{
  "name": "Austin Restaurant Profit Margin Benchmarks",
  "description": "Gross margin, net margin, cost-share, labor, and market-size benchmarks for independent restaurants in Austin, Texas. Ranges are planning benchmarks for owner-operated businesses, not forecasts.",
  "version": "2026 city benchmark edition",
  "city": "Austin",
  "state": "Texas",
  "industry": "Restaurant",
  "reviewStatus": "screening",
  "coverage": "Independent restaurant operators in Austin, Texas; national chains, franchise groups, and multi-unit operators excluded unless noted",
  "dataCompiledAt": "2026-07-13",
  "sourcesVerifiedAt": "2026-09-27",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "sourcePage": "https://hustlefin.com/benchmarks/restaurant/city/austin/",
  "citation": "HustleFin (2026). Austin Restaurant Profit Margin Benchmarks. Retrieved from https://hustlefin.com/benchmarks/restaurant/city/austin/",
  "metrics": [
    {
      "key": "gross_margin_pct",
      "label": "Gross margin",
      "unit": "percent",
      "low": 55,
      "average": 63,
      "high": 72
    },
    {
      "key": "net_margin_pct",
      "label": "Net margin",
      "unit": "percent",
      "low": 1,
      "average": 5,
      "high": 7
    },
    {
      "key": "labor_cost_pct",
      "label": "Labor cost (% of revenue)",
      "unit": "percent",
      "low": 27,
      "average": 32,
      "high": 37
    },
    {
      "key": "rent_cost_pct",
      "label": "Rent (% of revenue)",
      "unit": "percent",
      "low": 5,
      "average": 8,
      "high": 12
    },
    {
      "key": "typical_revenue",
      "label": "Typical revenue",
      "unit": "text",
      "value": "$300,000 – $2,500,000/year for independent Austin restaurants"
    }
  ],
  "labor": {
    "minimumWage": "$7.25/hr (federal/state)",
    "stateMinimumWage": "$7.25/hr (Texas)",
    "tippedWage": "$2.13/hr + tips",
    "note": "Market wages far exceed legal minimum. Kitchen staff $18–22/hr, servers $15–20/hr with tips. Austin living wage ordinance ($20.80/hr) applies only to city contractors."
  },
  "market": [
    {
      "label": "Estimated restaurants",
      "value": 4200
    },
    {
      "label": "Commercial rent range",
      "value": "$28–35/sqft (prime), $18–25/sqft (secondary)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Sales tax on food",
      "value": "8.25% on prepared food; 0% on groceries"
    },
    {
      "label": "Special fees",
      "value": "6.7% mixed beverage tax on alcohol; $220/year mobile food vendor permit"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "U.S. Census Bureau — County Business Patterns",
      "url": "https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp.html",
      "note": "Establishment counts and payroll by industry and geography. Source of the estimated business counts on this page."
    },
    {
      "label": "Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts",
      "url": "https://comptroller.texas.gov/",
      "note": "State sales tax, mixed-beverage gross receipts tax, and local rates."
    },
    {
      "label": "BLS OEWS — Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX",
      "url": "https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_12420.htm",
      "note": "Metropolitan-area occupational wage estimates from the BLS OEWS program."
    },
    {
      "label": "National Restaurant Association — Research",
      "url": "https://restaurant.org/research-and-media/research/",
      "note": "Industry operations data and cost-structure research for US restaurants."
    },
    {
      "label": "City of Austin",
      "url": "https://www.austintexas.gov/",
      "note": "City permits, licensing, and local fee schedules."
    }
  ]
}