Market rankings · Arizona
Restaurants and cafes in Arizona
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Arizona, ranked by the Groundwork market score for restaurants and cafes, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 27,387
- 11,233 chain locations (41%)
- Official establishments
- 11,974
- +11.8% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $11.4B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 95.9
- 13% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $415K
- 12% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #2 of 51
- Market score 79 · High
A site report maps the restaurants and cafes on map listings around any address in Arizona 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 27,387 restaurants and cafes on map listings in Arizona as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 41% of them, against 34% across the U.S. That comes to 95.9 for every 10,000 households, 13% below the U.S. rate of 109.8.
At $3,982 per household (2% below the U.S. average), households in Arizona spend about $11.4B a year on food away from home. That is about $415K of household spending for each restaurant on map listings, 12% above the U.S. figure of $371K.
Official counts show 11,974 businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in Arizona in 2023, up 11.8% from 2019. That is one for every 239 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, 501 SBA-backed loans worth $343.9M have gone to businesses classed as restaurants and other eating places in Arizona.
Among the 50 states and DC, Arizona ranks #2 for restaurants and cafes, with a Groundwork market score of 79 (high). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arizona, the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro area scores highest (76). Of the 4 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arizona, the Safford area scores highest (75).
Every market in Arizona for restaurants and cafes
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Arizona, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 76 | 18,665 | 98.6 | $426K | +7.3% | #35 of 387 |
| 2Tucson, AZ | 73 | 3,686 | 84.2 | $442K | +2.8% | #43 of 387 |
| 3Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 69 | 795 | 78.0 | $422K | +6.5% | #67 of 387 |
| 4Yuma, AZ | 65 | 680 | 85.7 | $391K | +9.2% | #99 of 387 |
| 5Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | 61 | 1,060 | 95.4 | $383K | +6.5% | #125 of 387 |
| 6Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | 37 | 532 | 104.4 | $320K | +0.6% | #284 of 387 |
| 7Flagstaff, AZ | 16 | 836 | 151.7 | $252K | −0.6% | #382 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Safford, AZ | 75 | 82 | 64.3 | $542K | +4.0% | #49 of 538 |
| 2Show Low, AZ | 45 | 363 | 90.6 | $345K | +3.0% | #319 of 538 |
| 3Payson, AZ | 42 | 235 | 99.4 | $337K | +0.9% | #354 of 538 |
| 4Nogales, AZ | 37 | 195 | 114.9 | $277K | +4.8% | #401 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Pinal County, AZ | 92 | 831 | 51.3 | $753K | +25.4% | #13 of 2,405 |
| 2Graham County, AZ | 65 | 82 | 64.3 | $542K | +4.0% | #541 of 2,405 |
| 3Pima County, AZ | 63 | 3,686 | 84.2 | $442K | +2.8% | #637 of 2,405 |
| 4Mohave County, AZ | 62 | 795 | 78.0 | $422K | +6.5% | #686 of 2,405 |
| 5Maricopa County, AZ | 61 | 17,834 | 103.0 | $411K | +5.5% | #725 of 2,405 |
| 6Yuma County, AZ | 61 | 680 | 85.7 | $391K | +9.2% | #731 of 2,405 |
| 7Apache County, AZ | 60 | 105 | 49.8 | $578K | −2.2% | #742 of 2,405 |
| 8Yavapai County, AZ | 57 | 1,060 | 95.4 | $383K | +6.5% | #890 of 2,405 |
| 9Cochise County, AZ | 39 | 532 | 104.4 | $320K | +0.6% | #1,670 of 2,405 |
| 10Navajo County, AZ | 38 | 363 | 90.6 | $345K | +3.0% | #1,700 of 2,405 |
| 11Gila County, AZ | 33 | 235 | 99.4 | $337K | +0.9% | #1,905 of 2,405 |
| 12Santa Cruz County, AZ | 33 | 195 | 114.9 | $277K | +4.8% | #1,928 of 2,405 |
| 13Coconino County, AZ | 23 | 836 | 151.7 | $252K | −0.6% | #2,232 of 2,405 |
| 14La Paz County, AZ | 20 | 131 | 146.2 | $208K | +0.9% | #2,291 of 2,405 |
| Greenlee County, AZ | Not scored | 22 | 61.3 | $563K | −2.3% |
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 Arizona?
As of September 2026, map listings count 27,387 restaurants and cafes in Arizona. 11,233 of them (41%) are chain locations. The listings count every restaurant, cafe, bar, bakery and food truck. Official counts show 11,974 businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in 2023, up 11.8% from 2019. Official counts also show 2,647 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Arizona spend on food away from home?
About $11.4B a year, or $3,982 per household. That is 2% below the U.S. average (an index of 98, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 27,387 restaurants and cafes on map listings, it comes to $415K per restaurant. It is estimated from the incomes of the 2,856,081 households in Arizona and national spending patterns by income.
How does Arizona compare with the U.S. for restaurants and cafes?
Arizona has 95.9 restaurants and cafes per 10,000 households, 13% below the U.S. rate of 109.8. Spending per restaurant is $415K, 12% above the U.S. figure of $371K. At the U.S. ratio of restaurants and cafes to household spending, Arizona would have about 30,674, against 27,387 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 239 households, against one for every 209 across the U.S. The official count rose 11.8% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.0% for the U.S.
Which market in Arizona has the highest market score for restaurants and cafes?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arizona, the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro area scores highest, at 76 (high). Among 4 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arizona, the Safford area scores highest, at 75 (high). Among 14 scored counties in Arizona, Pinal County scores highest, at 92 (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. Arizona scores 79 for restaurants and cafes (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 Arizona. 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.
Restaurants and cafes in other states
All 51 states
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Top markets for restaurants and cafes across the U.S. · All business types in Arizona
Related business types in Arizona
- Sit-down restaurants15,233 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops3,785 listings
- Pizza1,804 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes3,104 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops2,249 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Arizona?
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.