Groundwork

Market rankings · Connecticut

Sit-down restaurants in Connecticut

Markets across Connecticut ranked by the Groundwork market score for sit-down restaurants, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
9,093
1,719 chain locations (19%)
Official establishments
3,484
−0.7% since 2019
Household spending a year
$6.5B
On food away from home
Listings per 10k households
63.4
3% above the U.S.
Spending per listing
$709K
7% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#24 of 51
Market score 50 · Upper middle

A site report maps the sit-down restaurants on map listings around any address in Connecticut 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

As of September 2026, map listings count 9,093 sit-down restaurants in Connecticut. Chain locations make up 19% of them, against 29% across the U.S. That is 63.4 per 10,000 households, 3% above the U.S. rate of 61.3.

Household spending on food away from home in Connecticut comes to about $6.5B a year: $4,498 per household, 11% above the U.S. average. That works out to $709K per restaurant, 7% above the U.S. figure of $664K. That spending covers all food away from home, which sit-down restaurants share with other businesses in the trade.

Official counts show 3,484 businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in Connecticut in 2023, down 0.7% from 2019. That is one for every 412 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, 173 SBA-backed loans worth $61M have gone to businesses classed as full-service restaurants in Connecticut.

Among the 50 states and DC, Connecticut ranks #24 for sit-down restaurants, with a Groundwork market score of 50 (upper middle). Of the 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Waterbury-Shelton metro area scores highest (66). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest (83).

Every market in Connecticut for sit-down restaurants

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Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Connecticut, 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 Connecticut, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Waterbury-Shelton, CT6693551.9$810K+3.2%#73 of 387
2Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT532,83360.9$731K+3.0%#163 of 387
3Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT492,57272.4$689K+3.7%#198 of 387
4Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT4072462.5$665K+2.0%#275 of 387
5New Haven, CT371,64471.3$603K+2.5%#290 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Connecticut, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Putnam, CT8313233.5$1.3M+3.0%#12 of 538
2Torrington, CT6425352.9$834K+2.2%#116 of 538

Counties

Counties in Connecticut, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsSpending per listingPopulation growthU.S. rank
1Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT7613233.5$1.3M+3.0%#214 of 2,405
2Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT6293551.9$810K+3.2%#673 of 2,405
3Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT5625352.9$834K+2.2%#896 of 2,405
4Capitol Planning Region, CT552,33459.7$739K+3.1%#958 of 2,405
5Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT5378565.6$678K+4.1%#1,052 of 2,405
6Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT501,78775.9$694K+3.5%#1,176 of 2,405
7Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT4849967.4$693K+2.3%#1,275 of 2,405
8Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT4472462.5$665K+2.0%#1,462 of 2,405
9South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT421,64471.3$603K+2.5%#1,555 of 2,405

Questions

How many sit-down restaurants are in Connecticut?

Connecticut has 9,093 sit-down restaurants on map listings as of September 2026. 1,719 of them (19%) are chain locations. The listings count restaurants of every cuisine, pizza included. Official counts show 3,484 businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in 2023, down 0.7% from 2019. Official counts also show 647 one-person businesses without payroll.

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

About $6.5B a year, or $4,498 per household. That is 11% above the U.S. average (an index of 111, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 9,093 sit-down restaurants on map listings, it comes to $709K per restaurant. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only sit-down restaurants. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,434,007 households in Connecticut and national spending patterns by income.

How does Connecticut compare with the U.S. for sit-down restaurants?

Connecticut has 63.4 sit-down restaurants per 10,000 households, 3% above the U.S. rate of 61.3. Spending per restaurant is $709K, 7% above the U.S. figure of $664K. At the national ratio of sit-down restaurants to household spending, Connecticut would have about 9,720, against 9,093 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 412 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. The official count fell 0.7% from 2019 to 2023, against +1.5% for the U.S.

Which market in Connecticut has the highest market score for sit-down restaurants?

Among 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Connecticut, the Waterbury-Shelton metro area scores highest, at 66 (upper middle). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Connecticut, the Putnam area scores highest, at 83 (high). Among 9 scored counties in Connecticut, the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region scores highest, at 76 (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. Connecticut scores 50 for sit-down restaurants (upper middle), #24 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 Connecticut. 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

Top markets for sit-down restaurants across the U.S. · All business types in Connecticut

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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.