Market rankings · Alabama

Restaurants and cafes in Alabama

Markets across Alabama ranked by the Groundwork market score for restaurants and cafes, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings: 18,378; 8,159 chain locations (44%)
Official establishments: 8,126; +7.4% since 2019
Household spending a year: $7B; On food away from home
Listings per 10k households: 92.0; 16% below the U.S.
Spending per listing: $382K; 3% above the U.S.
Rank among states: #16 of 51; Market score 59 · Upper middle

A site report maps the restaurants and cafes on map listings around any address in Alabama 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 18,378 restaurants and cafes in Alabama. Of those, 8,159 are chain locations, or 44%, against 34% across the U.S. That comes to 92.0 for every 10,000 households, 16% below the U.S. rate of 109.8.

At $3,519 per household (14% below the U.S. average), households in Alabama spend about $7B a year on food away from home. Spread across 18,378 restaurants and cafes, that is $382K per restaurant, 3% above the U.S. figure of $371K.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in Alabama was 8,126 in 2023, up 7.4% from 2019. That is one for every 246 households, against one for every 209 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 6.0% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 244 SBA-backed loans worth $155.5M have gone to businesses classed as restaurants and other eating places in Alabama.

Among the 50 states and DC, Alabama ranks #16 for restaurants and cafes, with a Groundwork market score of 59 (upper middle). Of the 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Alabama, the Huntsville metro area scores highest (77). Of the 13 scored small-town markets in or partly in Alabama, the Cullman area scores highest (76).

Every market in Alabama for restaurants and cafes

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Alabama, 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 Alabama, ranked for restaurants and cafes by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Huntsville, AL	77	2,055	99.8	$413K	+12.5%	#33 of 387
2Decatur, AL	71	498	79.5	$450K	+2.5%	#52 of 387
3Tuscaloosa, AL	65	860	81.4	$423K	+2.9%	#93 of 387
4Birmingham, AL	51	4,531	97.4	$385K	+1.4%	#185 of 387
5Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL	48	558	87.8	$386K	+3.5%	#203 of 387
6Montgomery, AL	44	1,408	93.0	$375K	+0.9%	#230 of 387
7Auburn-Opelika, AL	43	725	94.6	$371K	+7.1%	#238 of 387
8Mobile, AL	38	1,545	95.6	$352K	−0.7%	#275 of 387
9Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	37	1,282	130.1	$297K	+14.8%	#285 of 387
10Gadsden, AL	35	333	84.5	$371K	+0.4%	#290 of 387
11Anniston-Oxford, AL	34	384	85.3	$371K	−0.3%	#301 of 387
12Dothan, AL	26	623	102.1	$322K	+3.4%	#347 of 387
Columbus, GA-AL	21	1,273	99.8	$336K	−1.3%	#369 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Alabama, ranked for restaurants and cafes by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Cullman, AL	76	271	76.7	$446K	+6.7%	#47 of 538
2Scottsboro, AL	75	136	62.4	$500K	+3.3%	#50 of 538
3Talladega-Sylacauga, AL	70	229	60.2	$526K	0.0%	#78 of 538
4Russellville, AL	66	81	67.8	$453K	+1.1%	#108 of 538
5Ozark, AL	64	154	78.1	$405K	+1.3%	#132 of 538
6Fort Payne, AL	62	204	77.9	$386K	+3.4%	#153 of 538
7Enterprise, AL	60	191	91.0	$392K	+6.3%	#169 of 538
8Alexander City, AL	59	129	75.5	$429K	−0.8%	#174 of 538
9Selma, AL	57	88	55.2	$475K	−7.9%	#187 of 538
10Albertville, AL	52	361	99.0	$350K	+6.0%	#248 of 538
LaGrange, GA-AL	41	407	100.9	$321K	+3.0%	#368 of 538
11Eufaula, AL-GA	28	101	99.1	$295K	−1.2%	#472 of 538
12Troy, AL	24	158	126.6	$244K	+2.4%	#493 of 538

Counties

Counties in Alabama, ranked for restaurants and cafes by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Limestone County, AL	91	237	57.9	$697K	+18.0%	#20 of 2,405
2Cleburne County, AL	78	26	43.5	$725K	+6.0%	#166 of 2,405
3St. Clair County, AL	74	279	79.5	$463K	+7.1%	#278 of 2,405
4Lawrence County, AL	73	72	52.8	$645K	+2.3%	#288 of 2,405
5Blount County, AL	73	124	55.9	$610K	+1.8%	#290 of 2,405
6Autauga County, AL	73	155	67.6	$556K	+5.1%	#299 of 2,405
7Shelby County, AL	73	767	88.3	$502K	+6.5%	#310 of 2,405
8Chilton County, AL	72	120	67.1	$500K	+5.9%	#343 of 2,405
9Washington County, AL	70	29	48.6	$732K	−3.3%	#387 of 2,405
10Cherokee County, AL	70	64	62.8	$512K	+5.8%	#402 of 2,405
11Elmore County, AL	68	279	84.9	$441K	+4.2%	#458 of 2,405
12Clay County, AL	67	25	43.0	$730K	−0.1%	#466 of 2,405
13Randolph County, AL	67	64	69.0	$457K	+4.8%	#490 of 2,405
14Coosa County, AL	66	14	31.7	$975K	−1.7%	#498 of 2,405
15Bibb County, AL	66	40	51.9	$589K	+0.4%	#503 of 2,405
16Jackson County, AL	65	136	62.4	$500K	+3.3%	#551 of 2,405
17Hale County, AL	65	33	58.5	$486K	+2.9%	#556 of 2,405
18Henry County, AL	65	51	72.2	$462K	+7.1%	#564 of 2,405
19Winston County, AL	64	57	60.5	$518K	+1.4%	#592 of 2,405
20Cullman County, AL	64	271	76.7	$446K	+6.7%	#608 of 2,405
21Geneva County, AL	62	70	65.7	$463K	+3.2%	#677 of 2,405
22Pickens County, AL	60	35	51.7	$593K	−3.9%	#741 of 2,405
23Talladega County, AL	60	215	63.9	$497K	+0.3%	#747 of 2,405
24Madison County, AL	60	1,818	110.2	$376K	+11.0%	#780 of 2,405
25Morgan County, AL	58	426	86.9	$416K	+2.6%	#836 of 2,405

Show all 67 counties

Counties in Alabama, ranked for restaurants and cafes by Groundwork market score, continued
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
26Tuscaloosa County, AL	58	767	85.2	$416K	+3.8%	#837 of 2,405
27Franklin County, AL	54	81	67.8	$453K	+1.1%	#994 of 2,405
28Wilcox County, AL	53	19	49.2	$569K	−8.3%	#1,035 of 2,405
29Dale County, AL	52	154	78.1	$405K	+1.3%	#1,096 of 2,405
30Colbert County, AL	51	205	84.4	$392K	+3.8%	#1,143 of 2,405
31DeKalb County, AL	51	204	77.9	$386K	+3.4%	#1,146 of 2,405
32Choctaw County, AL	50	33	62.8	$474K	−5.7%	#1,167 of 2,405
33Macon County, AL	50	45	62.2	$468K	−6.8%	#1,168 of 2,405
34Coffee County, AL	50	191	91.0	$392K	+6.3%	#1,181 of 2,405
35Dallas County, AL	49	88	55.2	$475K	−7.9%	#1,215 of 2,405
36Tallapoosa County, AL	49	129	75.5	$429K	−0.8%	#1,218 of 2,405
37Walker County, AL	48	196	77.2	$408K	0.0%	#1,265 of 2,405
38Chambers County, AL	47	91	67.7	$447K	−0.9%	#1,296 of 2,405
39Lee County, AL	47	680	97.9	$365K	+8.6%	#1,317 of 2,405
40Crenshaw County, AL	46	44	84.1	$358K	0.0%	#1,361 of 2,405
41Lamar County, AL	45	34	66.9	$441K	−2.6%	#1,375 of 2,405
42Lauderdale County, AL	45	353	89.9	$382K	+3.3%	#1,396 of 2,405
43Fayette County, AL	44	45	71.9	$427K	−2.8%	#1,432 of 2,405
44Sumter County, AL	43	30	62.2	$422K	−5.0%	#1,477 of 2,405
45Marshall County, AL	43	361	99.0	$350K	+6.0%	#1,502 of 2,405
46Russell County, AL	42	184	76.9	$394K	−0.6%	#1,521 of 2,405
47Bullock County, AL	42	24	65.1	$380K	−4.5%	#1,523 of 2,405
48Baldwin County, AL	42	1,282	130.1	$297K	+14.8%	#1,557 of 2,405
49Mobile County, AL	39	1,545	95.6	$352K	−0.7%	#1,652 of 2,405
50Monroe County, AL	38	51	69.3	$412K	−3.8%	#1,680 of 2,405
51Conecuh County, AL	36	34	77.0	$364K	−5.7%	#1,769 of 2,405
52Marengo County, AL	35	62	78.5	$396K	−5.0%	#1,810 of 2,405
53Etowah County, AL	35	333	84.5	$371K	+0.4%	#1,814 of 2,405
54Calhoun County, AL	34	384	85.3	$371K	−0.3%	#1,859 of 2,405
55Covington County, AL	34	145	99.0	$322K	+1.2%	#1,877 of 2,405
56Jefferson County, AL	31	3,005	111.3	$330K	−1.3%	#1,976 of 2,405
57Marion County, AL	30	94	88.6	$341K	−0.3%	#2,019 of 2,405
58Montgomery County, AL	26	955	104.5	$321K	−1.1%	#2,149 of 2,405
59Houston County, AL	26	502	115.9	$288K	+2.8%	#2,160 of 2,405
60Butler County, AL	22	66	86.9	$335K	−4.8%	#2,244 of 2,405
61Escambia County, AL	21	139	108.5	$269K	0.0%	#2,273 of 2,405
62Pike County, AL	21	158	126.6	$244K	+2.4%	#2,276 of 2,405
63Barbour County, AL	19	95	104.1	$283K	−1.4%	#2,305 of 2,405
64Clarke County, AL	10	93	110.4	$281K	−4.2%	#2,390 of 2,405
Lowndes County, AL	Not scored	19	44.4	$619K	−9.0%
Perry County, AL	Not scored	26	75.6	$319K	−12.2%
Greene County, AL	Not scored	25	77.5	$329K	−8.2%

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

Questions

How many restaurants and cafes are in Alabama?

There are 18,378 restaurants and cafes on map listings in Alabama as of September 2026. 8,159 of them (44%) are chain locations. The listings count every restaurant, cafe, bar, bakery and food truck. Official counts show 8,126 businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in 2023, up 7.4% from 2019. Official counts also show 1,993 one-person businesses without payroll.

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

About $7B a year, or $3,519 per household. That is 14% below the U.S. average (an index of 86, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 18,378 restaurants and cafes on map listings, it comes to $382K per restaurant. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,997,247 households in Alabama and national spending patterns by income.

How does Alabama compare with the U.S. for restaurants and cafes?

Alabama has 92.0 restaurants and cafes per 10,000 households, 16% below the U.S. rate of 109.8. Spending per restaurant is $382K, 3% above the U.S. figure of $371K. At the national ratio of restaurants and cafes to household spending, Alabama would have about 18,953, against 18,378 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 246 households, against one for every 209 across the U.S. The official count rose 7.4% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.0% for the U.S.

Which market in Alabama has the highest market score for restaurants and cafes?

Among 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Alabama, the Huntsville metro area scores highest, at 77 (high). Among 13 scored small-town markets in or partly in Alabama, the Cullman area scores highest, at 76 (high). Among 64 scored counties in Alabama, Limestone County scores highest, at 91 (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. Alabama scores 59 for restaurants and cafes (upper middle), #16 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 Alabama. It maps the restaurants and cafes 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.

Sit-down restaurants10,602 listings
Fast food and sandwich shops3,007 listings
Pizza1,143 listings
Coffee shops and cafes1,537 listings
Bakeries and dessert shops1,346 listings

Screening a site or an acquisition in Alabama?

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