Orlando Restaurant Market Overview
$8 billion
Market Size
5,000+
Restaurants
400+
New/Year
$1.2 million/year
Avg Revenue
310,000 (city) / 2.7 million (metro)
Population
$52,000
Median Income
Orlando Restaurant Startup Costs
Small Restaurant
Small cafe or quick-service (under 30 seats)
$130,000 - $300,000
Medium Restaurant
Casual dining restaurant (30-80 seats)
$300,000 - $680,000
Large Restaurant
Fine dining or large venue (80+ seats)
$680,000 - $1,700,000
* Costs vary by neighborhood, concept, and build-out requirements
Best Neighborhoods for Restaurants in Orlando
Location is everything. Here are the top neighborhoods for different restaurant concepts.
International Drive
Best For:
High-volume casual, chains
Downtown Orlando
Best For:
Trendy dining, nightlife
Winter Park
Best For:
Upscale casual, fine dining
Mills 50 District
Best For:
Vietnamese, creative concepts
Lake Nona
Best For:
Health-focused, family dining
Required Licenses and Permits in Orlando
DBPR License
Florida food service license
Local Business Tax
Orange County/City business license
Liquor License
Beer/wine or full liquor license
Food Manager Certification
ServSafe or equivalent
Fire Safety Permit
Fire marshal inspection
Sign Permit
Exterior signage approval
Monthly Operating Costs in Orlando
Rent
$2,500 - $15,000/month
Labor Cost
26-33% of revenue
Minimum Wage
$12.00/hour (FL minimum)
Food Cost
28-34% of menu price
Utilities
$800 - $3,000/month
Insurance (Annual)
$12,000 - $35,000/year (hurricane)
Popular Cuisines in Orlando
Opportunities in Orlando
- 75+ million annual visitors
- Growing local food scene
- Convention center traffic
- Medical City development
- No state income tax
Challenges in Orlando
- Theme park competition
- Hurricane season
- Seasonal tourism swings
- Tourist vs local split
- High insurance costs
Insider Tips for Orlando
- 1Mills 50 is the emerging local scene
- 2Consider convention hotel proximity
- 3Hurricane insurance is mandatory
- 4Summer is actually slow season
- 5Winter Park attracts higher spending