MenuSpy / City reports / Jacksonville, FL
Market snapshot · October 2026
Jacksonville, FL restaurant market snapshot
What local menus charge, which weeks fill the town, and which rules change the math, for operators in Jacksonville, FL. Every number links to the page it came from.
In Jacksonville, FL (checked October 2026), a cheeseburger ran $13.99 to $17.00 across 3 menus and a chicken sandwich ran $13.47 to $17.00 across 7 menus. Restaurant meals are taxed at 7.5%, the minimum wage is $15.00 per hour ($11.98 tipped cash wage), and 1 events have published dates in the next twelve months.
Population and income: US Census QuickFacts.
Observed menu prices
36 prices read from 13 independent menus on October 1, 2026 to October 2, 2026, from the restaurants' own websites or first-party ordering pages. Delivery-app prices are excluded. A median is shown only when three or more observations exist. This is a small sample; use it as a range check, not a rule.
| Benchmark item | Observations | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheeseburger | 3 | $13.99 | $16.00 | $17.00 |
| Chicken sandwich | 7 | $13.47 | $16.00 | $17.00 |
| Taco plate (3 tacos) | 4 | $10.50 | $14.25 | $21.00 |
| Large cheese pizza | 1 | $15.50 | n too small | $15.50 |
| Wings (10 or closest count) | 5 | $15.00 | $15.97 | $18.00 |
| Cuban sandwich | 2 | $13.95 | n too small | $16.00 |
| Breakfast plate (2 eggs, meat, side) | 3 | $11.99 | $13.00 | $13.95 |
| Entree salad with protein | 7 | $12.97 | $15.00 | $18.00 |
| Draft beer (pint) | 1 | $5.00 | n too small | $5.00 |
| Fountain soda | 3 | $2.99 | $3.00 | $3.49 |
Part of the MenuSpy Menu Price Index. Restaurant names are kept in our source file and not published; a paid report names them and links each menu.
The next 12 months
Dates come from organizer or official pages opened on October 1, 2026. An event with a published 2026 or 2027 date is marked confirmed. Everything else is a recurring pattern with its date not yet announced, listed so you can watch for it, not staff for it.
Confirmed dates
Florida vs. Georgia football game
Oct 31, 2026, 3:30 p.m., Atlanta, Ga. (NOT in Jacksonville in 2026) · University of Florida / University of Georgia
The rivalry game normally held at EverBank Stadium is in Atlanta in 2026, so Jacksonville loses one of its biggest annual restaurant weekends this year.
Recurring, dates not yet announced
Jacksonville Jaguars 2026 home season (EverBank Stadium)
Last held Home games Sun 09/13 vs Browns, Sun 09/27 vs Patriots, Sun 11/01 vs Colts, Sun 11/29 vs Titans, Mon 12/14 vs Steelers, Week 17 TBD vs Commanders. Next date not announced on the page checked. · Jacksonville Jaguars
Each home game fills the Sports Complex, downtown and Bay Street bars and restaurants with 60,000+ fans.
Jacksonville Jazz Festival
Last held May 21-24, 2026 (Memorial Day weekend; 2027 dates not yet posted). Next date not announced on the page checked. · City of Jacksonville, Office of Sports & Entertainment
Free multi-day downtown festival draws regional crowds to the urban core over a holiday weekend; the 2026 edition has already passed.
World of Nations Celebration
Last held February 28, 2026 to March 1, 2026 (2027 dates not yet posted). Next date not announced on the page checked. · The City of Jacksonville and local multicultural friends
Multicultural food festival downtown spotlights international cuisine and brings families into the core; the 2026 edition has already passed.
Rules that hit the P&L
Minimum wage: $15.00 per hour, tipped cash wage $11.98
Effective September 30, 2026. The $15.00 rate runs from September 30, 2026 through December 31, 2027; the tipped wage is $15.00 minus the fixed 2003 tip credit of $3.02.
Sales tax on restaurant meals: 7.5%
6% Florida state sales tax + 1.5% Duval County discretionary sales surtax (DR-15DSS, Calendar Year 2026 form)
Food service license
Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Annual renewal on a district schedule; new locations need a satisfactory opening inspection.
Florida state records for the Jacksonville metro
From Florida's DBPR license files and DOR restaurant sales (April 2025 to March 2026), covering Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, St. Johns counties. Busiest and slowest months are restaurant sales as a multiple of the average month.
Every Florida metro and county, with seats, new licenses and tax rates: Florida restaurant market data · Florida restaurant rules for 2026.
Local signals
Recent local reporting on the Jacksonville restaurant scene. Multiple articles from one publisher count as one source publisher. Even coverage by different publishers can repeat the same announcement; confirm independent evidence before treating a signal as a trend.
Grafton & Fleck's steakhouse will soon replace Ragtime Tavern in Atlantic Beach
Jacksonville Today reports a new steakhouse with a rooftop lounge is breaking ground at the former Ragtime Tavern site in Atlantic Beach, targeting a summer 2027 opening.
More than $75K unpaid and a 'sour' ending for Voodoo Brewing Co.
Jacksonville Today reports the local Voodoo Brewing Co. location closed amid financial troubles and litigation over unpaid rent.
Coverage and limits
This is a dated snapshot built from public pages opened on October 1, 2026. It is not a sales forecast, legal advice or a site approval. Menus, calendars and rules change; open the linked source before acting.
Not confirmed when this page was checked:
- No visitor or tourism figure captured (the Visit Jacksonville research page was not read).
- Menu prices: large cheese pizza and Cuban sandwich have 2 menus each, and draft beer 1. Many local pizzeria sites list no inch size or could not be read.
Questions operators ask
What is the sales tax on restaurant meals in Jacksonville, FL?
7.5%. 6% Florida state sales tax + 1.5% Duval County discretionary sales surtax.
What is the minimum wage for restaurant workers in Jacksonville?
$15.00 per hour, with a tipped cash wage of $11.98, effective September 30, 2026. The $15.00 rate runs from September 30, 2026 through December 31, 2027; the tipped wage is $15.00 minus the fixed 2003 tip credit of $3.02.
How much does a cheeseburger cost in Jacksonville?
Across 3 independent menus read on October 1, 2026 to October 2, 2026, a cheeseburger ran $13.99 to $17.00, median $16.00. Small sample; check the menu price index for the full table.
Want this for one restaurant in Jacksonville?
A one-time $79 report names nearby menus, links available prices, and researches local dates and rules for your address. Sources and gaps included. No account.
Planning to open instead? The local area report does the same research for an address or neighborhood you are considering.
Related: market research before opening · all city reports · menu price index · restaurant pricing strategy guide