Market rankings · Hawaii
Restaurants and cafes in Hawaii
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Hawaii, ranked by the Groundwork market score for restaurants and cafes, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 7,947
- 1,780 chain locations (22%)
- Official establishments
- 3,205
- +2.2% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $2.2B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 161.4
- 47% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $281K
- 24% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #51 of 51
- Market score 18 · Low
A site report maps the restaurants and cafes on map listings around any address in Hawaii 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
Hawaii has 7,947 restaurants and cafes on map listings as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 22% of them, against 34% across the U.S. That is 161.4 per 10,000 households, 47% above the U.S. rate of 109.8.
At $4,533 per household (11% above the U.S. average), households in Hawaii spend about $2.2B a year on food away from home. That works out to $281K per restaurant, 24% below the U.S. figure of $371K.
In 2023, official counts showed 3,205 businesses with payroll in Hawaii classed as restaurants and other eating places, up 2.2% from 2019. That is one for every 154 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, 112 SBA-backed loans worth $37.4M have gone to businesses classed as restaurants and other eating places in Hawaii.
Among the 50 states and DC, Hawaii ranks #51 for restaurants and cafes, with a Groundwork market score of 18 (low). Of the 2 scored metro areas in or partly in Hawaii, the Urban Honolulu metro area scores highest (26). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Hawaii, the Hilo-Kailua area scores highest (42).
Every market in Hawaii for restaurants and cafes
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Hawaii, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Urban Honolulu, HI | 26 | 4,941 | 145.8 | $320K | −2.3% | #348 of 387 |
| 2Kahului-Wailuku, HI | 20 | 1,266 | 226.6 | $198K | −2.5% | #372 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hilo-Kailua, HI | 42 | 1,109 | 149.7 | $266K | +4.6% | #360 of 538 |
| 2Kapaa, HI | 30 | 631 | 267.0 | $165K | +0.3% | #463 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii County, HI | 37 | 1,109 | 149.7 | $266K | +4.6% | #1,761 of 2,405 |
| 2Honolulu County, HI | 31 | 4,941 | 145.8 | $320K | −2.3% | #1,979 of 2,405 |
| 3Kauai County, HI | 26 | 631 | 267.0 | $165K | +0.3% | #2,174 of 2,405 |
| 4Maui County, HI | 22 | 1,266 | 226.7 | $198K | −2.5% | #2,259 of 2,405 |
| Kalawao County, HI | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.5% |
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 Hawaii?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 7,947 restaurants and cafes in Hawaii. 1,780 of them (22%) are chain locations. The listings count every restaurant, cafe, bar, bakery and food truck. Official counts show 3,205 businesses with payroll classed as restaurants and other eating places in 2023, up 2.2% from 2019. Official counts also show 584 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Hawaii spend on food away from home?
About $2.2B a year, or $4,533 per household. That is 11% above the U.S. average (an index of 111, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 7,947 restaurants and cafes on map listings, it comes to $281K per restaurant. It is estimated from the incomes of the 492,453 households in Hawaii and national spending patterns by income.
How does Hawaii compare with the U.S. for restaurants and cafes?
Hawaii has 161.4 restaurants and cafes per 10,000 households, 47% above the U.S. rate of 109.8. Spending per restaurant is $281K, 24% below the U.S. figure of $371K. At the U.S. ratio of restaurants and cafes to household spending, Hawaii would have about 6,020, against 7,947 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 154 households, against one for every 209 across the U.S. The official count rose 2.2% from 2019 to 2023, against +6.0% for the U.S.
Which market in Hawaii has the highest market score for restaurants and cafes?
Among 2 scored metro areas in or partly in Hawaii, the Urban Honolulu metro area scores highest, at 26 (lower middle). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Hawaii, the Hilo-Kailua area scores highest, at 42 (lower middle). Among 4 scored counties in Hawaii, Hawaii County scores highest, at 37 (lower middle). 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. Hawaii scores 18 for restaurants and cafes (low), #51 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 Hawaii. 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 Hawaii
Related business types in Hawaii
- Sit-down restaurants4,560 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops606 listings
- Pizza287 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes1,099 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops832 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Hawaii?
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.