Consumer Trends

Women Own Nearly Half the Restaurants in the U.S.

New research from the National Restaurant Association reveals that nearly 50 percent of restaurants are now owned by women. In addition, restaurants employ more minority managers than any other industry in the U.S.

  • Hispanic restaurant ownership has increased 42 percent in the past five years.
  • 46 percent of restaurant employees say they would like to own their own restaurant some day.
  • Restaurants are primarily small businesses; 93 percent have fewer than 50 employees.
  • For all industries, 75 percent of women-owned businesses are majority owned by women (51 percent or more), for a total of 7.2 million firms, employing 7.3 million people and generating $1.1 trillion in sales, reports the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).

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