Market rankings · Massachusetts
Fast food and sandwich shops in Massachusetts
Markets across Massachusetts ranked by the Groundwork market score for fast food and sandwich shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 2,459
- 1,586 chain locations (64%)
- Official establishments
- 5,337
- All limited-service restaurants · −1.3% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $13B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 8.8
- 34% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $5.3M
- 74% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #2 of 51
- Market score 81 · High
A site report maps the fast food and sandwich shops on map listings around any address in Massachusetts 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
As of September 2026, map listings count 2,459 fast food and sandwich shops in Massachusetts. 1,586 of them (64%) are chain locations, against 79% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 8.8, 34% below the U.S. rate of 13.3.
At $4,685 per household (15% above the U.S. average), households in Massachusetts spend about $13B a year on food away from home. That works out to $5.3M per shop, 74% above 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 5,337 businesses with payroll in Massachusetts classed as limited-service restaurants, down 1.3% from 2019. That is one for every 522 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, 262 SBA-backed loans worth $93.8M have gone to businesses classed as limited-service restaurants in Massachusetts.
Among the 50 states and DC, Massachusetts ranks #2 for fast food and sandwich shops, with a Groundwork market score of 81 (high). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Amherst Town-Northampton metro area scores highest (91). Of the 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest (83).
Every market in Massachusetts for fast food and sandwich shops
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Massachusetts, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 91 | 52 | 8.4 | $5M | +10.4% | #2 of 387 |
| 2Worcester, MA | 84 | 300 | 8.9 | $5M | +3.7% | #9 of 387 |
| 3Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 76 | 1,656 | 8.5 | $5.8M | +2.3% | #38 of 387 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 72 | 658 | 9.7 | $4.3M | +2.1% | #57 of 387 |
| 4Barnstable Town, MA | 72 | 114 | 10.8 | $4.2M | +2.4% | #59 of 387 |
| 5Springfield, MA | 65 | 208 | 11.3 | $3.3M | +0.2% | #102 of 387 |
| 6Pittsfield, MA | 63 | 67 | 11.6 | $3.4M | −1.2% | #114 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Greenfield, MA | 83 | 17 | 5.4 | $7M | −0.3% | #14 of 537 |
| 2Nantucket, MA | 70 | 7 | 13.3 | $4.2M | +3.6% | #85 of 537 |
| 3Vineyard Haven, MA | 67 | 10 | 13.2 | $3.8M | +3.1% | #111 of 537 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hampshire County, MA | 84 | 52 | 8.4 | $5M | +10.4% | #73 of 2,222 |
| 2Plymouth County, MA | 81 | 174 | 8.6 | $5.7M | +3.5% | #104 of 2,222 |
| 3Worcester County, MA | 78 | 300 | 8.9 | $5M | +3.7% | #157 of 2,222 |
| 4Franklin County, MA | 77 | 17 | 5.4 | $7M | −0.3% | #175 of 2,222 |
| 5Middlesex County, MA | 77 | 478 | 7.5 | $7M | +2.8% | #176 of 2,222 |
| 6Norfolk County, MA | 76 | 230 | 8.1 | $6.5M | +2.2% | #197 of 2,222 |
| 7Bristol County, MA | 74 | 219 | 9.4 | $4.4M | +2.9% | #246 of 2,222 |
| 8Essex County, MA | 73 | 246 | 7.9 | $5.9M | +2.3% | #267 of 2,222 |
| 9Barnstable County, MA | 69 | 114 | 10.8 | $4.2M | +2.4% | #393 of 2,222 |
| 10Nantucket County, MA | 65 | 7 | 13.3 | $4.2M | +3.6% | #539 of 2,222 |
| 11Hampden County, MA | 62 | 208 | 11.3 | $3.3M | +0.2% | #652 of 2,222 |
| 12Dukes County, MA | 61 | 10 | 13.2 | $3.8M | +3.1% | #684 of 2,222 |
| 13Suffolk County, MA | 60 | 337 | 10.3 | $4.4M | +0.1% | #729 of 2,222 |
| 14Berkshire County, MA | 59 | 67 | 11.6 | $3.4M | −1.2% | #781 of 2,222 |
Questions
How many fast food and sandwich shops are in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 2,459 fast food and sandwich shops on map listings as of September 2026. 1,586 of them (64%) are chain locations. The listings count fast food, sandwich shops, delis and bagel shops. Official counts show 5,337 businesses with payroll classed as limited-service restaurants in 2023, down 1.3% from 2019. That count covers all limited-service restaurants (pizza places included), not only fast food and sandwich shops. Another 995 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Massachusetts spend on food away from home?
About $13B a year, or $4,685 per household. That is 15% above the U.S. average (an index of 115, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 2,459 fast food and sandwich shops on map listings, it comes to $5.3M 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 2,785,042 households in Massachusetts and national spending patterns by income.
How does Massachusetts compare with the U.S. for fast food and sandwich shops?
Massachusetts has 8.8 fast food and sandwich shops per 10,000 households, 34% below the U.S. rate of 13.3. Spending per shop is $5.3M, 74% above the U.S. figure of $3.1M. At the national ratio of fast food and sandwich shops to household spending, Massachusetts would have about 4,277, against 2,459 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 522 households, against one for every 478 across the U.S. The official count fell 1.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.1% for the U.S.
Which market in Massachusetts has the highest market score for fast food and sandwich shops?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Massachusetts, the Amherst Town-Northampton metro area scores highest, at 91 (very high). Among 3 scored small-town markets in or partly in Massachusetts, the Greenfield area scores highest, at 83 (high). Among 14 scored counties in Massachusetts, Hampshire County scores highest, at 84 (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. Massachusetts scores 81 for fast food and sandwich shops (high), #2 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 Massachusetts. 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
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- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
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- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for fast food and sandwich shops across the U.S. · All business types in Massachusetts
Related business types in Massachusetts
- Restaurants and cafes29,600 listings
- Sit-down restaurants16,727 listings
- Pizza2,883 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes3,436 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops3,355 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Massachusetts?
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.