Company lists · Data refreshed September 2026

Top 25 Independent restaurant operators based in the United States

Name: Independent restaurant operators based in the United States
Creator: RevenueBase
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Compiled by the RevenueBase Data Team Data refreshed Sep 20, 2026 1,103 companies tracked

RevenueBase identified 1,103 independent restaurant operators headquartered in the United States as of September 2026 and tracks 43,311 professional contacts across them, including 6,251 with verified work emails. New York is the largest hub.

This list covers independent restaurant operators headquartered in the United States, matched on what each company actually does as described in its own words. Ranked by team size, largest first. Every row shows the company's own description, its RevenueBase Smart Search rating, and when it was last checked. Data refreshed September 20, 2026.

Published by RevenueBase, a B2B data infrastructure company. This list was built with RevenueBase Smart Search, the natural-language company search RevenueBase customers use to build their own targeted lists and unlock verified emails and direct dials at the companies on them. How these lists are built and judged.

How to read this list HQ checked on every row RevenueBase Smart Search rating on every row Refreshed Sep 20, 2026 86% judged on-target in blind review

1,103Companies

43,311Contacts tracked

6,251Verified emails

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The 25 largest independent restaurant operators based in the United States

Ranked by team size

Top 25 of 1,103 independent restaurant operators based in the United States, ranked by team size, largest first. Data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. RevenueBase Smart Search rates how each company's information relates to independent restaurant operators: strong evidence (its own description names it), partial (names part of it), indirect (matched on the rest of its profile rather than the description shown). Click a contact count to view that company's people.
#	Company	RevenueBase Smart Search	Headquarters	Employees	Contacts
1	Levy Restaurants	Indirect evidence	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	10001+	9,477 contacts →
	Indirect evidence “Discover the Levy Difference Passion is a great gift, and we have a lot of gifted people.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
2	BON Appétit Management Company	Partial evidence	Redwood City, CA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	10001+	2,859 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Bon Appétit Management Company is an on-site restaurant company offering full food-service management to corporations, universities, and specialty venues.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
3	Lettuce Entertain YOU Restaurants	Partial evidence	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	5,001-10,000	1,793 contacts →
	Partial evidence “What has made Lettuce Entertain You a nationally-recognized restaurant company?” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
4	Flynn Group	Partial evidence	Independence, OH, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	10001+	1,332 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Founded by Greg Flynn in Flynn Group has grown from a small Applebee's operator and developer in Washington State into the world's largest franchise operator and one of the 20…” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
5	Unidine	Indirect evidence	Boston, MA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	10001+	1,250 contacts →
	Indirect evidence “Founded in 2001, Unidine exclusively provides food and dining management services across the country for senior living facilities, community hospitals, behavioral health clients…” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
6	Cameron Mitchell Restaurants	Partial evidence	Columbus, OH, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	845 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Founded by Cameron Mitchell in 1993, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, LLC (CMR) has built a diverse portfolio of varied concepts, ranging from multi-location upscale destinations to…” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
7	Eat'n Park Hospitality Group	Indirect evidence	Homestead, PA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	5,001-10,000	793 contacts →
	Indirect evidence “At Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, we thrive on relationships, see the potential in growth, and draw energy from every smile.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
8	Starr Restaurants	Strong evidence	Philadelphia, PA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	762 contacts →
	Strong evidence “STARR Restaurants is one of the nation’s leading independent, multi-concept restaurant groups, led by visionary restaurateur Stephen Starr, recipient of Bon Appétit’s and Zagat’s…” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
9	Gibsons Restaurant Group	Partial evidence	Chicago, IL, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	474 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Founded in 1989 with the iconic Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse on Rush Street, Gibsons Restaurant Group has been dedicated to providing unmatched hospitality, quality, and value to its…” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
10	WKS Restaurant Group	Partial evidence	Cypress, CA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	10001+	418 contacts →
	Partial evidence “WKS Restaurant Group is a licensed franchisee of El Pollo Loco, Denny's, Wendy's, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, and Blaze Pizza.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
11	Carolina ALE House	Indirect evidence	Raleigh, NC, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	201-500	411 contacts →
	Indirect evidence “Carolina Ale House is a hospitality company based out of 500 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC, United States.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
12	King's Seafood Company	Partial evidence	Costa Mesa, CA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	390 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Taking the bait from their fathers, who started building restaurants together in 1945, King’s Seafood Company is the house that seafood built by co-founders – and cousins – Sam…” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
13	Thomas Keller Restaurant Group	Partial evidence	Yountville, CA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	386 contacts →
	Partial evidence “With 10 properties and more than 800 employees, the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group (TKRG) has grown from one restaurant to a large family of businesses.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
14	Shoneys	Partial evidence	Nashville, TN, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	501-1,000	379 contacts →
	Partial evidence “SHONEYS is a restaurants company based out of 226 S Pike W, Sumter, South Carolina, United States.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
15	Clyde's Restaurant Group	Partial evidence	Washington, DC, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	349 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Clyde’s Restaurant Group (CRG) is one of the nation’s most successful and enduring restaurant companies.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
16	Wolfgang Puck	Partial evidence	Los Angeles, CA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	501-1,000	344 contacts →
	Partial evidence “The name Wolfgang Puck is synonymous with the best of restaurant hospitality and the ultimate in all aspects of the culinary arts.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
17	Quality Dining, INC	Indirect evidence	Mishawaka, IN, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	5,001-10,000	329 contacts →
	Indirect evidence “At Quality Dining, we believe in serving each guest with pride and enthusiasm.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
18	Canteen Service CO	Indirect evidence	Lewiston, ME, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	51-200	315 contacts →
	Indirect evidence “Food safety is priority one!” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
19	HAI Hospitality	Partial evidence	Austin, TX, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	501-1,000	255 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Hai Hospitality is a restaurant group based in Austin, Texas.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
20	ARK Restaurants	Partial evidence	New York, NY, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	223 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Ark Restaurants operates distinctively-designed dining establishments in New York City; Las Vegas; Washington, DC; Atlantic City; Alabama; and Florida.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
21	Noho Hospitality Group	Partial evidence	New York, NY, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	220 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Since first partnering in 2009, Chef Andrew Carmellini, Josh Pickard, and Luke Ostrom have opened a national portfolio of restaurants and culinary services at preeminent hotels…” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
22	Villa Restaurant Group	Partial evidence	Morristown, NJ, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	205 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Villa Restaurant Group, a beacon of culinary innovation, boasts a legacy of crafting over 400 restaurants across the years.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
23	Cohn Restaurant Group	Partial evidence	San Diego, CA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	1,001-5,000	196 contacts →
	Partial evidence “David and Lesley Cohn and their Family of Restaurants have provided the highest level of hospitality.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
24	Fearless Restaurants	Partial evidence	St Davids, PA, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	501-1,000	174 contacts →
	Partial evidence “Fearless Restaurants is a family-owned restaurant group dedicated to creating memorable dining and hospitality experiences across a portfolio of 14 distinct properties.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026
25	MAX Hospitality	Indirect evidence	Hartford, CT, United StatesHQ checked Sep 20, 2026	501-1,000	156 contacts →
	Indirect evidence “An uncompromising commitment to quality, service, style, and cuisine.” Source: RevenueBase Database · checked Sep 20, 2026

RevenueBase Smart Search

RevenueBase Smart Search assesses information from a company’s LinkedIn profile, information supplied directly by the company, its website, and other publicly available sources. It uses that information to rate how closely the company relates to this list’s category: independent restaurant operators. Every row carries its rating and the description the rating was read from, so each one can be checked rather than taken on trust.

Strong evidence: The company's own public description of its business names independent restaurant operators.
Partial evidence: Its own public description names part of independent restaurant operators, so it works in or next to the category without describing itself that way.
Indirect evidence: The description shown does not name independent restaurant operators. The match rests on the rest of the company's public profile rather than the one sentence quoted here, so this is the rating to check first.

RevenueBase Smart Search is how these lists are built: RevenueBase's data engine and AI assemble the companies that match a category defined in a user's own words, so a list can be about what companies actually do rather than about whichever industry code they were filed under.

Showing 25 of 1,103 independent restaurant operators based in the United States

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Independent restaurant operators based in the United States at a glance

As of Sep 20, 2026

14.4%Verified-email coverage

39.3Average contacts per company

11-50Median size (employees)

4.8%Largest-city concentration · New York

Sep 20, 2026Page data refreshed

Companies by employee count

1-10

365

11-50

418

51-200

125

201-500

501-1,000

1,001-5,000

5,001-10,000

10001+

Email recency for this list is measured worldwide rather than for United States, so it is reported there. Company counts and contact totals on this page are exact for United States, over 1,103 companies.

How this list was built

Company categories are rarely black and white. RevenueBase reads each company's own description of its business to decide whether it belongs among independent restaurant operators, so some rows will be adjacent to the category rather than pure plays. The description and RevenueBase Smart Search rating on every row are there so you can check each match yourself.

Source: The RevenueBase company graph: 60 million companies and 398.9 million professional contacts resolved from primary sources, queried with RevenueBase Smart Search, the natural-language company search available to every RevenueBase user.
What qualifies: Companies headquartered in the United States whose own description of what they do matches “independent restaurant operators”. Matching reads each company's description, not its industry code or its name.
RevenueBase Smart Search: RevenueBase Smart Search is how this list is assembled and how each row is rated. RevenueBase's data engine and AI assess a company's LinkedIn profile, information supplied directly by the company, its website and other publicly available information, then relate it to a category defined in a user's own words. Each row is rated strong evidence (its own description names independent restaurant operators), partial evidence (it names part of the category) or indirect evidence (the description shown names none of it and the match rests on the rest of the company's profile). The description supporting each rating is quoted on the row.
What we exclude: Companies whose own description does not clearly place them among independent restaurant operators, and records with no verified work email. Companies headquartered outside United States are excluded even when they keep an office there.
Match quality: In blind human judging of this matching method, 86% of matched companies were on target. Expect roughly 1 in 7 rows to be adjacent to the category rather than a pure play. Every row shows the company's own description and its RevenueBase Smart Search rating so you can judge each match yourself. Read the full methodology: how the lists are built, how the judging worked, and what the figure means.
Ranking: Team size, largest first: companies are ordered by the number of professionals RevenueBase tracks at each one. Employee ranges shown are reported bands, for context.
Verification: Every listed company carries at least one verified work email, 6,251 across the full list. Contacts re-verify on a rolling cadence, and each contact's own verification date is shown inside RevenueBase.
Refresh: This page's figures were pulled from the company graph on September 20, 2026. Lists refresh periodically as the graph is re-checked.
Corrections: Wrong category, wrong headquarters, or a company that has closed? Use “Report an issue” on any row. Reports go to the RevenueBase Data Team and feed back into the company graph.

Independent restaurant operators by metro

Independent restaurant operators in New York53
Independent restaurant operators in Chicago27

Frequently asked

What is RevenueBase Smart Search?

RevenueBase Smart Search is how RevenueBase decides which companies belong on this list and how strongly each one fits. Its data engine and AI assess a company's LinkedIn profile, information supplied directly by the company, its website and other publicly available information, then relate it to the category the list is about. Each row is rated strong evidence when the company's own description names independent restaurant operators, partial evidence when it names part of the category, and indirect evidence when the description shown names none of it and the match rests on the rest of the company's profile.

How many independent restaurant operators are there based in the United States?

RevenueBase identified 1,103 independent restaurant operators headquartered in the United States as of September 2026, matched on each company's own description of what it does rather than its industry code.

What is the largest company on this list?

Levy Restaurants, headquartered in Chicago, tops this list with the largest team on record.

Which city has the most independent restaurant operators?

New York leads with 53 headquartered companies, followed by Chicago (27) and Atlanta (24).

How do I get contact information for these companies?

A free RevenueBase account lets you run this exact search and work the top results, verified emails and direct dials included. Upgrading unlocks all 6,251 verified decision-maker contacts tracked across these 1,103 companies.

How current is this list?

The list refreshes periodically as the company graph is re-checked. This page's figures were pulled on September 20, 2026.

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About this data

RevenueBase is a B2B data infrastructure company. Its company graph covers 60 million companies and 398.9 million professional contacts, with emails verified on a rolling cadence rather than scraped once and left to decay. These company lists are generated directly from that graph with RevenueBase Smart Search, the same natural-language company search every RevenueBase user has: describe a market in plain words, get the companies that match, and add verified emails and direct dials for the people at them. It is the same data that powers RevenueBase's B2B data products, and a free account includes 500 credits to start. How these lists are built and judged.