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Month: September 2020

Restaurant Expansion Trends Based on Legal Filings Data

Restaurant growth trends remain steady across service types, operator size segments, and legal filing activity. Analysis of DBA registrations, LLC formations, and permit filings indicates continued stability in new restaurant openings despite broader economic uncertainty.

Restaurants opening soon are often identified through legal filings weeks before public announcements occur. Companies analyzing restaurant leads and foodservice leads frequently monitor filing patterns to identify expansion trends and emerging opportunities across regional markets.

Although seasonal health concerns may influence future activity levels, current data suggests that restaurant expansion activity remains consistent across both chain and independent operators.

New openings remain steady across all factors—service type, chains vs independent stores and numbers of filings per week. In the coming months ahead we may start to see some declines, as flu & covid numbers are expected to increase in the colder months and more restrictions may need to be put back in place.

Key Insights

  • Restaurant growth trends remain steady across multiple indicators
  • Legal filings show consistent new restaurant openings activity
  • Sit-down and counter service formats remain balanced
  • Independent operators continue accounting for most filings
  • Seasonal factors may influence future restaurant expansion activity
  • Legal filings provide early indicators of restaurants opening soon
Legal Filings – Week Ending September 24, 2020
DBA\’sIncs & LLC\’sTotal Permits and LicensesTotal RawTotal Net Issued
9/24/20205323741001006525
9/17/20204544671011022433
9/10/20203775101151002406
9/3/20203775711081056400
8/27/20205084111311050503
8/20/2020446431101978433
8/13/20204774731161066502
8/6/2020553445801158462
7/30/202057825878992503
7/23/202032739786724358
7/16/2020389444125958474
7/9/20207223601431368582
6/25/2020296311104711354
6/18/202043338295815396
6/11/20202659867497264
6/4/202044723580762358
5/28/202041418790691316
5/21/202031737485776304
5/14/202035235099801356
5/7/202040318698679316
4/30/2020337217124678324
4/23/2020396464110970385
4/16/2020405300133839532
4/9/2020385197109691192
4/2/2020130371133639327
3/26/2020160524160844301
Sit-Down vs Counter Service Trends
Sit downCounter Service
9/24/2020252246
9/17/2020221178
9/10/2020207177
9/3/2020188182
8/27/2020244226
8/20/2020216186
8/13/2020232227
8/6/2020231197
7/30/2020266218
7/23/2020178157
7/16/2020228216
7/9/2020309229
6/25/2020190131
6/18/2020213159
6/11/2020122124
6/4/2020174151
5/28/2020155137
5/21/2020159107
5/14/2020170154
5/7/2020170133
4/30/2020158130
4/23/2020185148
4/16/2020253233
4/9/202010871
4/2/2020181134
3/26/202027025
Chain vs Independent Restaurant Locations
Chain storesIndependent stores
9/24/202061452
9/17/202040381
9/10/202038359
9/3/202033356
8/27/202060430
8/20/202046372
8/13/202063422
8/6/202048397
7/30/202053439
7/23/202032315
7/16/202047409
7/9/202081476
6/25/202036308
6/18/202029359
6/11/202042212
6/4/202057274
5/28/202040258
5/21/202023257
5/14/202050288
5/7/202028268
4/30/202044280
4/23/202048315
4/16/202050475
4/9/202020172
4/2/202043284
3/26/202025249

Restaurant Sales Leads

Pre-Opening Restaurant Sales Leads

New Restaurant Openings

Sample Restaurant Sales Leads

Analysis of restaurant legal filings helps identify restaurants opening soon and provides early visibility into restaurant expansion trends across independent operators and multi unit concepts. Companies using structured restaurant leads and foodservice leads data often monitor DBA registrations, LLC formations, and permit filings to detect emerging restaurant growth patterns before public announcements occur.

Restaurant Growth Trends Holding Steady Six Months After COVID Shutdowns

Restaurant industry growth trends continue to show resilience despite the impact of COVID shutdowns earlier in 2020. Analysis of restaurant legal filings, including DBA registrations, LLC formations, and permit activity, indicates a consistent pipeline of new restaurant openings across multiple service types.

Sit-down restaurants continue to represent approximately 50% of new opening filings, suggesting that full-service concepts remain a significant component of expansion activity. Independent operators account for nearly 90% of filings, reinforcing the importance of tracking small and emerging restaurant groups as part of broader foodservice growth trends.

Companies monitoring restaurant leads and foodservice leads often analyze legal filings, business registrations, and permit activity to identify new restaurants opening soon and evaluate market expansion patterns.

New restaurant opening numbers remain remarkably consistent across all 3 factors (alcohol and building permits, service type and restaurant classification).

Sit-down service still continues to comprise about 50% of the new opening filings each week. Independent restaurants accounting for nearly 90%.

Key Insights

• Restaurant filings stabilized within 6 months of COVID shutdowns
• Sit-down restaurants represent ~50% of new openings
• Independent restaurants represent ~90% of filings
• Weekly filing volume averaging 350–500 net new opportunities

Legal Filings Week ending 09/10/2020
DBA\’sIncs & LLC\’sTotal Permits and LicensesTotal RawTotal Net Issued
9/10/20203775101151002406
9/3/20203775711081056400
8/27/20205084111311050503
8/20/2020446431101978433
8/13/20204774731161066502
8/6/2020553445801158462
7/30/202057825878992503
7/23/202032739786724358
7/16/2020389444125958474
7/9/20207223601431368582
6/25/2020296311104711354
6/18/202043338295815396
6/11/20202659867497264
6/4/202044723580762358
5/28/202041418790691316
5/21/202031737485776304
5/14/202035235099801356
5/7/202040318698679316
4/30/2020337217124678324
4/23/2020396464110970385
4/16/2020405300133839532
4/9/2020385197109691192
4/2/2020130371133639327
3/26/2020160524160844301
Numbers of Sit-Down VS. Counter Service
Sit downCounter Service
9/10/2020207177
9/3/2020188182
8/27/2020244226
8/20/2020216186
8/13/2020232227
8/6/2020231197
7/30/2020266218
7/23/2020178157
7/16/2020228216
7/9/2020309229
6/25/2020190131
6/18/2020213159
6/11/2020122124
6/4/2020174151
5/28/2020155137
5/21/2020159107
5/14/2020170154
5/7/2020170133
4/30/2020158130
4/23/2020185148
4/16/2020253233
4/9/202010871
4/2/2020181134
3/26/202027025
Number of Chain Locations VS. Independent Locations
Chain storesIndependent stores
9/10/202038359
9/3/202033356
8/27/202060430
8/20/202046372
8/13/202063422
8/6/202048397
7/30/202053439
7/23/202032315
7/16/202047409
7/9/202081476
6/25/202036308
6/18/202029359
6/11/202042212
6/4/202057274
5/28/202040258
5/21/202023257
5/14/202050288
5/7/202028268
4/30/202044280
4/23/202048315
4/16/202050475
4/9/202020172
4/2/202043284
3/26/202025249

Restaurant Sales Leads

Pre-Opening Restaurant Sales Leads

New Restaurant Openings

Sample Restaurant Sales Leads

Companies monitoring restaurant industry growth trends often rely on structured restaurant leads and foodservice leads data derived from legal filings, business registrations, and permit activity to identify new restaurants opening soon and evaluate expansion patterns across independent operators and multi unit concepts.