MenuSpy / City reports / Florida
Florida market data · October 2026
Florida restaurant market data by metro and county
How many places serve food in each of Florida's 22 metro areas and 67 counties, how seasonal restaurant sales are, and what it costs in tax and licensing to open. Built from the state's own records and refreshed monthly.
Florida has 53,177 licensed food service places with 4,530,753 seats, 22.7 for every 10,000 residents, plus 11,047 food trucks and carts. Restaurants sold $72.84 billion in April 2025 to March 2026. Statewide sales peak in April and dip in October, but the coasts differ: in Jacksonville the busiest month ran 1.18× the slowest, in Destin-Fort Walton Beach 2.34×.
Statewide season
Statewide restaurant sales ran from 0.90× an average month in October 2025 to 1.15× in April 2025. That average hides very different coasts, so check your metro below.
Metro areas
Every Florida metro area, largest first by licensed places. Pages for Miami, Tampa Bay, Orlando, Jacksonville and Lakeland-Winter Haven also carry observed menu prices and local events.
| Metro area | Residents 2025 | 1-year change | Licensed places | Per 10,000 | Busiest month | Slowest month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 6,391,072 | −0.1% | 15,494 | 24.2 | January (1.15) | October (0.90) |
| Orlando | 2,957,672 | +1.3% | 7,621 | 25.8 | January (1.13) | October (0.93) |
| Tampa Bay | 3,418,895 | +0.4% | 7,260 | 21.2 | April (1.12) | October (0.91) |
| Jacksonville | 1,785,500 | +1.5% | 3,886 | 21.8 | January (1.10) | October (0.93) |
| Sarasota-Bradenton | 948,158 | +1.4% | 2,120 | 22.4 | April (1.30) | October (0.81) |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | 875,607 | +1.6% | 1,962 | 22.4 | April (1.33) | October (0.78) |
| Daytona Beach | 746,933 | +1.3% | 1,649 | 22.1 | April (1.19) | October (0.91) |
| Melbourne-Palm Bay | 663,982 | +1.2% | 1,456 | 21.9 | April (1.14) | December (0.89) |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | 874,790 | +2.7% | 1,306 | 14.9 | April (1.15) | December (0.92) |
| Naples | 417,131 | +0.1% | 1,196 | 28.7 | April (1.46) | October (0.68) |
| Port St. Lucie | 568,721 | +2.1% | 1,122 | 19.7 | April (1.25) | October (0.88) |
| Destin-Fort Walton Beach | 315,098 | +1.6% | 1,060 | 33.6 | August (1.50) | February (0.64) |
| Pensacola | 544,949 | +0.9% | 1,044 | 19.2 | August (1.13) | December (0.86) |
| Tallahassee | 397,442 | +0.3% | 786 | 19.8 | October (1.11) | July (0.89) |
| Gainesville | 359,036 | +0.5% | 727 | 20.2 | November (1.12) | August (0.88) |
| Panama City | 231,174 | +2.0% | 708 | 30.6 | July (1.44) | December (0.67) |
| Ocala | 442,660 | +3.4% | 662 | 15.0 | April (1.17) | October (0.92) |
| Punta Gorda | 217,212 | +2.7% | 426 | 19.6 | April (1.31) | October (0.80) |
| Vero Beach | 172,799 | +0.7% | 399 | 23.1 | April (1.21) | October (0.82) |
| Homosassa Springs | 171,666 | +1.1% | 300 | 17.5 | April (1.15) | October (0.88) |
| The Villages | 157,772 | +2.3% | 250 | 15.8 | April (1.22) | July (0.87) |
| Sebring | 111,122 | +1.1% | 202 | 18.2 | April (1.28) | September (0.88) |
All 67 counties
Download the full county table with seats, food trucks, the monthly sales index, new licenses and tax rates: florida-counties-2026-10.csv (CSV).
| County | Residents 2025 | Licensed places | Seats | Per 10,000 | Restaurant sales, 12 months | Busiest month | Sales tax 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | 2,802,029 | 7,039 | 497,232 | 25.1 | $10.79 billion | January | 7.0% |
| Broward | 2,013,317 | 4,823 | 389,488 | 24.0 | $6.55 billion | January | 7.0% |
| Orange | 1,528,002 | 4,808 | 494,488 | 31.5 | $6.99 billion | January | 6.5% |
| Palm Beach | 1,575,726 | 3,632 | 321,099 | 23.0 | $5.35 billion | April | 6.5% |
| Hillsborough | 1,574,115 | 3,263 | 262,678 | 20.7 | $5.79 billion | March | 7.5% |
| Pinellas | 948,563 | 2,682 | 229,759 | 28.3 | $3.00 billion | April | 7.0% |
| Duval | 1,062,963 | 2,422 | 206,491 | 22.8 | $3.12 billion | January | 7.5% |
| Lee | 875,607 | 1,962 | 187,595 | 22.4 | $2.51 billion | April | 6.5% |
| Brevard | 663,982 | 1,456 | 121,959 | 21.9 | $1.68 billion | April | 7.0% |
| Volusia | 606,573 | 1,406 | 117,312 | 23.2 | $1.60 billion | April | 6.5% |
| Polk | 874,790 | 1,306 | 102,424 | 14.9 | $1.63 billion | April | 7.0% |
| Sarasota | 479,958 | 1,210 | 141,773 | 25.2 | $1.72 billion | April | 7.0% |
| Collier | 417,131 | 1,196 | 131,359 | 28.7 | $1.75 billion | April | 6.0% |
| Osceola | 481,718 | 1,017 | 98,127 | 21.1 | $1.28 billion | April | 7.5% |
| Seminole | 491,884 | 1,005 | 80,779 | 20.4 | $1.33 billion | January | 7.0% |
| Pasco | 674,516 | 954 | 77,519 | 14.1 | $1.31 billion | January | 7.0% |
| Manatee | 468,200 | 910 | 77,492 | 19.4 | $1.21 billion | April | 7.0% |
| St. Johns | 346,328 | 828 | 62,013 | 23.9 | $1.06 billion | January | 6.5% |
| Lake | 456,068 | 791 | 60,005 | 17.3 | $926 million | April | 7.0% |
| Escambia | 333,834 | 763 | 64,330 | 22.9 | $1.14 billion | August | 7.5% |
| Bay | 204,479 | 663 | 64,974 | 32.4 | $883 million | July | 7.0% |
| Marion | 442,660 | 662 | 53,023 | 15.0 | $877 million | April | 7.5% |
| Okaloosa | 221,810 | 659 | 63,531 | 29.7 | $926 million | July | 7.0% |
| Leon | 299,048 | 656 | 57,169 | 21.9 | $979 million | October | 7.5% |
| St. Lucie | 402,449 | 647 | 44,990 | 16.1 | $766 million | April | 7.0% |
| Monroe | 80,406 | 628 | 53,093 | 78.1 | $779 million | April | 7.5% |
| Alachua | 290,028 | 627 | 43,213 | 21.6 | $846 million | November | 7.5% |
| Martin | 166,272 | 475 | 43,485 | 28.6 | $520 million | April | 6.5% |
| Charlotte | 217,212 | 426 | 48,932 | 19.6 | $517 million | April | 7.0% |
| Walton | 93,288 | 401 | 38,973 | 43.0 | $663 million | August | 7.0% |
| Indian River | 172,799 | 399 | 33,514 | 23.1 | $422 million | April | 7.0% |
| Hernando | 221,701 | 361 | 29,666 | 16.3 | $440 million | April | 6.5% |
| Clay | 239,593 | 356 | 26,901 | 14.9 | $441 million | June | 7.5% |
| Citrus | 171,666 | 300 | 23,281 | 17.5 | $302 million | April | 6.0% |
| Santa Rosa | 211,115 | 281 | 20,101 | 13.3 | $366 million | July | 7.0% |
| Sumter | 157,772 | 250 | 23,915 | 15.8 | $392 million | April | 7.0% |
| Nassau | 106,879 | 244 | 20,757 | 22.8 | $270 million | August | 7.0% |
| Flagler | 140,360 | 243 | 18,889 | 17.3 | $256 million | April | 7.0% |
| Highlands | 111,122 | 202 | 14,983 | 18.2 | $198 million | April | 7.5% |
| Columbia | 74,094 | 135 | 10,403 | 18.2 | $182 million | April | 7.5% |
| Putnam | 77,734 | 116 | 7,570 | 14.9 | $118 million | April | 7.0% |
| Okeechobee | 42,608 | 92 | 7,886 | 21.6 | $77 million | April | 7.0% |
| Levy | 48,520 | 83 | 4,175 | 17.1 | $61 million | April | 7.0% |
| Jackson | 49,629 | 78 | 4,910 | 15.7 | $93 million | June | 7.5% |
| Hendry | 48,276 | 71 | 4,460 | 14.7 | $71 million | April | 7.5% |
| Suwannee | 48,149 | 66 | 4,750 | 13.7 | $72 million | April | 7.0% |
| Gadsden | 44,298 | 59 | 3,676 | 13.3 | $34 million | April | 7.5% |
| Gulf | 15,943 | 52 | 3,817 | 32.6 | $53 million | August | 7.0% |
| Wakulla | 38,089 | 51 | 3,848 | 13.4 | $54 million | June | 7.5% |
| DeSoto | 37,078 | 49 | 2,860 | 13.2 | $44 million | April | 7.5% |
| Washington | 26,695 | 45 | 2,827 | 16.9 | $40 million | November | 7.5% |
| Franklin | 13,029 | 43 | 3,138 | 33.0 | $39 million | July | 7.5% |
| Hardee | 25,932 | 37 | 2,114 | 14.3 | $32 million | June | 7.0% |
| Baker | 29,737 | 36 | 2,421 | 12.1 | $44 million | April | 7.0% |
| Bradford | 28,307 | 36 | 2,370 | 12.7 | $46 million | October | 7.0% |
| Taylor | 21,210 | 34 | 2,939 | 16.0 | $41 million | May | 7.0% |
| Dixie | 18,038 | 20 | 1,128 | 11.1 | $18 million | April | 7.0% |
| Jefferson | 16,007 | 20 | 1,176 | 12.5 | $18 million | August | 7.0% |
| Holmes | 20,119 | 19 | 1,483 | 9.4 | $20 million | May | 7.5% |
| Gilchrist | 20,488 | 17 | 1,222 | 8.3 | $18 million | June | 7.0% |
| Madison | 18,759 | 17 | 1,113 | 9.1 | $23 million | November | 7.5% |
| Calhoun | 13,289 | 13 | 1,156 | 9.8 | $19 million | August | 7.5% |
| Hamilton | 14,180 | 11 | 584 | 7.8 | $9 million | April | 8.0% |
| Glades | 13,270 | 10 | 627 | 7.5 | $4 million | April | 7.0% |
| Union | 16,250 | 7 | 442 | 4.3 | $15 million | October | 7.0% |
| Lafayette | 8,792 | 5 | 286 | 5.7 | $5 million | October | 7.0% |
| Liberty | 8,035 | 2 | 60 | 2.5 | n/a | n/a | 7.5% |
Where new places are opening
DBPR approvals between July 1, 2026 to October 1, 2026, the ten counties with the most new permanent food service licenses. DBPR publishes the current fiscal quarter; we keep each quarter as it rolls off, so this table grows into a longer record.
| County | New food service licenses | New food trucks and carts | Ownership changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | 93 | 115 | 163 |
| Orange | 76 | 62 | 142 |
| Broward | 66 | 30 | 115 |
| Palm Beach | 51 | 20 | 62 |
| Duval | 37 | 36 | 67 |
| Pinellas | 32 | 26 | 63 |
| Hillsborough | 28 | 67 | 89 |
| Lee | 27 | 27 | 46 |
| Lake | 22 | 12 | 23 |
| Pasco | 18 | 20 | 24 |
Rules
$15.00 minimum wage ($11.98 tipped), sales tax of 6.0% to 8.0% by county in 2026, local meal taxes only in Miami-Dade and three beach towns, and a DBPR license priced by seats. Details and every county's rate: Florida restaurant rules for 2026.
Choosing a spot in Florida?
The $79 local area report researches one address or neighborhood: 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 there in Florida?
Florida's DBPR lists 53,177 current, active permanent food service licenses (46,533 with seating) and 11,047 licensed food trucks and carts, in files dated September 28, 2026. The permanent license also covers bars that serve food.
When is restaurant season in Florida?
It depends on the coast. In DOR sales for April 2025 to March 2026, Naples, Fort Myers and Sarasota peaked in spring, Destin and Panama City in summer, Tallahassee and Gainesville in the fall, while the biggest metros moved least (Jacksonville's busiest month was 1.18× its slowest; Destin-Fort Walton Beach's was 2.34×). The metro table on this page lists the busiest and slowest month for each area.
Which Florida counties have the most restaurants per resident?
Among counties with 50,000 or more residents: Monroe (78.1 per 10,000), Walton (43.0 per 10,000), Bay (32.4 per 10,000). The statewide figure is 22.7.
Do Florida cities charge a meal tax?
Only Miami-Dade County (2% in hotels and motels, 1% at alcohol-licensed places over $400,000 in sales) and the resort-tax towns of Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside (2%). Everywhere else, restaurant meals pay the 6% state sales tax plus the county surtax: 6.0% to 8.0% in 2026.
What is Florida's minimum wage for restaurant workers in 2026?
$15.00 per hour from September 30, 2026 through December 31, 2027, and $11.98 for tipped employees.
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.
- Metro areas follow the OMB 2023 delineation as used in the Census Vintage 2025 metro file: cbsa-est2025-alldata.csv.