The number of new restaurant listings in metro Phoenix rose 12% between 2019 and 2023, per new Yelp data.
Why it matters: Restaurants are more than just places to grab a meal — they're gathering spots for families and communities, vital employers across the socioeconomic spectrum and key swaths of the cultural fabric that makes cities unique.
By the numbers: Nearly 800 restaurants were newly listed on Yelp in 2023 in the Valley, compared with 714 in 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 their doors 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 with 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 restaurants at Yelp.
"Even through economic challenges, restaurant owners continue to delight their diners, staying responsive to shifts in consumer preferences, like the increasing demand for earlier reservation times and higher-end experiences."