MenuSpy / City reports / Florida / Sarasota-Bradenton
Florida market data · October 2026
Sarasota-Bradenton, FL restaurant market: licenses, season and rules
How many places serve food across Sarasota, Bradenton, North Port, Venice, Lakewood Ranch, 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.
Sarasota-Bradenton has 2,120 licensed food service places with 219,265 seats, 22.4 for every 10,000 residents (below Florida's 22.7). Restaurant sales run highest in April (1.30× an average month) and lowest in October (0.81×). The metro grew 1.4% in the latest year, to 948,158 residents.
When diners show up
Sarasota-Bradenton restaurant sales follow a winter and spring season. The busiest month in the latest twelve was April 2025, 30% above an average month; the slowest was October 2025, 19% 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 | 1.30 | 1.12 | 1.00 | 0.95 | 0.91 | 0.88 | 0.81 | 0.90 | 0.95 | 1.06 | 1.06 | 1.06 |
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.
Oktoberfest featuring the Benderson Chase
October 10-11, 2026 · Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (near Lakewood Ranch) · held every year
A two-day rowing and beer festival draws crowds to the University Parkway corridor, lifting lunch and dinner traffic nearby.
Bayfest
Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM · Pine Avenue, City of Anna Maria · held every year
An all-day street festival brings visitors onto Anna Maria Island, which fills island and west Bradenton dining rooms that weekend.
Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce (listed by the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau)
Sarasota Medieval Fair
Saturdays & Sundays, November 7 - December 6, 2026 · Woods of Mallaranny (east of Lakewood Ranch) · held every year
Five weekends of fair traffic pass through the Lakewood Ranch and east Manatee area, a steady boost for weekend lunch and dinner.
Siesta Key Crystal Classic sand sculpting festival
Friday Nov 13, 2026 - Monday Nov 16, 2026 · Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road, Siesta Key · held every year
A four-day beach festival packs Siesta Key, so village restaurants and nearby Sarasota spots see heavier walk-in traffic.
Baltimore Orioles spring training home games
February 19 - March 19, 2027 (home games) · Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota · held every year
Home games bring game-day crowds to Sarasota for a month, a busy stretch for restaurants near the ballpark and downtown.
Pittsburgh Pirates spring training home games
February 19 - March 20, 2027 (home games) · LECOM Park, Bradenton · held every year
Spring home games at LECOM Park fill Bradenton with visiting fans, which lifts traffic for restaurants near the ballpark and the Riverwalk.
Thunder by the Bay Music & Motors Festival
FEBRUARY 19-21, 2027 · Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota · held every year
A three-day motorcycle and music festival brings riders into Sarasota the same weekend spring training starts, stacking demand.
Thunder by the Bay (benefiting Suncoast Charities for Children)
De Soto Grand Parade (De Soto Heritage Festival)
04/24/2027 Grand Parade · Bradenton · held every year
The heritage festival's main parade draws families into Bradenton for the evening, a lift for nearby dinner service.
Who is already serving here
Sarasota-Bradenton has 2,120 licensed food service places: 1,953 with seating and 167 without (counters, kiosks, take-out kitchens), plus 424 food trucks and carts. Between July 1, 2026 to October 1, 2026, DBPR approved 22 new food service licenses and 58 ownership changes here.
| County | Residents 2025 | Licensed places | Seats | Per 10,000 | Food trucks and carts | New licenses | Sales tax 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manatee | 468,200 | 910 | 77,492 | 19.4 | 261 | 12 | 7.0% |
| Sarasota | 479,958 | 1,210 | 141,773 | 25.2 | 163 | 10 | 7.0% |
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
38 prices read from 12 independent menus in Bradenton, Siesta Key, Ellenton, Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Venice 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 | 4 | $14.99 | $15.99 | $18.00 |
| Chicken sandwich | 10 | $10.99 | $15.50 | $19.00 |
| Taco plate (3 tacos) | 2 | $14.00 | fewer than 3 menus | $15.00 |
| Large cheese pizza | 0 | not observed yet | ||
| Wings (10 or closest count) | 2 | $14.00 | fewer than 3 menus | $16.00 |
| Cuban sandwich | 6 | $13.25 | $15.00 | $16.00 |
| Breakfast plate (2 eggs, meat, side) | 3 | $12.95 | $13.50 | $14.49 |
| Entree salad with protein | 5 | $15.50 | $18.00 | $19.00 |
| Draft beer (pint) | 3 | $5.00 | $5.50 | $5.50 |
| Fountain soda | 3 | $3.99 | $3.99 | $4.00 |
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: 7.0%
Manatee County 7.0%, Sarasota County 7.0%. 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: 12 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 Sarasota-Bradenton?
The $79 local area report researches one address or neighborhood in Sarasota-Bradenton: 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 Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida?
Florida's DBPR lists 2,120 current, active permanent food service licenses in the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota metro area (Manatee, Sarasota counties), with 219,265 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 Sarasota-Bradenton?
In Florida Department of Revenue sales for April 2025 to March 2026, Sarasota-Bradenton restaurant sales peaked in April at 1.30× an average month and were lowest in October at 0.81×. 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 Sarasota-Bradenton?
7.0% in 2026: the 6% Florida rate plus the county surtax (Manatee County 7.0%, Sarasota County 7.0%). No local meal tax applies here.
What is the minimum wage for restaurant workers in Sarasota-Bradenton?
$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 Sarasota-Bradenton?
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 Sarasota-Bradenton charge for common menu items?
On menus we read on October 2, 2026: chicken sandwich $10.99 to $19.00 (median $15.50) across 10 menus; cuban sandwich $13.25 to $16.00 (median $15.00) across 6 menus; entree salad with protein $15.50 to $19.00 (median $18.00) across 5 menus. Prices come from each restaurant's own website or ordering page, not delivery apps.
What events bring diners out in Sarasota-Bradenton?
Confirmed on organizer pages: Oktoberfest featuring the Benderson Chase (October 10-11, 2026); Bayfest (Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM); Sarasota Medieval Fair (Saturdays & Sundays, November 7 - December 6, 2026); Siesta Key Crystal Classic sand sculpting festival (Friday Nov 13, 2026 - Monday Nov 16, 2026).
More Florida markets
Florida restaurant market data
All 22 metros and 67 counties in one table, with a CSV.
Southwest FloridaCape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
1,962 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.