodruff County, AR	Not scored	3	11.1	$2.6M	−8.2%
Calhoun County, AR	Not scored	1	5.9	$5.8M	−2.2%

Markets with fewer than 5 fast food and sandwich shops on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.

Questions

How many fast food and sandwich shops are in Arkansas?

There are 1,717 fast food and sandwich shops on map listings in Arkansas as of September 2026. 1,537 of them (90%) are chain locations. The listings count fast food, sandwich shops, delis and bagel shops. Official counts show 2,382 businesses with payroll classed as limited-service restaurants in 2023, up 11.1% from 2019. That count covers all limited-service restaurants (pizza places included), not only fast food and sandwich shops. Another 472 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.

How much do households in Arkansas spend on food away from home?

About $4.1B a year, or $3,400 per household. That is 16% below the U.S. average (an index of 84, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,717 fast food and sandwich shops on map listings, it comes to $2.4M per shop. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only fast food and sandwich shops. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,205,987 households in Arkansas and national spending patterns by income.

How does Arkansas compare with the U.S. for fast food and sandwich shops?

Arkansas has 14.2 fast food and sandwich shops per 10,000 households, 7% above the U.S. rate of 13.3. Spending per shop is $2.4M, 22% below the U.S. figure of $3.1M. At the national ratio of fast food and sandwich shops to household spending, Arkansas would have about 1,344, against 1,717 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 506 households, against one for every 478 across the U.S. The official count rose 11.1% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.1% for the U.S.

Which market in Arkansas has the highest market score for fast food and sandwich shops?

Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arkansas, the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area scores highest, at 60 (upper middle). Among 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arkansas, the Malvern area scores highest, at 68 (upper middle). Among 56 scored counties in Arkansas, Marion County scores highest, at 72 (upper middle). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.

What is the Groundwork market score?

The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Arkansas scores 31 for fast food and sandwich shops (lower middle), #45 of the 50 states and DC.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Arkansas. It maps the fast food and sandwich shops on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.

Restaurants and cafes11,878 listings
Sit-down restaurants6,834 listings
Pizza974 listings
Coffee shops and cafes1,108 listings
Bakeries and dessert shops1,083 listings

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