NAICS 722511
Full-Service Restaurants in Morro Bay, CA
The 1 ZIP codes assigned to Morro Bay contained 28 Restaurants establishments in 2023, of which 20 employed 10 or more people.
- Establishments (2023)
- 28
- 1 ZIP codes
- 10 or more employees
- 20
- Practical financing floor
- Share of county
- 8%
- San Luis Obispo County
- City population
- 10,613
- 2025 estimate
Figures cover the ZIP codes the U.S. Postal Service assigns to Morro Bay (93442). ZIP areas are not municipal boundaries: they can extend beyond city limits and are shared between neighbouring places. This is a count of establishments in Morro Bay's ZIP codes, not a count of businesses inside its city limits.
Establishments by size
Employee-count distribution. For most buyers the businesses worth pursuing sit in the 5 to 49 range: large enough to have a manager and real systems, small enough to be owner-operated.
| Employees | Establishments | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | 5 | 17.9% | |
| 5-9 | 3 | 10.7% | |
| 10-19 | 12 | 42.9% | |
| 20-49 | 8 | 28.6% |
Business size mix
Morro Bay is more consolidated than California as a whole: fewer micro-operators and a larger share of businesses with real headcount. Fewer targets, but the ones that exist are more likely to be financeable.
| Share of establishments | Morro Bay | California | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 employeesOwner-operated, often no management layer | 17.9% | 23.5% | -5.6% |
| 5 to 49 employeesThe range most individual buyers target | 82.1% | 62.8% | +19.4% |
| 10 or more employeesPractical floor for acquisition financing | 71.4% | 52.8% | +18.7% |
Nearest comparable markets
The closest places to Morro Bay that also have Restaurants establishments on record. Useful for spotting a gap next door, or realising the market you are looking at is already served from the town over.
| Market | Establishments | Vs state share |
|---|---|---|
| Atascadero | 38 | +37% |
| San Luis Obispo | 76 | -5% |
| Pismo Beach | 34 | n/a |
| Grover Beach | 21 | n/a |
| Arroyo Grande | 17 | -37% |
The wider San Luis Obispo County market
Employment and payroll are reported at county level only, so the figures below describe the county Morro Bay sits in.
- County establishments (2023)
- 351
- San Luis Obispo County
- County employees
- 6,653
- Mid-March employment
- County annual payroll
- $206M
- All establishments
What acquirers look at
The highest-turnover category in the index and the weakest lending profile. Lease terms and liquor license transfer usually matter more than the P&L.
Other industries in Morro Bay
Nearby cities
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ZIP Code Business Patterns. Establishment counts and size distribution by ZIP code and NAICS, aggregated over the ZIP codes assigned to each city. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 County Business Patterns. Establishment counts, employment and annual payroll by NAICS. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026Q1). Quarterly establishment counts and employment for employers covered by unemployment insurance. Retrieved 2026-09-08.