how many people work in the restaurant industry?
Restaurant industry in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts. Food and drinks sales of the restaurant industry in the United States reached 745.61 billion U.S. dollars in 2015 â a long way from the 42.8 billion seen in 1970. This figure was forecasted to rise again in 2016 to more than 782 billion. The number of employees in the restaurant industry is also forecasted to see growth. In 2015, there were approximately 14 million people working within the industry, by 2026 this number is expected to reach over 16 million. The restaurant industry in the United States is generally comprised of independent or chain full-service and limited-service restaurants.