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Key Restaurant Stats

National
• 13 million employees
• 9% of total national workforce
• 945,000 restaurants
• $566 billion in revenue
• In 2006 and 2007, employee recruitment/retention was the #1 challenge faced by restaurant owners (cited respectively by 37 and 26 percent of all owners; down in 2008 due only to surge in concern with the state of the economy)
• Nearly half of all Americans have worked in the restaurant industry in their lives
• In 1955, 25% of the average American’s food dollar went to restaurants (with the rest going to groceries). Today, 48% goes to restaurants.
• By 2019, an estimated 1.8 million new restaurant industry workers will be needed to keep up with industry growth

Washington, DC
• 48,100 employees
• 6.8% of total DC workforce
• 1,841 restaurants
• $2.3 billion in revenue
• 12.1% growth in employment expected through 2019
• Visitors to DC spent $1.4 billion in restaurants (8% increase)
• Nearly $100 million in revenue accrued to DC budget via the restaurant sales tax
• 29% of DC sales tax revenue comes from restaurants


• Every dollar spent in DC restaurants generates an additional $0.35 in sales for other industries in the state
• Each additional dollar spent in DC restaurants generates an additional 8.4 jobs in the state
• Average wage for DC restaurant managers: $49,753 ($23.92/hour)
• Average wage for DC chefs/head cooks: $49,088 ($23.60/hour)