Market rankings · Missouri
Sit-down restaurants in Missouri
Markets across Missouri ranked by the Groundwork market score for sit-down restaurants, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 13,458
- 5,222 chain locations (39%)
- Official establishments
- 4,522
- −2.3% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $9.5B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 53.7
- 12% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $708K
- 7% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #30 of 51
- Market score 45 · Lower middle
A site report maps the sit-down restaurants on map listings around any address in Missouri 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
Map listings as of September 2026 show 13,458 sit-down restaurants in Missouri. 5,222 of them (39%) are chain locations, against 29% across the U.S. That is 53.7 per 10,000 households, 12% below the U.S. rate of 61.3.
At $3,799 per household (7% below the U.S. average), households in Missouri spend about $9.5B a year on food away from home. Spread across 13,458 sit-down restaurants, that is $708K 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.
In 2023, official counts showed 4,522 businesses with payroll in Missouri classed as full-service restaurants, down 2.3% from 2019. That is one for every 555 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, 214 SBA-backed loans worth $109.3M have gone to businesses classed as full-service restaurants in Missouri.
Among the 50 states and DC, Missouri ranks #30 for sit-down restaurants, with a Groundwork market score of 45 (lower middle). Of the 8 scored metro areas in or partly in Missouri, the Kansas City metro area scores highest (72). Of the 18 scored small-town markets in or partly in Missouri, the Warrensburg area scores highest (77).
Every market in Missouri for sit-down restaurants
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Missouri, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Kansas City, MO-KS | 72 | 4,654 | 52.0 | $803K | +3.4% | #38 of 387 |
| 2St. Louis, MO-IL | 60 | 6,121 | 52.7 | $779K | −0.2% | #111 of 387 |
| 3Jefferson City, MO | 55 | 300 | 51.2 | $738K | +2.2% | #143 of 387 |
| 4St. Joseph, MO-KS | 54 | 208 | 44.4 | $794K | −2.0% | #151 of 387 |
| 5Columbia, MO | 54 | 471 | 54.5 | $705K | +3.9% | #160 of 387 |
| 6Springfield, MO | 52 | 1,014 | 51.0 | $701K | +5.1% | #172 of 387 |
| 7Joplin, MO-KS | 32 | 451 | 56.7 | $603K | +3.9% | #328 of 387 |
| 8Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 23 | 245 | 64.0 | $561K | +1.7% | #371 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Warrensburg, MO | 77 | 91 | 43.2 | $826K | +4.9% | #33 of 538 |
| 2Mexico, MO | 66 | 34 | 36.9 | $898K | −1.0% | #100 of 538 |
| 3Sedalia, MO | 66 | 78 | 45.9 | $734K | +2.9% | #106 of 538 |
| 4Farmington, MO | 53 | 116 | 46.7 | $711K | +2.1% | #235 of 538 |
| 5Hannibal, MO | 51 | 68 | 44.5 | $769K | +0.4% | #253 of 538 |
| 6Rolla, MO | 51 | 89 | 51.4 | $656K | +1.6% | #259 of 538 |
| Quincy, IL-MO | 48 | 148 | 47.6 | $746K | −2.0% | #282 of 538 |
| 7Maryville, MO | 45 | 40 | 47.3 | $705K | −4.0% | #321 of 538 |
| 8Moberly, MO | 42 | 42 | 45.4 | $711K | +0.2% | #343 of 538 |
| 9Kirksville, MO | 42 | 58 | 55.6 | $608K | +1.9% | #351 of 538 |
| 10Lebanon, MO | 42 | 87 | 59.8 | $528K | +2.5% | #355 of 538 |
| 11Sikeston, MO | 40 | 104 | 52.5 | $637K | −0.3% | #374 of 538 |
| 12Marshall, MO | 38 | 48 | 59.6 | $557K | −0.3% | #399 of 538 |
| 13West Plains, MO | 36 | 81 | 50.7 | $610K | +2.5% | #415 of 538 |
| 14Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 35 | 108 | 64.1 | $541K | +0.8% | #426 of 538 |
| 15Poplar Bluff, MO | 27 | 97 | 58.5 | $528K | −0.4% | #485 of 538 |
| 16Branson, MO | 20 | 302 | 132.5 | $251K | +1.7% | #525 of 538 |
| 17Kennett, MO | 9 | 84 | 74.6 | $407K | −4.8% | #538 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Lincoln County, MO | 92 | 71 | 31.1 | $1.3M | +11.4% | #12 of 2,405 |
| 2Warren County, MO | 85 | 53 | 38.3 | $1M | +9.2% | #65 of 2,405 |
| 3Cass County, MO | 84 | 169 | 39.1 | $1.1M | +7.1% | #77 of 2,405 |
| 4Jefferson County, MO | 83 | 288 | 32.6 | $1.2M | +2.7% | #84 of 2,405 |
| 5Andrew County, MO | 81 | 18 | 25.8 | $1.5M | +0.7% | #101 of 2,405 |
| 6Christian County, MO | 80 | 147 | 41.8 | $957K | +8.3% | #127 of 2,405 |
| 7Ray County, MO | 79 | 25 | 27.4 | $1.4M | +1.1% | #136 of 2,405 |
| 8Webster County, MO | 77 | 57 | 40.8 | $886K | +10.4% | #200 of 2,405 |
| 9Dallas County, MO | 76 | 18 | 26.6 | $1.2M | +5.2% | #217 of 2,405 |
| 10Clay County, MO | 74 | 479 | 46.9 | $895K | +4.3% | #280 of 2,405 |
| 11St. Charles County, MO | 73 | 764 | 47.4 | $989K | +4.9% | #300 of 2,405 |
| 12Douglas County, MO | 72 | 10 | 21.5 | $1.4M | +6.4% | #309 of 2,405 |
| 13Osage County, MO | 70 | 23 | 43.5 | $876K | +2.7% | #385 of 2,405 |
| 14Clinton County, MO | 68 | 35 | 42.0 | $882K | +2.1% | #435 of 2,405 |
| 15Franklin County, MO | 67 | 175 | 40.7 | $932K | +3.1% | #461 of 2,405 |
| 16Platte County, MO | 67 | 235 | 53.5 | $844K | +6.7% | #465 of 2,405 |
| 17Lawrence County, MO | 67 | 60 | 41.1 | $824K | +3.7% | #467 of 2,405 |
| 18Ralls County, MO | 66 | 15 | 37.8 | $939K | +0.9% | #487 of 2,405 |
| 19Johnson County, MO | 66 | 91 | 43.2 | $826K | +4.9% | #496 of 2,405 |
| 20Bollinger County, MO | 65 | 13 | 33.0 | $988K | +0.9% | #519 of 2,405 |
| 21Polk County, MO | 65 | 52 | 43.1 | $795K | +6.3% | #539 of 2,405 |
| 22DeKalb County, MO | 64 | 12 | 32.2 | $1.1M | −15.6% | #554 of 2,405 |
| 23Newton County, MO | 64 | 102 | 46.1 | $777K | +6.1% | #579 of 2,405 |
| 24Callaway County, MO | 62 | 83 | 50.3 | $733K | +3.2% | #687 of 2,405 |
| 25Lafayette County, MO | 60 | 64 | 50.9 | $772K | +1.4% | #750 of 2,405 |
Show all 115 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26St. Louis County, MO | 58 | 2,168 | 52.4 | $817K | −1.2% | #815 of 2,405 |
| 27Audrain County, MO | 57 | 34 | 36.9 | $898K | −1.0% | #847 of 2,405 |
| 28Pettis County, MO | 56 | 78 | 45.9 | $734K | +2.9% | #912 of 2,405 |
| 29Boone County, MO | 56 | 425 | 55.5 | $699K | +4.2% | #920 of 2,405 |
| 30Bates County, MO | 56 | 32 | 52.0 | $653K | +2.9% | #923 of 2,405 |
| 31Crawford County, MO | 55 | 38 | 39.7 | $833K | −0.4% | #941 of 2,405 |
| 32Texas County, MO | 55 | 40 | 42.1 | $709K | +6.9% | #962 of 2,405 |
| 33Cedar County, MO | 55 | 26 | 45.0 | $685K | +4.8% | #966 of 2,405 |
| 34Moniteau County, MO | 54 | 26 | 45.4 | $757K | +1.4% | #992 of 2,405 |
| 35Perry County, MO | 53 | 37 | 49.2 | $728K | +0.6% | #1,045 of 2,405 |
| 36Washington County, MO | 53 | 43 | 48.2 | $672K | +1.6% | #1,054 of 2,405 |
| 37Howard County, MO | 51 | 14 | 39.1 | $904K | +0.3% | #1,116 of 2,405 |
| 38Ste. Genevieve County, MO | 51 | 30 | 42.0 | $887K | +1.1% | #1,120 of 2,405 |
| 39Barton County, MO | 51 | 19 | 42.7 | $727K | +1.5% | #1,136 of 2,405 |
| 40Cole County, MO | 48 | 168 | 54.0 | $719K | +1.7% | #1,271 of 2,405 |
| 41Dent County, MO | 48 | 26 | 46.3 | $693K | +1.3% | #1,277 of 2,405 |
| 42Madison County, MO | 48 | 24 | 51.2 | $650K | +1.9% | #1,281 of 2,405 |
| 43Cooper County, MO | 46 | 32 | 51.2 | $691K | +3.0% | #1,364 of 2,405 |
| 44Jackson County, MO | 46 | 1,741 | 56.7 | $658K | +2.1% | #1,373 of 2,405 |
| 45McDonald County, MO | 46 | 44 | 51.4 | $622K | +3.1% | #1,378 of 2,405 |
| 46St. Francois County, MO | 45 | 116 | 46.7 | $711K | +2.1% | #1,415 of 2,405 |
| 47Montgomery County, MO | 45 | 26 | 56.0 | $610K | +2.6% | #1,435 of 2,405 |
| 48Vernon County, MO | 44 | 30 | 38.7 | $798K | +1.5% | #1,443 of 2,405 |
| 49Phelps County, MO | 43 | 89 | 51.4 | $656K | +1.6% | #1,497 of 2,405 |
| 50Buchanan County, MO | 40 | 168 | 50.2 | $684K | −1.1% | #1,628 of 2,405 |
| 51Scott County, MO | 40 | 77 | 50.2 | $683K | −0.1% | #1,629 of 2,405 |
| 52Nodaway County, MO | 38 | 40 | 47.3 | $705K | −4.0% | #1,717 of 2,405 |
| 53Greene County, MO | 38 | 740 | 56.5 | $617K | +3.3% | #1,729 of 2,405 |
| 54Marion County, MO | 36 | 53 | 46.8 | $721K | +0.2% | #1,791 of 2,405 |
| 55Randolph County, MO | 36 | 42 | 45.4 | $711K | +0.2% | #1,793 of 2,405 |
| 56Livingston County, MO | 36 | 31 | 55.3 | $631K | +1.1% | #1,800 of 2,405 |
| 57Laclede County, MO | 35 | 87 | 59.8 | $528K | +2.5% | #1,848 of 2,405 |
| 58Adair County, MO | 34 | 53 | 58.1 | $587K | +1.6% | #1,889 of 2,405 |
| 59Barry County, MO | 34 | 85 | 63.7 | $537K | +4.8% | #1,899 of 2,405 |
| 60Ripley County, MO | 34 | 22 | 55.0 | $510K | +0.4% | #1,903 of 2,405 |
| 61Stone County, MO | 33 | 85 | 62.8 | $549K | +4.1% | #1,930 of 2,405 |
| 62Cape Girardeau County, MO | 33 | 218 | 67.2 | $544K | +2.7% | #1,931 of 2,405 |
| 63Henry County, MO | 32 | 53 | 57.5 | $566K | +3.2% | #1,970 of 2,405 |
| 64Saline County, MO | 32 | 48 | 59.6 | $557K | −0.3% | #1,975 of 2,405 |
| 65Wayne County, MO | 31 | 21 | 45.4 | $635K | −1.4% | #1,992 of 2,405 |
| 66Wright County, MO | 31 | 41 | 57.0 | $536K | +8.0% | #2,010 of 2,405 |
| 67Howell County, MO | 30 | 81 | 50.7 | $610K | +2.5% | #2,038 of 2,405 |
| 68Benton County, MO | 30 | 49 | 57.2 | $541K | +5.7% | #2,054 of 2,405 |
| 69Jasper County, MO | 30 | 326 | 65.9 | $513K | +3.7% | #2,058 of 2,405 |
| 70Stoddard County, MO | 29 | 58 | 50.1 | $656K | −1.3% | #2,073 of 2,405 |
| 71Pike County, MO | 29 | 46 | 71.6 | $466K | +3.1% | #2,091 of 2,405 |
| 72New Madrid County, MO | 28 | 36 | 53.8 | $596K | −7.6% | #2,106 of 2,405 |
| 73Pulaski County, MO | 28 | 108 | 64.1 | $541K | +0.8% | #2,121 of 2,405 |
| 74Macon County, MO | 27 | 31 | 51.1 | $641K | −0.1% | #2,142 of 2,405 |
| 75Camden County, MO | 27 | 176 | 98.2 | $376K | +2.9% | #2,166 of 2,405 |
| 76Butler County, MO | 24 | 97 | 58.5 | $528K | −0.4% | #2,224 of 2,405 |
| 77Miller County, MO | 24 | 71 | 72.0 | $460K | +4.2% | #2,233 of 2,405 |
| 78Morgan County, MO | 24 | 68 | 78.2 | $420K | +6.8% | #2,235 of 2,405 |
| 79Linn County, MO | 23 | 31 | 64.6 | $547K | −0.3% | #2,250 of 2,405 |
| 80Gasconade County, MO | 22 | 40 | 66.0 | $523K | +0.1% | #2,269 of 2,405 |
| 81Pemiscot County, MO | 22 | 37 | 58.4 | $509K | −7.2% | #2,271 of 2,405 |
| 82Mississippi County, MO | 17 | 27 | 60.2 | $505K | −1.1% | #2,350 of 2,405 |
| 83Taney County, MO | 17 | 302 | 132.5 | $251K | +1.7% | #2,358 of 2,405 |
| 84St. Louis city, MO | 14 | 1,148 | 79.2 | $435K | −7.4% | #2,381 of 2,405 |
| 85Dunklin County, MO | 9 | 84 | 74.6 | $407K | −4.8% | #2,396 of 2,405 |
| Lewis County, MO | Not scored | 19 | 59.7 | $565K | −1.6% | |
| Grundy County, MO | Not scored | 15 | 38.4 | $826K | −0.2% | |
| St. Clair County, MO | Not scored | 16 | 39.3 | $801K | +6.7% | |
| Iron County, MO | Not scored | 21 | 54.4 | $567K | −2.0% | |
| Caldwell County, MO | Not scored | 16 | 42.5 | $806K | +2.1% | |
| Ozark County, MO | Not scored | 22 | 59.3 | $514K | +7.7% | |
| Monroe County, MO | Not scored | 18 | 51.9 | $634K | +3.1% | |
| Oregon County, MO | Not scored | 9 | 26.6 | $1.1M | +1.2% | |
| Hickory County, MO | Not scored | 31 | 86.1 | $322K | +8.9% | |
| Daviess County, MO | Not scored | 13 | 43.0 | $816K | +1.5% | |
| Maries County, MO | Not scored | 14 | 40.8 | $828K | −0.7% | |
| Carroll County, MO | Not scored | 15 | 42.6 | $786K | −0.6% | |
| Harrison County, MO | Not scored | 17 | 53.2 | $592K | +1.5% | |
| Dade County, MO | Not scored | 15 | 49.1 | $636K | +2.9% | |
| Chariton County, MO | Not scored | 12 | 44.8 | $809K | −0.1% | |
| Shannon County, MO | Not scored | 19 | 65.9 | $463K | +3.6% | |
| Clark County, MO | Not scored | 13 | 53.7 | $598K | −2.8% | |
| Gentry County, MO | Not scored | 18 | 74.2 | $429K | +4.2% | |
| Reynolds County, MO | Not scored | 12 | 51.4 | $563K | −1.4% | |
| Shelby County, MO | Not scored | 14 | 58.6 | $543K | −3.6% | |
| Sullivan County, MO | Not scored | 14 | 68.6 | $471K | −4.1% | |
| Carter County, MO | Not scored | 12 | 58.9 | $514K | +4.2% | |
| Atchison County, MO | Not scored | 11 | 48.1 | $683K | −2.5% | |
| Scotland County, MO | Not scored | 7 | 45.2 | $792K | +2.1% | |
| Putnam County, MO | Not scored | 4 | 22.3 | $1.5M | −3.0% | |
| Holt County, MO | Not scored | 16 | 91.7 | $373K | +0.4% | |
| Schuyler County, MO | Not scored | 5 | 38.3 | $839K | +3.3% | |
| Knox County, MO | Not scored | 6 | 46.6 | $706K | −0.1% | |
| Mercer County, MO | Not scored | 7 | 53.8 | $597K | −3.2% | |
| Worth County, MO | Not scored | 2 | 23.6 | $1.3M | −2.6% |
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 Missouri?
There are 13,458 sit-down restaurants on map listings in Missouri as of September 2026. 5,222 of them (39%) are chain locations. The listings count restaurants of every cuisine, pizza included. Official counts show 4,522 businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in 2023, down 2.3% from 2019. Another 622 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Missouri spend on food away from home?
About $9.5B a year, or $3,799 per household. That is 7% below the U.S. average (an index of 93, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 13,458 sit-down restaurants on map listings, it comes to $708K per restaurant. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only sit-down restaurants. It is estimated from the incomes of the 2,508,227 households in Missouri and national spending patterns by income.
How does Missouri compare with the U.S. for sit-down restaurants?
Missouri has 53.7 sit-down restaurants per 10,000 households, 12% below the U.S. rate of 61.3. Spending per restaurant is $708K, 7% above the U.S. figure of $664K. At the national ratio of sit-down restaurants to household spending, Missouri would have about 14,358, against 13,458 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 555 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. The official count fell 2.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +1.5% for the U.S.
Which market in Missouri has the highest market score for sit-down restaurants?
Among 8 scored metro areas in or partly in Missouri, the Kansas City metro area scores highest, at 72 (upper middle). Among 18 scored small-town markets in or partly in Missouri, the Warrensburg area scores highest, at 77 (high). Among 85 scored counties in Missouri, Lincoln 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. Missouri scores 45 for sit-down restaurants (lower middle), #30 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 Missouri. 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
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for sit-down restaurants across the U.S. · All business types in Missouri
Related business types in Missouri
- Restaurants and cafes24,732 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops3,324 listings
- Pizza2,482 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes2,459 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops2,043 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Missouri?
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.