New National Restaurant Association Report Provides A Demographic Profile of Restaurant Owners

The accessibility of restaurant ownership across demographic groups illustrates the entrepreneurial opportunities in the industry.

The U.S. restaurant industry has a higher proportion of minority- and women-owned businesses than the overall private sector. Those are among the findings of a new National Restaurant Association Data Brief, which provides a demographic profile of restaurant owners in the U.S.

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 49% of restaurant firms are owned by minorities. That compares to just 38% of businesses in the overall private sector.

18% of restaurant firms are Asian-owned, 18% are Hispanic-owned, and 16% are Black- or African American-owned. Each of these groups have a higher ownership representation in the restaurant industry than they do in the overall private sector.

In every state for which data is available, the restaurant industry has a higher rate of minority business ownership than the overall private sector. Hawaii, Texas, California, Georgia and Maryland have the highest proportion of restaurants that are owned by minorities.

One-half of restaurant businesses are owned by women

Fully one-half of restaurant firms are at least 50% owned by women, compared to 44% of businesses in the overall private sector.

41% of restaurant firms are majority-owned by women, while 9% are equally owned by women and men.

Alaska, Mississippi, Montana, Wyoming, Georgia, Louisiana and Alabama have the highest proportion of restaurants that are at least 50% owned by women.