Market rankings · North Carolina

Sit-down restaurants in North Carolina

Every metro area, small-town market and county in North Carolina, ranked by the Groundwork market score for sit-down restaurants, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings: 22,819; 7,605 chain locations (33%)
Official establishments: 8,543; +6.8% since 2019
Household spending a year: $16.2B; On food away from home
Listings per 10k households: 53.3; 13% below the U.S.
Spending per listing: $709K; 7% above the U.S.
Rank among states: #22 of 51; Market score 51 · Upper middle

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

North Carolina has 22,819 sit-down restaurants on map listings as of September 2026. 7,605 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.

Household spending on food away from home in North Carolina comes to about $16.2B a year: $3,776 per household, 7% below the U.S. average. Spread across 22,819 sit-down restaurants, that is $709K per restaurant, 7% 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 North Carolina was 8,543 in 2023, up 6.8% from 2019. That is one for every 501 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, 311 SBA-backed loans worth $233.3M have gone to businesses classed as full-service restaurants in North Carolina.

Among the 50 states and DC, North Carolina ranks #22 for sit-down restaurants, with a Groundwork market score of 51 (upper middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Raleigh-Cary metro area scores highest (73). Of the 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest (89).

Every market in North Carolina for sit-down restaurants

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Raleigh-Cary, NC	73	3,218	56.0	$804K	+12.6%	#34 of 387
2Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	70	1,379	55.5	$753K	+7.5%	#51 of 387
3Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	65	5,831	54.2	$758K	+10.1%	#81 of 387
4Winston-Salem, NC	63	1,192	42.3	$838K	+5.3%	#90 of 387
5Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC	61	232	52.7	$761K	+10.3%	#108 of 387
6Goldsboro, NC	58	205	43.2	$768K	+3.8%	#125 of 387
7Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	56	653	43.7	$775K	+3.2%	#137 of 387
8Rocky Mount, NC	55	263	45.0	$738K	+2.8%	#144 of 387
9Jacksonville, NC	49	384	51.0	$681K	+6.0%	#199 of 387
10Greensboro-High Point, NC	47	1,580	49.8	$710K	+4.1%	#213 of 387
11Wilmington, NC	42	1,244	62.4	$617K	+15.9%	#262 of 387
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	40	4,149	58.7	$684K	+0.9%	#274 of 387
12Burlington, NC	39	380	54.2	$643K	+8.5%	#280 of 387
13Greenville, NC	36	401	53.8	$620K	+5.4%	#302 of 387
14Fayetteville, NC	35	785	52.7	$638K	+1.6%	#310 of 387
15Asheville, NC	29	1,050	65.1	$574K	+3.6%	#352 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching North Carolina, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Anderson Creek, NC	89	168	33.7	$1.1M	+12.3%	#4 of 538
2New Bern, NC	63	238	45.4	$751K	+3.6%	#135 of 538
3Marion, NC	61	69	37.0	$864K	+1.5%	#151 of 538
4Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC	58	178	45.8	$715K	+3.4%	#188 of 538
5North Wilkesboro, NC	56	105	38.7	$776K	+0.6%	#201 of 538
6Laurinburg, NC	54	50	39.7	$743K	−0.3%	#221 of 538
7Sanford, NC	53	128	50.9	$671K	+10.8%	#238 of 538
8Albemarle, NC	50	131	51.9	$650K	+9.8%	#265 of 538
9Wilson, NC	49	159	48.1	$670K	+1.7%	#272 of 538
10Kinston, NC	49	110	47.1	$623K	+1.4%	#276 of 538
11Forest City, NC	48	127	47.7	$648K	+2.1%	#294 of 538
12Washington, NC	47	90	46.4	$711K	0.0%	#302 of 538
13Brevard, NC	45	79	54.2	$652K	+2.9%	#323 of 538
14Lumberton, NC	44	227	52.6	$535K	+3.4%	#333 of 538
15Elizabeth City, NC	41	89	56.4	$609K	+4.5%	#364 of 538
16Waynesville, NC	40	143	52.7	$643K	+1.9%	#373 of 538
17Rockingham, NC	39	77	45.2	$637K	−1.6%	#385 of 538
18Roanoke Rapids, NC	38	126	44.6	$672K	−4.3%	#394 of 538
19Morehead City, NC	38	244	76.3	$491K	+4.1%	#401 of 538
20Henderson, NC	37	89	55.1	$561K	+0.2%	#408 of 538
21Kill Devil Hills, NC	35	282	167.5	$252K	+3.3%	#427 of 538
22Mount Airy, NC	34	153	51.2	$623K	+1.3%	#430 of 538
23Boone, NC	20	165	77.8	$426K	+0.6%	#523 of 538

Counties

Counties in North Carolina, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Camden County, NC	92	13	32.4	$1.2M	+8.8%	#13 of 2,405
2Franklin County, NC	89	78	27.3	$1.3M	+18.8%	#28 of 2,405
3Chatham County, NC	87	117	35.5	$1.3M	+11.0%	#49 of 2,405
4Hoke County, NC	84	54	28.0	$1.2M	+9.0%	#70 of 2,405
5Union County, NC	84	344	40.8	$1.1M	+11.7%	#74 of 2,405
6Lincoln County, NC	82	145	39.4	$1M	+13.2%	#95 of 2,405
7Johnston County, NC	82	348	40.7	$972K	+17.9%	#96 of 2,405
8Harnett County, NC	81	168	33.7	$1.1M	+12.3%	#113 of 2,405
9Granville County, NC	77	77	34.3	$1.1M	+2.1%	#189 of 2,405
10Person County, NC	77	55	34.2	$1M	+3.7%	#193 of 2,405
11Davie County, NC	76	57	33.0	$1.2M	+6.9%	#219 of 2,405
12Caswell County, NC	70	18	20.4	$1.5M	+0.4%	#357 of 2,405
13Davidson County, NC	70	243	34.8	$991K	+6.6%	#370 of 2,405
14Madison County, NC	70	29	34.8	$960K	+5.9%	#374 of 2,405
15Cabarrus County, NC	69	381	45.2	$931K	+9.9%	#405 of 2,405
16Alexander County, NC	68	37	26.2	$1.3M	+1.5%	#418 of 2,405
17Pender County, NC	67	126	49.8	$782K	+19.0%	#471 of 2,405
18Yancey County, NC	66	30	36.9	$921K	+3.2%	#491 of 2,405
19Perquimans County, NC	66	24	42.8	$817K	+3.6%	#498 of 2,405
20Gaston County, NC	66	417	44.6	$801K	+7.8%	#500 of 2,405
21Stokes County, NC	63	57	29.2	$1.1M	+3.5%	#601 of 2,405
22Warren County, NC	63	25	30.7	$991K	+1.6%	#606 of 2,405
23Rockingham County, NC	63	134	33.8	$947K	+3.3%	#610 of 2,405
24Henderson County, NC	63	227	44.5	$816K	+5.0%	#624 of 2,405
25Wake County, NC	63	2,792	60.7	$768K	+11.2%	#631 of 2,405

Show all 100 counties

Counties in North Carolina, ranked for sit-down restaurants by Groundwork market score, continued
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Spending per listing	Population growth	U.S. rank
26Rowan County, NC	62	235	39.9	$873K	+5.6%	#658 of 2,405
27Iredell County, NC	62	397	52.0	$769K	+12.9%	#681 of 2,405
28Brunswick County, NC	61	337	48.8	$776K	+26.5%	#714 of 2,405
29Bertie County, NC	60	21	29.4	$1.1M	−3.6%	#726 of 2,405
30Randolph County, NC	60	202	35.0	$941K	+3.5%	#732 of 2,405
31Orange County, NC	60	371	64.7	$677K	+6.1%	#759 of 2,405
32Burke County, NC	59	130	35.8	$913K	+1.6%	#773 of 2,405
33Moore County, NC	59	232	52.7	$761K	+10.3%	#784 of 2,405
34Durham County, NC	59	836	58.9	$697K	+7.7%	#791 of 2,405
35Greene County, NC	58	22	31.8	$923K	+1.3%	#803 of 2,405
36Chowan County, NC	58	24	39.1	$863K	+2.8%	#807 of 2,405
37Caldwell County, NC	56	114	34.6	$927K	+0.7%	#890 of 2,405
38Gates County, NC	55	10	23.9	$1.4M	−2.1%	#927 of 2,405
39Anson County, NC	55	23	26.9	$1.1M	−2.1%	#928 of 2,405
40Yadkin County, NC	55	60	40.0	$852K	+2.9%	#939 of 2,405
41Pamlico County, NC	55	23	42.2	$792K	+3.7%	#946 of 2,405
42Wayne County, NC	55	205	43.2	$768K	+3.8%	#952 of 2,405
43Northampton County, NC	54	26	33.1	$940K	−5.4%	#975 of 2,405
44Edgecombe County, NC	53	81	41.2	$753K	+0.7%	#1,040 of 2,405
45Forsyth County, NC	53	775	48.5	$746K	+5.0%	#1,042 of 2,405
46Nash County, NC	53	182	46.9	$731K	+3.9%	#1,044 of 2,405
47McDowell County, NC	52	69	37.0	$864K	+1.5%	#1,072 of 2,405
48Duplin County, NC	52	97	46.7	$666K	+6.0%	#1,104 of 2,405
49Onslow County, NC	51	384	51.0	$681K	+6.0%	#1,141 of 2,405
50Craven County, NC	50	205	47.8	$719K	+3.5%	#1,171 of 2,405
51Mecklenburg County, NC	50	3,171	68.0	$626K	+10.5%	#1,191 of 2,405
52Wilkes County, NC	49	105	38.7	$776K	+0.6%	#1,209 of 2,405
53Montgomery County, NC	49	45	42.3	$771K	+2.7%	#1,211 of 2,405
54Cleveland County, NC	49	178	45.8	$715K	+3.4%	#1,230 of 2,405
55Currituck County, NC	49	81	68.4	$631K	+16.7%	#1,241 of 2,405
56Scotland County, NC	47	50	39.7	$743K	−0.3%	#1,306 of 2,405
57Lee County, NC	47	128	50.9	$671K	+10.8%	#1,322 of 2,405
58Clay County, NC	46	23	45.3	$742K	+9.9%	#1,356 of 2,405
59Sampson County, NC	46	95	44.0	$705K	+4.1%	#1,361 of 2,405
60Guilford County, NC	46	1,244	56.6	$647K	+4.4%	#1,374 of 2,405
61Alamance County, NC	46	380	54.2	$643K	+8.5%	#1,376 of 2,405
62Stanly County, NC	44	131	51.9	$650K	+9.8%	#1,467 of 2,405
63Catawba County, NC	44	372	56.2	$633K	+5.8%	#1,470 of 2,405
64Wilson County, NC	42	159	48.1	$670K	+1.7%	#1,538 of 2,405
65Bladen County, NC	42	54	45.7	$644K	+1.3%	#1,547 of 2,405
66Lenoir County, NC	42	110	47.1	$623K	+1.4%	#1,551 of 2,405
67Pitt County, NC	42	401	53.8	$620K	+5.4%	#1,553 of 2,405
68Beaufort County, NC	40	90	46.4	$711K	0.0%	#1,622 of 2,405
69Ashe County, NC	40	57	46.7	$688K	+3.5%	#1,625 of 2,405
70Rutherford County, NC	40	127	47.7	$648K	+2.1%	#1,640 of 2,405
71Polk County, NC	40	53	59.0	$617K	+6.0%	#1,645 of 2,405
72New Hanover County, NC	39	781	74.5	$522K	+8.6%	#1,702 of 2,405
73Robeson County, NC	38	227	52.6	$535K	+3.4%	#1,742 of 2,405
74Transylvania County, NC	37	79	54.2	$652K	+2.9%	#1,763 of 2,405
75Columbus County, NC	35	96	47.9	$629K	0.0%	#1,832 of 2,405
76Pasquotank County, NC	35	89	56.4	$609K	+4.5%	#1,838 of 2,405
77Haywood County, NC	33	143	52.7	$643K	+1.9%	#1,916 of 2,405
78Richmond County, NC	33	77	45.2	$637K	−1.6%	#1,918 of 2,405
79Carteret County, NC	32	244	76.3	$491K	+4.1%	#1,983 of 2,405
80Cumberland County, NC	31	731	56.3	$594K	+0.4%	#1,998 of 2,405
81Vance County, NC	31	89	55.1	$561K	+0.2%	#2,006 of 2,405
82Buncombe County, NC	31	794	78.0	$490K	+2.9%	#2,018 of 2,405
83Dare County, NC	31	282	167.5	$252K	+3.3%	#2,025 of 2,405
84Swain County, NC	30	27	44.9	$735K	−0.6%	#2,028 of 2,405
85Cherokee County, NC	29	73	55.1	$562K	+6.8%	#2,080 of 2,405
86Macon County, NC	29	116	63.0	$534K	+5.8%	#2,084 of 2,405
87Mitchell County, NC	28	33	50.1	$640K	+1.1%	#2,104 of 2,405
88Surry County, NC	28	153	51.2	$623K	+1.3%	#2,105 of 2,405
89Alleghany County, NC	27	34	65.7	$447K	+5.4%	#2,162 of 2,405
90Washington County, NC	26	24	50.6	$576K	−3.1%	#2,174 of 2,405
91Jackson County, NC	26	135	73.3	$441K	+6.9%	#2,185 of 2,405
92Halifax County, NC	24	100	49.1	$603K	−3.9%	#2,216 of 2,405
93Martin County, NC	24	50	52.6	$567K	−1.6%	#2,218 of 2,405
94Hertford County, NC	24	48	57.9	$516K	−11.2%	#2,226 of 2,405
95Avery County, NC	19	61	89.8	$387K	+1.1%	#2,333 of 2,405
96Watauga County, NC	16	165	77.8	$426K	+0.6%	#2,368 of 2,405
Jones County, NC	Not scored	10	24.2	$1.3M	+4.6%
Graham County, NC	Not scored	15	42.6	$737K	+1.9%
Hyde County, NC	Not scored	24	123.8	$231K	+1.0%
Tyrrell County, NC	Not scored	8	51.7	$536K	+9.3%

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 North Carolina?

Map listings as of September 2026 show 22,819 sit-down restaurants in North Carolina. 7,605 of them (33%) are chain locations. The listings count restaurants of every cuisine, pizza included. Official counts show 8,543 businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in 2023, up 6.8% from 2019. Another 1,503 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.

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

About $16.2B a year, or $3,776 per household. That is 7% below the U.S. average (an index of 93, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 22,819 sit-down restaurants on map listings, it comes to $709K 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 4,282,345 households in North Carolina and national spending patterns by income.

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

North Carolina has 53.3 sit-down restaurants per 10,000 households, 13% below the U.S. rate of 61.3. Spending per restaurant is $709K, 7% above the U.S. figure of $664K. At the U.S. ratio of sit-down restaurants to household spending, North Carolina would have about 24,368, against 22,819 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 501 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. The official count rose 6.8% from 2019 to 2023, against +1.5% for the U.S.

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

Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Raleigh-Cary metro area scores highest, at 73 (upper middle). Among 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Anderson Creek area scores highest, at 89 (high). Among 96 scored counties in North Carolina, Camden 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. North Carolina scores 51 for sit-down restaurants (upper middle), #22 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 North Carolina. 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.

Restaurants and cafes41,739 listings
Fast food and sandwich shops5,755 listings
Pizza3,190 listings
Coffee shops and cafes3,980 listings
Bakeries and dessert shops3,724 listings

Screening a site or an acquisition in North Carolina?

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