Market rankings · Arkansas

Restaurants and cafes in Arkansas

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

Listings: 11,878; 4,799 chain locations (40%)
Official establishments: 5,075; +8.5% since 2019
Household spending a year: $4.1B; On food away from home
Listings per 10k households: 98.5; 10% below the U.S.
Spending per listing: $345K; 7% below the U.S.
Rank among states: #35 of 51; Market score 43 · Lower middle

A site report maps the restaurants and cafes 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 11,878 restaurants and cafes in Arkansas. Chain locations make up 40% of them, against 34% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 98.5, 10% below the U.S. rate of 109.8.

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. Spread across 11,878 restaurants and cafes, that is $345K per restaurant, 7% below the U.S. figure of $371K.

In 2023, official counts showed 5,075 businesses with payroll in Arkansas classed as restaurants and other eating places, up 8.5% from 2019. That is one for every 238 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, 129 SBA-backed loans worth $51.8M have gone to businesses classed as restaurants and other eating places in Arkansas.

Among the 50 states and DC, Arkansas ranks #35 for restaurants and cafes, with a Groundwork market score of 43 (lower middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arkansas, the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area scores highest (54). Of the 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arkansas, the Malvern area scores highest (74).

Every market in Arkansas for restaurants and cafes

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 restaurants and cafes by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	54	2,405	111.6	$360K	+13.1%	#167 of 387
2Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	46	3,063	98.3	$366K	+3.8%	#216 of 387
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	35	5,489	105.0	$346K	−0.3%	#295 of 387
3Fort Smith, AR-OK	30	942	103.5	$317K	+3.1%	#336 of 387
4Jonesboro, AR	27	571	107.3	$309K	+3.6%	#343 of 387
Texarkana, TX-AR	17	616	109.5	$296K	−0.4%	#378 of 387
5Hot Springs, AR	9	504	115.4	$280K	−0.6%	#386 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Arkansas, ranked for restaurants and cafes by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Malvern, AR	74	67	54.4	$577K	+1.1%	#54 of 538
2Harrison, AR	59	151	81.4	$385K	+2.4%	#177 of 538
3Paragould, AR	53	161	89.5	$359K	+3.4%	#234 of 538
4Russellville, AR	52	284	86.9	$373K	+1.6%	#242 of 538
5Camden, AR	47	86	83.4	$370K	−3.6%	#289 of 538
6Batesville, AR	47	136	92.9	$347K	+2.2%	#293 of 538
7Searcy, AR	47	279	94.2	$335K	+4.2%	#297 of 538
8Mountain Home, AR	45	171	88.4	$343K	+3.1%	#320 of 538
9Pine Bluff, AR	40	230	85.3	$357K	−5.6%	#373 of 538
10Blytheville, AR	25	153	99.0	$323K	−6.7%	#482 of 538
11El Dorado, AR	25	151	100.7	$319K	−5.2%	#483 of 538
12Magnolia, AR	22	85	101.1	$311K	−3.7%	#503 of 538
13Arkadelphia, AR	22	88	108.4	$288K	−2.2%	#505 of 538
14Forrest City, AR	19	89	114.4	$242K	−5.3%	#521 of 538

Counties

Counties in Arkansas, ranked for restaurants and cafes by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Madison County, AR	80	35	54.2	$594K	+11.2%	#135 of 2,405
2Saline County, AR	79	347	69.1	$549K	+7.6%	#153 of 2,405
3Perry County, AR	78	15	36.6	$895K	+3.1%	#164 of 2,405
4Grant County, AR	77	45	64.5	$552K	+4.1%	#198 of 2,405
5Marion County, AR	73	34	44.4	$663K	+4.3%	#286 of 2,405
6Lonoke County, AR	72	214	74.9	$486K	+3.5%	#349 of 2,405
7Fulton County, AR	71	22	46.2	$606K	+3.7%	#362 of 2,405
8Hot Spring County, AR	65	67	54.4	$577K	+1.1%	#536 of 2,405
9Benton County, AR	65	1,238	110.6	$391K	+16.0%	#579 of 2,405
10Logan County, AR	63	61	71.6	$460K	+2.5%	#631 of 2,405
11Crawford County, AR	60	179	76.6	$435K	+4.1%	#763 of 2,405
12Izard County, AR	58	38	72.6	$390K	+5.9%	#848 of 2,405
13Yell County, AR	56	56	67.3	$462K	−1.3%	#906 of 2,405
14Faulkner County, AR	53	461	93.5	$382K	+8.2%	#1,065 of 2,405
15Conway County, AR	49	72	87.0	$352K	+3.2%	#1,245 of 2,405
16Franklin County, AR	49	62	88.0	$350K	+3.5%	#1,246 of 2,405
17Clay County, AR	48	40	66.4	$447K	−3.3%	#1,257 of 2,405
18Van Buren County, AR	48	62	83.4	$349K	+2.8%	#1,287 of 2,405
19Ashley County, AR	46	46	62.5	$440K	−5.9%	#1,337 of 2,405
20Lawrence County, AR	45	48	72.6	$412K	+0.3%	#1,380 of 2,405
21Jackson County, AR	45	46	75.7	$386K	0.0%	#1,394 of 2,405
22Randolph County, AR	45	60	81.8	$366K	+1.5%	#1,401 of 2,405
23Greene County, AR	44	161	89.5	$359K	+3.4%	#1,462 of 2,405
24Boone County, AR	42	135	87.9	$359K	+3.3%	#1,534 of 2,405
25Johnson County, AR	42	83	80.5	$357K	+2.0%	#1,535 of 2,405

Show all 75 counties

Counties in Arkansas, ranked for restaurants and cafes by Groundwork market score, continued
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
26Miller County, AR	41	137	83.7	$359K	−0.5%	#1,574 of 2,405
27Washington County, AR	41	1,132	116.5	$318K	+9.9%	#1,587 of 2,405
28Lincoln County, AR	39	29	80.7	$381K	−1.0%	#1,637 of 2,405
29Polk County, AR	39	66	83.6	$366K	+1.6%	#1,644 of 2,405
30White County, AR	39	279	94.2	$335K	+4.2%	#1,660 of 2,405
31Independence County, AR	38	136	92.9	$347K	+2.2%	#1,695 of 2,405
32Baxter County, AR	37	171	88.4	$343K	+3.1%	#1,739 of 2,405
33Sharp County, AR	36	64	93.3	$313K	+4.7%	#1,792 of 2,405
34Pope County, AR	35	228	93.6	$351K	+2.5%	#1,822 of 2,405
35Poinsett County, AR	34	75	85.3	$335K	−2.0%	#1,868 of 2,405
36Cleburne County, AR	33	102	96.9	$322K	+3.9%	#1,913 of 2,405
37Craighead County, AR	33	496	111.6	$306K	+4.8%	#1,920 of 2,405
38Sevier County, AR	32	53	94.3	$321K	−0.1%	#1,949 of 2,405
39Little River County, AR	32	49	101.7	$316K	−1.8%	#1,952 of 2,405
40Crittenden County, AR	31	168	92.3	$336K	−3.9%	#1,974 of 2,405
41Howard County, AR	30	40	78.5	$367K	−3.6%	#2,010 of 2,405
42Ouachita County, AR	30	80	92.8	$325K	−3.9%	#2,025 of 2,405
43Pulaski County, AR	30	1,981	114.9	$309K	+1.3%	#2,030 of 2,405
44Cross County, AR	29	59	91.0	$348K	−3.6%	#2,055 of 2,405
45Hempstead County, AR	29	66	88.2	$331K	−4.6%	#2,061 of 2,405
46Phillips County, AR	28	51	84.7	$321K	−13.0%	#2,094 of 2,405
47Stone County, AR	28	49	93.1	$291K	+2.9%	#2,104 of 2,405
48Jefferson County, AR	25	220	91.6	$330K	−5.7%	#2,178 of 2,405
49Bradley County, AR	25	34	90.6	$316K	−6.4%	#2,182 of 2,405
50Sebastian County, AR	25	625	119.8	$278K	+2.2%	#2,193 of 2,405
51Pike County, AR	25	50	122.5	$251K	−1.9%	#2,197 of 2,405
52Drew County, AR	23	71	98.7	$294K	−1.5%	#2,226 of 2,405
53Mississippi County, AR	21	153	99.0	$323K	−6.7%	#2,264 of 2,405
54Union County, AR	21	151	100.7	$319K	−5.2%	#2,266 of 2,405
55Columbia County, AR	19	85	101.1	$311K	−3.7%	#2,299 of 2,405
56Clark County, AR	19	88	108.4	$288K	−2.2%	#2,303 of 2,405
57Carroll County, AR	19	224	197.4	$161K	+3.6%	#2,314 of 2,405
58Garland County, AR	17	504	115.4	$280K	−0.6%	#2,343 of 2,405
59Arkansas County, AR	16	70	104.4	$296K	−7.4%	#2,350 of 2,405
60Desha County, AR	16	49	106.3	$255K	−11.8%	#2,356 of 2,405
61St. Francis County, AR	16	89	114.4	$242K	−5.3%	#2,359 of 2,405
Scott County, AR	Not scored	27	67.8	$405K	+1.4%
Chicot County, AR	Not scored	50	126.1	$218K	−10.3%
Montgomery County, AR	Not scored	17	45.8	$662K	+1.1%
Lee County, AR	Not scored	24	89.2	$309K	−6.4%
Nevada County, AR	Not scored	13	40.0	$726K	−4.1%
Prairie County, AR	Not scored	26	79.9	$387K	−3.9%
Searcy County, AR	Not scored	38	118.9	$236K	0.0%
Cleveland County, AR	Not scored	10	34.1	$945K	−4.3%
Newton County, AR	Not scored	16	50.3	$603K	−2.3%
Monroe County, AR	Not scored	39	139.8	$199K	−7.8%
Dallas County, AR	Not scored	24	93.8	$307K	−6.7%
Lafayette County, AR	Not scored	17	64.8	$427K	−6.4%
Woodruff County, AR	Not scored	20	74.3	$394K	−8.2%
Calhoun County, AR	Not scored	6	35.5	$960K	−2.2%

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 Arkansas?

There are 11,878 restaurants and cafes on map listings in Arkansas as of September 2026. 4,799 of them (40%) are chain locations. The listings count every restaurant, cafe, bar, bakery and food truck. Official counts show 5,075 businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in 2023, up 8.5% from 2019. Another 1,345 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 11,878 restaurants and cafes on map listings, it comes to $345K per restaurant. 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 restaurants and cafes?

Arkansas has 98.5 restaurants and cafes per 10,000 households, 10% below the U.S. rate of 109.8. Spending per restaurant is $345K, 7% below the U.S. figure of $371K. At the national ratio of restaurants and cafes to household spending, Arkansas would have about 11,059, against 11,878 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 238 households, against one for every 209 across the U.S. The official count rose 8.5% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.0% for the U.S.

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

Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arkansas, the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area scores highest, at 54 (upper middle). Among 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arkansas, the Malvern area scores highest, at 74 (upper middle). Among 61 scored counties in Arkansas, Madison County scores highest, at 80 (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. Arkansas scores 43 for restaurants and cafes (lower middle), #35 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 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 restaurants6,834 listings
Fast food and sandwich shops1,717 listings
Pizza974 listings
Coffee shops and cafes1,108 listings
Bakeries and dessert shops1,083 listings

Screening a site or an acquisition in Arkansas?

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