MenuSpy / City reports / Florida / Cape Coral-Fort Myers
Florida market data · October 2026
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL restaurant market: licenses, season and rules
How many places serve food across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, when diners show up, and which wage, tax and license rules apply. Built from Florida's own records and refreshed monthly; every number links to its source.
Cape Coral-Fort Myers has 1,962 licensed food service places with 187,595 seats, 22.4 for every 10,000 residents (below Florida's 22.7). Restaurant sales run highest in April (1.33× an average month) and lowest in October (0.78×). The metro grew 1.6% in the latest year, to 875,607 residents.
When diners show up
Cape Coral-Fort Myers restaurant sales follow a winter and spring season. The busiest month in the latest twelve was April 2025, 33% above an average month; the slowest was October 2025, 22% below. Statewide, the same months ran 1.15× and 0.90×.
| Month (DOR report) | Apr 25 | May 25 | Jun 25 | Jul 25 | Aug 25 | Sep 25 | Oct 25 | Nov 25 | Dec 25 | Jan 26 | Feb 26 | Mar 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales vs average month | 1.33 | 1.11 | 0.97 | 0.86 | 0.85 | 0.82 | 0.78 | 0.90 | 0.98 | 1.08 | 1.16 | 1.14 |
One year of sales can be moved by a storm or a one-off event; use it to plan staffing and an opening month, not as a forecast.
Dates that move diners
Confirmed dates from organizer or official pages, checked October 2, 2026. Only events with a published date are listed; annual ones say so.
Florida Everblades 2026-27 home season
Home opener Saturday, October 17; promotional schedule runs to Saturday, April 10 · Hertz Arena, Estero · held every year
Pro hockey home nights through the winter bring steady game-night traffic to restaurants around Estero.
36th Annual American Sand Sculpting Championship
November 19-23, 2026 (10am-5pm daily) · DiamondHead Beach Resort, Fort Myers Beach · held every year
A multi-day beach festival over Thanksgiving week draws visitors to Fort Myers Beach eateries.
Holiday Nights on the Lawn
Friday & Saturday, November 27 & 28, 2026 · Cape Coral City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd. · held every year
A city holiday event at City Hall brings families out in central Cape Coral on Thanksgiving weekend.
ArtFest Fort Myers
Saturday and Sunday, February 6 & 7, 2027; Opening Night Friday, February 5, 2027 · Waterfront in historic downtown Fort Myers (1375 Monroe St.) · held every year
A weekend outdoor art show on the downtown waterfront brings crowds to River District restaurants.
Minnesota Twins Spring Training home games
February 19 to March 20, 2027 (15 home games) · Lee Health Sports Complex (Hammond Stadium), Fort Myers · held every year
Home games bring visiting fans who eat out before and after games in south Fort Myers.
Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade
February 20, 2027, 7:00PM - 11:00PM · Fort Myers · held every year
The night parade draws big crowds to Fort Myers, which fills nearby restaurants and bars before and after.
69th Annual Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival
March 13, 2027 to March 14, 2027, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM · Old San Carlos Blvd., between 1st Street and 3rd Street, Fort Myers Beach · held every year
A weekend seafood festival with a parade on the beach's main restaurant strip brings heavy foot traffic.
Fort Myers Beach Lions Club (listed by Greater Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce)
Who is already serving here
Cape Coral-Fort Myers has 1,962 licensed food service places: 1,724 with seating and 238 without (counters, kiosks, take-out kitchens), plus 569 food trucks and carts. Between July 1, 2026 to October 1, 2026, DBPR approved 27 new food service licenses and 46 ownership changes here.
| County | Residents 2025 | Licensed places | Seats | Per 10,000 | Food trucks and carts | New licenses | Sales tax 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee | 875,607 | 1,962 | 187,595 | 22.4 | 569 | 27 | 6.5% |
Licensed places are current, active DBPR permanent food service licenses. That license also covers bars that serve food, so the count runs above a restaurant-only count.
What menus charge here
26 prices read from 7 independent menus in Fort Myers Beach, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Cape Coral on October 2, 2026, from each restaurant's own website or first-party ordering page. Delivery-app prices are excluded. A median is shown only when three or more menus list the item.
| Benchmark item | Menus | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheeseburger | 3 | $11.99 | $17.95 | $18.49 |
| Chicken sandwich | 4 | $14.99 | $15.97 | $18.99 |
| Taco plate (3 tacos) | 2 | $16.00 | fewer than 3 menus | $21.49 |
| Large cheese pizza | 0 | not observed yet | ||
| Wings (10 or closest count) | 4 | $14.95 | $17.00 | $20.00 |
| Cuban sandwich | 1 | $17.95 | fewer than 3 menus | $17.95 |
| Breakfast plate (2 eggs, meat, side) | 2 | $12.99 | fewer than 3 menus | $14.00 |
| Entree salad with protein | 6 | $13.99 | $15.99 | $19.95 |
| Draft beer (pint) | 2 | $6.00 | fewer than 3 menus | $6.00 |
| Fountain soda | 2 | $4.00 | fewer than 3 menus | $4.50 |
Part of the MenuSpy Menu Price Index. Restaurant names stay in our source file and are not published; a paid report names them and links each menu. A small sample: use it as a range check, not a rule.
Rules that hit the P&L
Minimum wage: $15.00 per hour, tipped $11.98
The $15.00 rate runs from September 30, 2026 through December 31, 2027. The tipped direct wage is $15.00 minus the fixed 2003 tip credit of $3.02. Annual inflation adjustments resume in September 2027 and take effect the following January 1.
Sales tax on restaurant meals: 6.5%
Lee County 6.5%. Restaurant meals are taxed at the 6% state rate plus the county surtax, including food sold to go. Service charges, minimum charges and corkage fees are taxable. A tip is not taxed when it is itemized separately and the restaurant keeps no part of it.
Florida DOR Form DR-15DSS, Calendar Year 2026 · Florida DOR, Sales and use tax on restaurant sales (GT-800035)
Local meal tax: none
None applies here. State law lets only Miami-Dade County levy a food and beverage tax, and only Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside levy a resort tax on meals. Everywhere else, the state sales tax and county surtax are the whole tax on a restaurant check.
Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, local government handbook
Food service license from DBPR
Every public food service establishment needs its own annual license from DBPR, priced by seats. New licenses and ownership changes also pay a $50 application fee. Each fee includes the $10 Hospitality Education Program fee.
| DBPR license | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| Non-seating | $242 |
| 1 to 49 seats | $262 |
| 50 to 149 seats | $273 |
| 150 to 249 seats | $294 |
| 250 to 349 seats | $315 |
| 350 to 499 seats | $336 |
| 500 or more seats | $357 |
| Food truck or cart | $347 |
| Caterer | $263 |
All Florida rules in one place: Florida restaurant rules for 2026.
What this page does not cover yet
- Menu prices: 7 menus is a small sample. Items marked "not observed yet" had no first-party price we could read.
- Local events: only dates published by an organizer are listed; festivals that announce late are added on the next check.
- Counts come from license records, not visits: a licensed place can be closed for renovation or open only in season.
Thinking about opening in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
The $79 local area report researches one address or neighborhood in Cape Coral-Fort Myers: nearby menus and observed prices, a year of local dates, the rules that apply and local demand signals, with every source linked.
Already open? The restaurant report compares your menu with the menus near you.
Questions operators ask
How many restaurants are in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida?
Florida's DBPR lists 1,962 current, active permanent food service licenses in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro area (Lee County), with 187,595 licensed seats, in its files dated September 28, 2026. The count includes bars that serve food, so it runs above a pure restaurant count.
When is the busy season for restaurants in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
In Florida Department of Revenue sales for April 2025 to March 2026, Cape Coral-Fort Myers restaurant sales peaked in April at 1.33× an average month and were lowest in October at 0.78×. DOR reports a month when the tax is filed, generally about a month after the sales.
What is the sales tax on restaurant meals in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
6.5% in 2026: the 6% Florida rate plus the county surtax (Lee County 6.5%). No local meal tax applies here.
What is the minimum wage for restaurant workers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
$15.00 per hour from September 30, 2026 through December 31, 2027, and $11.98 for tipped employees (the fixed $3.02 tip credit). It is the same statewide.
How much is a restaurant license in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
DBPR's annual food service license runs $262 for 1 to 49 seats up to $357 for 500 or more, $242 with no seating, and $347 for a food truck or cart, plus a $50 application fee for a new license or new owner.
What do restaurants in Cape Coral-Fort Myers charge for common menu items?
On menus we read on October 2, 2026: entree salad with protein $13.99 to $19.95 (median $15.99) across 6 menus; chicken sandwich $14.99 to $18.99 (median $15.97) across 4 menus; wings (10 or closest count) $14.95 to $20.00 (median $17.00) across 4 menus. Prices come from each restaurant's own website or ordering page, not delivery apps.
What events bring diners out in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
Confirmed on organizer pages: Florida Everblades 2026-27 home season (Home opener Saturday, October 17; promotional schedule runs to Saturday, April 10); 36th Annual American Sand Sculpting Championship (November 19-23, 2026 (10am-5pm daily)); Holiday Nights on the Lawn (Friday & Saturday, November 27 & 28, 2026); ArtFest Fort Myers (Saturday and Sunday, February 6 & 7, 2027; Opening Night Friday, February 5, 2027).
More Florida markets
Florida restaurant market data
All 22 metros and 67 counties in one table, with a CSV.
Southwest FloridaSarasota-Bradenton, FL
2,120 licensed places · 22.4 per 10,000 residents
Southwest FloridaNaples, FL
1,196 licensed places · 28.7 per 10,000 residents
Southwest FloridaPunta Gorda, FL
426 licensed places · 19.6 per 10,000 residents
Sources
- Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants: public records: active food service licensee files dated September 28, 2026. License type 2010, primary and secondary status 20 (current, active). Food trucks and carts: type 2014.
- DBPR new licenses and ownership changes: approvals July 1, 2026 to October 1, 2026.
- Florida Department of Revenue, Form 10 gross sales: Kind code 8: Restaurants, Lunchrooms, Catering Service, April 2025 to March 2026. DOR reports a month when the tax is filed, which generally trails the sales by about a month.
- U.S. Census Bureau population estimates: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025).
- FloridaCommerce 2026 minimum wage poster; Florida DOR Form DR-15DSS, Calendar Year 2026; DBPR food service license fees.