Market rankings · Washington
Sit-down restaurants in Washington
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Washington, ranked by the Groundwork market score for sit-down restaurants, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 16,771
- 3,974 chain locations (24%)
- Official establishments
- 6,724
- +3.6% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $13.8B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 54.7
- 11% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $823K
- 24% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #5 of 51
- Market score 71 · Upper middle
A site report maps the sit-down restaurants on map listings around any address in Washington 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 16,771 sit-down restaurants on map listings in Washington as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 24% of them, against 29% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 54.7, 11% below the U.S. rate of 61.3.
Household spending on food away from home in Washington comes to about $13.8B a year: $4,501 per household, 11% above the U.S. average. That is about $823K of household spending for each restaurant on map listings, 24% 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 Washington was 6,724 in 2023, up 3.6% from 2019. That is one for every 456 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, 452 SBA-backed loans worth $241.3M have gone to businesses classed as full-service restaurants in Washington.
Among the 50 states and DC, Washington ranks #5 for sit-down restaurants, with a Groundwork market score of 71 (upper middle). Of the 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Washington, the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater metro area scores highest (79). Of the 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Washington, the Shelton area scores highest (90).
Every market in Washington for sit-down restaurants
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Washington, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 79 | 496 | 41.7 | $1M | +2.8% | #16 of 387 |
| 2Longview-Kelso, WA | 72 | 172 | 39.1 | $965K | +3.5% | #36 of 387 |
| 3Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 71 | 495 | 45.6 | $1M | +2.7% | #40 of 387 |
| 4Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 71 | 971 | 40.8 | $950K | +3.5% | #41 of 387 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | 69 | 105 | 39.2 | $939K | +1.5% | #53 of 387 |
| 5Kennewick-Richland, WA | 69 | 590 | 54.7 | $763K | +6.5% | #58 of 387 |
| 6Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 63 | 9,916 | 61.6 | $800K | +3.3% | #92 of 387 |
| 7Bellingham, WA | 56 | 494 | 52.5 | $766K | +3.9% | #138 of 387 |
| 8Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 45 | 313 | 59.8 | $695K | +2.4% | #229 of 387 |
| 9Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 44 | 291 | 61.3 | $663K | +5.0% | #237 of 387 |
| 10Walla Walla, WA | 42 | 117 | 49.9 | $756K | −0.4% | #255 of 387 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 42 | 6,676 | 66.1 | $673K | +1.0% | #259 of 387 |
| 11Yakima, WA | 38 | 456 | 52.0 | $692K | +1.0% | #288 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Shelton, WA | 90 | 96 | 36.9 | $1.1M | +7.8% | #3 of 538 |
| 2Oak Harbor, WA | 69 | 131 | 36.4 | $1.1M | −1.5% | #77 of 538 |
| 3Centralia, WA | 64 | 153 | 46.5 | $802K | +6.7% | #120 of 538 |
| 4Port Angeles, WA | 61 | 145 | 41.4 | $889K | +1.1% | #149 of 538 |
| 5Moses Lake, WA | 58 | 199 | 56.2 | $649K | +6.3% | #189 of 538 |
| 6Port Townsend, WA | 56 | 87 | 53.2 | $724K | +2.7% | #207 of 538 |
| 7Aberdeen, WA | 53 | 143 | 46.7 | $742K | +3.0% | #233 of 538 |
| 8Pullman, WA | 52 | 91 | 48.6 | $710K | +1.5% | #245 of 538 |
| 9Ellensburg, WA | 47 | 130 | 65.0 | $600K | +4.2% | #305 of 538 |
| 10Othello, WA | 39 | 44 | 70.0 | $505K | +4.3% | #390 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Skamania County, WA | 89 | 19 | 37.9 | $1.1M | +5.2% | #33 of 2,405 |
| 2Lincoln County, WA | 84 | 17 | 35.3 | $1M | +9.7% | #78 of 2,405 |
| 3Stevens County, WA | 83 | 56 | 28.9 | $1.3M | +6.6% | #83 of 2,405 |
| 4Mason County, WA | 81 | 96 | 36.9 | $1.1M | +7.8% | #110 of 2,405 |
| 5Douglas County, WA | 78 | 66 | 41.4 | $981K | +8.0% | #170 of 2,405 |
| 6Pend Oreille County, WA | 77 | 17 | 28.6 | $1.3M | +7.1% | #184 of 2,405 |
| 7Franklin County, WA | 77 | 146 | 48.8 | $842K | +5.6% | #204 of 2,405 |
| 8Clark County, WA | 76 | 851 | 43.4 | $1M | +5.3% | #224 of 2,405 |
| 9Thurston County, WA | 74 | 496 | 41.7 | $1M | +2.8% | #271 of 2,405 |
| 10Pierce County, WA | 71 | 1,532 | 43.6 | $1M | +2.5% | #341 of 2,405 |
| 11Snohomish County, WA | 71 | 1,575 | 49.8 | $965K | +4.9% | #345 of 2,405 |
| 12Asotin County, WA | 70 | 34 | 35.8 | $1M | +1.0% | #366 of 2,405 |
| 13Kitsap County, WA | 69 | 495 | 45.6 | $1M | +2.7% | #399 of 2,405 |
| 14Cowlitz County, WA | 69 | 172 | 39.1 | $965K | +3.5% | #403 of 2,405 |
| 15Klickitat County, WA | 67 | 35 | 35.5 | $1.1M | +6.6% | #447 of 2,405 |
| 16Spokane County, WA | 66 | 915 | 41.9 | $931K | +3.2% | #489 of 2,405 |
| 17Island County, WA | 63 | 131 | 36.4 | $1.1M | −1.5% | #599 of 2,405 |
| 18Benton County, WA | 60 | 444 | 56.9 | $737K | +6.9% | #757 of 2,405 |
| 19Lewis County, WA | 56 | 153 | 46.5 | $802K | +6.7% | #903 of 2,405 |
| 20Whatcom County, WA | 55 | 494 | 52.5 | $766K | +3.9% | #953 of 2,405 |
| 21Clallam County, WA | 51 | 145 | 41.4 | $889K | +1.1% | #1,119 of 2,405 |
| 22King County, WA | 51 | 6,809 | 72.4 | $711K | +3.1% | #1,137 of 2,405 |
| 23Grant County, WA | 50 | 199 | 56.2 | $649K | +6.3% | #1,184 of 2,405 |
| 24Jefferson County, WA | 47 | 87 | 53.2 | $724K | +2.7% | #1,311 of 2,405 |
| 25Skagit County, WA | 47 | 313 | 59.8 | $695K | +2.4% | #1,318 of 2,405 |
Show all 39 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Grays Harbor County, WA | 45 | 143 | 46.7 | $742K | +3.0% | #1,408 of 2,405 |
| 27Walla Walla County, WA | 44 | 117 | 49.9 | $756K | −0.4% | #1,448 of 2,405 |
| 28Whitman County, WA | 44 | 91 | 48.6 | $710K | +1.5% | #1,456 of 2,405 |
| 29Yakima County, WA | 43 | 456 | 52.0 | $692K | +1.0% | #1,492 of 2,405 |
| 30San Juan County, WA | 43 | 60 | 66.6 | $628K | +4.2% | #1,502 of 2,405 |
| 31Kittitas County, WA | 40 | 130 | 65.0 | $600K | +4.2% | #1,649 of 2,405 |
| 32Okanogan County, WA | 39 | 105 | 59.9 | $580K | +7.3% | #1,696 of 2,405 |
| 33Chelan County, WA | 38 | 225 | 71.4 | $569K | +3.3% | #1,736 of 2,405 |
| 34Adams County, WA | 33 | 44 | 70.0 | $505K | +4.3% | #1,937 of 2,405 |
| 35Pacific County, WA | 32 | 71 | 64.7 | $550K | +3.6% | #1,977 of 2,405 |
| Ferry County, WA | Not scored | 10 | 31.6 | $993K | +4.4% | |
| Wahkiakum County, WA | Not scored | 8 | 38.1 | $902K | +9.6% | |
| Columbia County, WA | Not scored | 11 | 59.1 | $602K | +4.7% | |
| Garfield County, WA | Not scored | 3 | 29.1 | $1.2M | +5.2% |
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 Washington?
As of September 2026, map listings count 16,771 sit-down restaurants in Washington. 3,974 of them (24%) are chain locations. The listings count restaurants of every cuisine, pizza included. Official counts show 6,724 businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in 2023, up 3.6% from 2019. Another 734 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Washington spend on food away from home?
About $13.8B a year, or $4,501 per household. That is 11% above the U.S. average (an index of 111, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 16,771 sit-down restaurants on map listings, it comes to $823K 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 3,064,820 households in Washington and national spending patterns by income.
How does Washington compare with the U.S. for sit-down restaurants?
Washington has 54.7 sit-down restaurants per 10,000 households, 11% below the U.S. rate of 61.3. Spending per restaurant is $823K, 24% above the U.S. figure of $664K. At the U.S. ratio of sit-down restaurants to household spending, Washington would have about 20,788, against 16,771 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 456 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. The official count rose 3.6% from 2019 to 2023, against +1.5% for the U.S.
Which market in Washington has the highest market score for sit-down restaurants?
Among 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Washington, the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater metro area scores highest, at 79 (high). Among 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Washington, the Shelton area scores highest, at 90 (very high). Among 35 scored counties in Washington, Skamania County scores highest, at 89 (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. Washington scores 71 for sit-down restaurants (upper middle), #5 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 Washington. 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
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- District of Columbia
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- Idaho
- Illinois
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- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
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- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for sit-down restaurants across the U.S. · All business types in Washington
Related business types in Washington
- Restaurants and cafes32,930 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops3,230 listings
- Pizza1,861 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes5,426 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops2,252 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Washington?
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.