Counter service new restaurant starts never exceeded the number new of sit-down locations. Even during the height of the pandemic. Chart: The number of new sit-down restaurants in the U.S versus counter service from the beginning of the pandemic until now, Sit-Down vs. Counter ServiceSit downCounter Service7/28/20222521187/21/20223061337/7/20223151436/30/20222611586/23/20222541406/16/20222971516/9/20222331396/2/20222431755/26/20222901615/19/20222471295/12/20222581115/5/20222391304/28/20222681224/21/20222781374/14/20222031614/7/20222601883/31/20222551493/25/20222171213/17/20222401633/10/20222721653/3/20222511522/24/20222811512/17/20222171262/10/20222321252/3/20222201401/27/20222301511/20/20221791381/13/20222031051/6/202222416012/30/202123814312/16/202122515812/9/202125615512/2/202127617311/18/202125313011/11/202126719311/4/202123115610/28/202127515410/22/202122414410/15/202125617410/7/20212431049/30/20212521249/23/20212511289/16/20212651619/9/20212261699/2/20212261198/26/20212961838/19/2021226608/12/20212831448/5/20212951777/29/20213151917/22/20213022067/15/20213031487/1/20212581726/24/20212942086/17/20212721826/10/20212821446/3/20212562015/27/20212681895/20/20212731575/13/20212681625/6/20212881994/29/20212501814/22/20212351634/15/20212641934/8/20212961714/1/20212131693/25/20212401693/18/2021243813/11/20212562033/4/20212331872/25/20212421822/18/20212121752/11/20213383152/4/20211481211/28/20211671401/21/20211531181/14/20212732001/7/202119417312/31/202020316012/17/202022414812/10/202021518112/3/202023819611/19/202024016911/12/202028520511/5/202027622010/29/202021818910/22/202025326010/15/202026223410/8/202025324810/1/20202102159/24/20202522469/17/20202211789/10/20202071779/3/20201881828/27/20202442268/20/20202161868/13/20202322278/6/20202311977/30/20202662187/23/20201781577/16/20202282167/9/20203092296/25/20201901316/18/20202131596/11/20201221246/4/20201741515/28/20201551375/21/20201591075/14/20201701545/7/20201701334/30/20201581304/23/20201851484/16/20202532334/9/2020108714/2/20201811343/26/202027025