The number of new restaurant listings in the Salt Lake metro area rose about 8% between 2019 and 2023, according to new Yelp data shared with Axios.
Why it matters: Restaurants are more than just a place to grab a meal — they’re a gathering spot for families and communities, a vital employer across the socioeconomic spectrum, and a key swath of the cultural fabric that makes cities unique.
By the numbers: 215 restaurants were newly listed on Yelp in 2023 in the Salt Lake area, compared to 200 in 2019.
- New businesses overall rose 36% from 2019.
The big picture: Nationally, the restaurant industry is showing signs of life after a brutal stretch brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nearly 53,800 restaurants opened across the country last year, up 10% from 2022. Another way of looking at that figure: It’s up 2% from 2019, meaning there’s been a slight increase in openings compared to pre-pandemic times.
What they’re saying: “The restaurant industry has proven to be resilient throughout the pandemic, with the industry seeing higher restaurant openings in 2023 than pre-pandemic levels for the first time,” says Clifford Cate, vice president and general manager of Yelp’s restaurants division.