Market rankings · Colorado
Fast food and sandwich shops in Colorado
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Colorado, ranked by the Groundwork market score for fast food and sandwich shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 3,062
- 2,567 chain locations (84%)
- Official establishments
- 4,753
- All limited-service restaurants · +9.1% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $10.5B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 12.9
- 3% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $3.4M
- 12% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #9 of 51
- Market score 65 · Upper middle
A site report maps the fast food and sandwich shops on map listings around any address in Colorado by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
There are 3,062 fast food and sandwich shops on map listings in Colorado as of September 2026. 2,567 of them (84%) are chain locations, against 79% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 12.9, 3% below the U.S. rate of 13.3.
Households in Colorado spend about $10.5B a year on food away from home, or $4,421 per household, 9% above the U.S. average. That works out to $3.4M per shop, 12% above the U.S. figure of $3.1M. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only fast food and sandwich shops.
In 2023, official counts showed 4,753 businesses with payroll in Colorado classed as limited-service restaurants, up 9.1% from 2019. That is one for every 500 households, against one for every 478 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 6.1% over the same years. That count covers all limited-service restaurants (pizza places included), not only fast food and sandwich shops. Since fiscal 2022, 190 SBA-backed loans worth $91M have gone to businesses classed as limited-service restaurants in Colorado.
Among the 50 states and DC, Colorado ranks #9 for fast food and sandwich shops, with a Groundwork market score of 65 (upper middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Colorado, the Greeley metro area scores highest (89). Of the 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Colorado, the Fort Morgan area scores highest (77).
Every market in Colorado for fast food and sandwich shops
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Colorado, 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
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Greeley, CO | 89 | 149 | 12.0 | $3.6M | +14.2% | #5 of 387 |
| 2Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 72 | 1,554 | 12.7 | $3.7M | +4.1% | #61 of 387 |
| 3Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 72 | 186 | 12.1 | $3.6M | +4.8% | #62 of 387 |
| 4Colorado Springs, CO | 64 | 426 | 14.1 | $3M | +3.1% | #110 of 387 |
| 5Grand Junction, CO | 63 | 86 | 13.1 | $2.9M | +4.4% | #117 of 387 |
| 6Boulder, CO | 62 | 185 | 13.5 | $3.5M | −0.7% | #120 of 387 |
| 7Pueblo, CO | 37 | 101 | 14.7 | $2.4M | +0.6% | #277 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Fort Morgan, CO | 77 | 12 | 10.8 | $3.2M | +4.2% | #47 of 537 |
| 2Montrose, CO | 70 | 24 | 13.3 | $2.7M | +4.1% | #90 of 537 |
| 3Cañon City, CO | 68 | 22 | 12.2 | $2.8M | +2.4% | #108 of 537 |
| 4Durango, CO | 66 | 25 | 10.3 | $4M | +2.2% | #119 of 537 |
| 5Steamboat Springs, CO | 65 | 16 | 9.6 | $4.6M | +0.9% | #127 of 537 |
| 6Rifle, CO | 62 | 44 | 13.5 | $3.2M | +1.2% | #161 of 537 |
| 7Edwards, CO | 56 | 29 | 13.1 | $3.6M | −2.4% | #220 of 537 |
| 8Alamosa, CO | 53 | 15 | 13.1 | $2.4M | +2.1% | #254 of 537 |
| 9Breckenridge, CO | 45 | 32 | 20.6 | $2.3M | +1.1% | #322 of 537 |
| 10Sterling, CO | 30 | 14 | 17.1 | $1.9M | −2.7% | #450 of 537 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Elbert County, CO | 97 | 8 | 8.0 | $6.5M | +16.5% | #2 of 2,222 |
| 2Douglas County, CO | 82 | 161 | 11.5 | $4.9M | +10.9% | #94 of 2,222 |
| 3Weld County, CO | 81 | 149 | 12.0 | $3.6M | +14.2% | #115 of 2,222 |
| 4Montezuma County, CO | 72 | 10 | 8.9 | $3.9M | +3.0% | #308 of 2,222 |
| 5Delta County, CO | 69 | 9 | 6.9 | $4.8M | +3.6% | #386 of 2,222 |
| 6Broomfield County, CO | 69 | 41 | 12.9 | $4M | +6.3% | #395 of 2,222 |
| 7Larimer County, CO | 68 | 186 | 12.1 | $3.6M | +4.8% | #434 of 2,222 |
| 8Adams County, CO | 67 | 236 | 12.5 | $3.5M | +6.6% | #477 of 2,222 |
| 9Teller County, CO | 66 | 14 | 11.8 | $3.4M | 0.0% | #516 of 2,222 |
| 10Morgan County, CO | 66 | 12 | 10.8 | $3.2M | +4.2% | #525 of 2,222 |
| 11Archuleta County, CO | 65 | 9 | 15.2 | $2.6M | +6.6% | #563 of 2,222 |
| 12Jefferson County, CO | 64 | 285 | 11.8 | $4.1M | −0.5% | #569 of 2,222 |
| 13Arapahoe County, CO | 64 | 317 | 12.3 | $3.7M | +2.8% | #573 of 2,222 |
| 14Routt County, CO | 63 | 12 | 10.6 | $4.5M | +2.0% | #597 of 2,222 |
| 15Chaffee County, CO | 61 | 12 | 12.2 | $3.3M | +6.9% | #695 of 2,222 |
| 16El Paso County, CO | 61 | 412 | 14.2 | $3M | +3.2% | #709 of 2,222 |
| 17Mesa County, CO | 61 | 86 | 13.1 | $2.9M | +4.4% | #714 of 2,222 |
| 18La Plata County, CO | 59 | 25 | 10.3 | $4M | +2.2% | #772 of 2,222 |
| 19Gunnison County, CO | 59 | 9 | 10.6 | $3.8M | +2.9% | #774 of 2,222 |
| 20Rio Grande County, CO | 59 | 5 | 9.7 | $3.5M | −3.9% | #778 of 2,222 |
| 21Denver County, CO | 59 | 492 | 14.7 | $3M | +3.2% | #788 of 2,222 |
| 22Montrose County, CO | 59 | 24 | 13.3 | $2.7M | +4.1% | #799 of 2,222 |
| 23Boulder County, CO | 58 | 185 | 13.5 | $3.5M | −0.7% | #812 of 2,222 |
| 24Fremont County, CO | 57 | 22 | 12.2 | $2.8M | +2.4% | #869 of 2,222 |
| 25Pitkin County, CO | 56 | 6 | 6.5 | $7.1M | −4.2% | #881 of 2,222 |
Show all 64 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Grand County, CO | 53 | 15 | 20.1 | $2.1M | +4.8% | #1,048 of 2,222 |
| 27Eagle County, CO | 52 | 29 | 13.1 | $3.6M | −2.4% | #1,053 of 2,222 |
| 28Garfield County, CO | 52 | 38 | 16.2 | $2.6M | +2.7% | #1,073 of 2,222 |
| 29Pueblo County, CO | 40 | 101 | 14.7 | $2.4M | +0.6% | #1,500 of 2,222 |
| 30Summit County, CO | 34 | 30 | 23.9 | $2M | +0.9% | #1,717 of 2,222 |
| 31Otero County, CO | 29 | 10 | 13.2 | $2.4M | −5.2% | #1,867 of 2,222 |
| 32Las Animas County, CO | 28 | 7 | 10.7 | $2.9M | −0.7% | #1,885 of 2,222 |
| 33Logan County, CO | 27 | 14 | 17.1 | $1.9M | −2.7% | #1,931 of 2,222 |
| 34Alamosa County, CO | 20 | 14 | 21.1 | $1.5M | +1.9% | #2,064 of 2,222 |
| 35Prowers County, CO | 12 | 13 | 27.5 | $1.2M | −1.1% | #2,178 of 2,222 |
| Park County, CO | Not scored | 4 | 4.5 | $10M | +5.1% | |
| Moffat County, CO | Not scored | 4 | 7.4 | $4.9M | −1.1% | |
| Yuma County, CO | Not scored | 5 | 12.3 | $2.8M | −0.8% | |
| Clear Creek County, CO | Not scored | 8 | 17.1 | $2.7M | −3.9% | |
| San Miguel County, CO | Not scored | 4 | 8.7 | $4.9M | −3.7% | |
| Conejos County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 3.2 | $10M | +1.0% | |
| Lake County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 6.6 | $6.4M | +1.9% | |
| Kit Carson County, CO | Not scored | 4 | 13.8 | $2.6M | +0.1% | |
| Huerfano County, CO | Not scored | 6 | 19.4 | $1.6M | +2.7% | |
| Saguache County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.3% | |
| Rio Blanco County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $9.6M | +2.5% | |
| Gilpin County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 6.4 | $6.9M | +4.4% | |
| Crowley County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.5% | |
| Lincoln County, CO | Not scored | 7 | 35.5 | $943K | −0.4% | |
| Bent County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 5.3 | $5.5M | +4.5% | |
| Custer County, CO | Not scored | 3 | 11.2 | $3.3M | +18.3% | |
| Ouray County, CO | Not scored | 6 | 22.9 | $1.8M | +7.9% | |
| Washington County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 9.7 | $3.7M | −1.6% | |
| Phillips County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 5.1 | $7.5M | −2.4% | |
| Costilla County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.1% | |
| Baca County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 6.0 | $4.9M | −3.8% | |
| Dolores County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.8% | |
| Sedgwick County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 9.8 | $3.2M | −6.0% | |
| Cheyenne County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.9% | |
| Kiowa County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 17.1 | $1.9M | −2.8% | |
| Jackson County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −12.2% | |
| Hinsdale County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.6% | |
| Mineral County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.6% | |
| San Juan County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +14.5% |
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 Colorado?
As of September 2026, map listings count 3,062 fast food and sandwich shops in Colorado. 2,567 of them (84%) are chain locations. The listings count fast food, sandwich shops, delis and bagel shops. Official counts show 4,753 businesses with payroll classed as limited-service restaurants in 2023, up 9.1% from 2019. The official count takes in all limited-service restaurants, not only fast food and sandwich shops: pizza places are counted too. Another 817 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Colorado spend on food away from home?
About $10.5B a year, or $4,421 per household. That is 9% above the U.S. average (an index of 109, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 3,062 fast food and sandwich shops on map listings, it comes to $3.4M per shop. That spending covers all food away from home, which fast food and sandwich shops share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 2,374,218 households in Colorado and national spending patterns by income.
How does Colorado compare with the U.S. for fast food and sandwich shops?
Colorado has 12.9 fast food and sandwich shops per 10,000 households, 3% below the U.S. rate of 13.3. Spending per shop is $3.4M, 12% above the U.S. figure of $3.1M. At the U.S. ratio of fast food and sandwich shops to household spending, Colorado would have about 3,441, against 3,062 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 500 households, against one for every 478 across the U.S. The official count rose 9.1% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.1% for the U.S.
Which market in Colorado has the highest market score for fast food and sandwich shops?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Colorado, the Greeley metro area scores highest, at 89 (high). Among 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Colorado, the Fort Morgan area scores highest, at 77 (high). Among 35 scored counties in Colorado, Elbert County scores highest, at 97 (very high). 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. Colorado scores 65 for fast food and sandwich shops (upper middle), #9 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 Colorado. 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.
Fast food and sandwich shops in other states
All 51 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for fast food and sandwich shops across the U.S. · All business types in Colorado
Related business types in Colorado
- Restaurants and cafes26,826 listings
- Sit-down restaurants14,663 listings
- Pizza1,634 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes3,237 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops2,041 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Colorado?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.