Market rankings · Arizona
Sit-down restaurants in Arizona
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Arizona, ranked by the Groundwork market score for sit-down restaurants, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 15,233
- 5,087 chain locations (33%)
- Official establishments
- 4,464
- +3.3% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $11.4B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 53.3
- 13% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $747K
- 13% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #4 of 51
- Market score 77 · High
A site report maps the sit-down restaurants 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 15,233 sit-down restaurants on map listings in Arizona as of September 2026. 5,087 of them (33%) are chain locations, against 29% across the U.S. That is 53.3 per 10,000 households, 13% below the U.S. rate of 61.3.
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 $747K of household spending for each restaurant on map listings, 13% above the U.S. figure of $664K. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only sit-down restaurants.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in Arizona was 4,464 in 2023, up 3.3% from 2019. That is one for every 640 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 1.5% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 218 SBA-backed loans worth $169.7M have gone to businesses classed as full-service restaurants in Arizona.
Among the 50 states and DC, Arizona ranks #4 for sit-down restaurants, with a Groundwork market score of 77 (high). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arizona, the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro area scores highest (77). Of the 4 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arizona, the Safford area scores highest (78).
Every market in Arizona for sit-down restaurants
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 | 77 | 10,522 | 55.6 | $756K | +7.3% | #23 of 387 |
| 2Tucson, AZ | 70 | 2,035 | 46.5 | $801K | +2.8% | #50 of 387 |
| 3Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 64 | 423 | 41.5 | $793K | +6.5% | #88 of 387 |
| 4Yuma, AZ | 58 | 395 | 49.8 | $673K | +9.2% | #129 of 387 |
| 5Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | 52 | 549 | 49.4 | $739K | +6.5% | #169 of 387 |
| 6Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | 40 | 258 | 50.6 | $660K | +0.6% | #276 of 387 |
| 7Flagstaff, AZ | 16 | 453 | 82.2 | $465K | −0.6% | #383 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Safford, AZ | 78 | 43 | 33.7 | $1M | +4.0% | #25 of 538 |
| 2Show Low, AZ | 39 | 196 | 48.9 | $638K | +3.0% | #384 of 538 |
| 3Nogales, AZ | 34 | 99 | 58.4 | $545K | +4.8% | #434 of 538 |
| 4Payson, AZ | 32 | 132 | 55.8 | $599K | +0.9% | #453 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Pinal County, AZ | 93 | 429 | 26.5 | $1.5M | +25.4% | #9 of 2,405 |
| 2Graham County, AZ | 68 | 43 | 33.7 | $1M | +4.0% | #422 of 2,405 |
| 3Pima County, AZ | 65 | 2,035 | 46.5 | $801K | +2.8% | #538 of 2,405 |
| 4Maricopa County, AZ | 65 | 10,093 | 58.3 | $726K | +5.5% | #544 of 2,405 |
| 5Apache County, AZ | 61 | 50 | 23.7 | $1.2M | −2.2% | #692 of 2,405 |
| 6Mohave County, AZ | 59 | 423 | 41.5 | $793K | +6.5% | #780 of 2,405 |
| 7Yuma County, AZ | 59 | 395 | 49.8 | $673K | +9.2% | #792 of 2,405 |
| 8Yavapai County, AZ | 54 | 549 | 49.4 | $739K | +6.5% | #997 of 2,405 |
| 9Cochise County, AZ | 42 | 258 | 50.6 | $660K | +0.6% | #1,542 of 2,405 |
| 10Navajo County, AZ | 33 | 196 | 48.9 | $638K | +3.0% | #1,917 of 2,405 |
| 11Santa Cruz County, AZ | 30 | 99 | 58.4 | $545K | +4.8% | #2,053 of 2,405 |
| 12Gila County, AZ | 27 | 132 | 55.8 | $599K | +0.9% | #2,147 of 2,405 |
| 13Coconino County, AZ | 24 | 453 | 82.2 | $465K | −0.6% | #2,231 of 2,405 |
| 14La Paz County, AZ | 19 | 65 | 72.6 | $418K | +0.9% | #2,332 of 2,405 |
| Greenlee County, AZ | Not scored | 13 | 36.2 | $953K | −2.3% |
Markets with fewer than 5 sit-down restaurants on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many sit-down restaurants are in Arizona?
As of September 2026, map listings count 15,233 sit-down restaurants in Arizona. 5,087 of them (33%) are chain locations. The listings count restaurants of every cuisine, pizza included. Official counts show 4,464 businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in 2023, up 3.3% from 2019. Another 1,107 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
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 15,233 sit-down restaurants on map listings, it comes to $747K per restaurant. That spending covers all food away from home, which sit-down restaurants share with other businesses in the trade. 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 sit-down restaurants?
Arizona has 53.3 sit-down restaurants per 10,000 households, 13% below the U.S. rate of 61.3. Spending per restaurant is $747K, 13% above the U.S. figure of $664K. At the U.S. ratio of sit-down restaurants to household spending, Arizona would have about 17,139, against 15,233 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 640 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. The official count rose 3.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +1.5% for the U.S.
Which market in Arizona has the highest market score for sit-down restaurants?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Arizona, the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro area scores highest, at 77 (high). Among 4 scored small-town markets in or partly in Arizona, the Safford area scores highest, at 78 (high). Among 14 scored counties in Arizona, Pinal County scores highest, at 93 (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 77 for sit-down restaurants (high), #4 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 sit-down restaurants 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 restaurants in other states
All 51 states
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Top markets for sit-down restaurants across the U.S. · All business types in Arizona
Related business types in Arizona
- Restaurants and cafes27,387 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.