Portland Restaurant Market Overview
$4 billion
Market Size
3,500+
Restaurants
300+
New/Year
$950,000/year
Avg Revenue
650,000 (city) / 2.5 million (metro)
Population
$76,000
Median Income
Portland 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 Portland
Location is everything. Here are the top neighborhoods for different restaurant concepts.
Pearl District
Best For:
Fine dining, wine bars
Alberta Arts District
Best For:
Creative concepts, brunch
Division Street
Best For:
Trendy dining, food halls
Downtown
Best For:
Lunch spots, happy hours
Hawthorne
Best For:
Cafes, casual ethnic
Required Licenses and Permits in Portland
Food Service License
Multnomah County Health Dept permit
City Business License
Portland business registration
OLCC License
Oregon liquor license
Food Handler Card
Oregon food handler certification
Food Cart Permit
Mobile food unit license
Sidewalk Cafe Permit
Outdoor seating on sidewalk
Monthly Operating Costs in Portland
Rent
$2,500 - $12,000/month
Labor Cost
32-38% of revenue
Minimum Wage
$14.70/hour (Portland metro)
Food Cost
28-35% of menu price
Utilities
$800 - $2,800/month
Insurance (Annual)
$8,000 - $24,000/year
Popular Cuisines in Portland
Opportunities in Portland
- Food cart-to-brick pathway
- Strong farm-to-table movement
- Innovative dining culture
- Affordable vs Seattle/SF
- No sales tax
Challenges in Portland
- Rainy weather limits outdoor
- Downtown challenges (homelessness)
- High labor costs
- Oversaturated market
- Seasonal tourism
Insider Tips for Portland
- 1Food carts are excellent low-cost entry
- 2Rain means covered outdoor is essential
- 3Portlanders value sustainability
- 4Division Street is restaurant row
- 5Keep it weird - innovation is rewarded