A recent report conducted by RestaurantData.com found that Houston lead the United States and Canada in restaurant closures over the first two quarters of 2026.
The report identified a substantial restaurant turnover in the first half of 2026, with 8,171 restaurants closing their doors across the United States and Canada– over half of which were chain-affiliated locations.
In the first half of 2026, Houston was the single city with the most restaurant closures in the U.S. and Canada, with an estimated 119 locations shutting down between January and June. That placed Houston just ahead of New York City (117 closures) and well above other major markets like Chicago (82), San Antonio (70), and Dallas (42).
Within the broader Texas picture—where the state led all states and provinces with an estimated 1,039 closures—Houston’s 119 closures accounted for roughly 11–12% of all Texas closures in the period. At the county level, Harris County (including Houston) led the entire U.S. and Canada with 172 estimated closures, underscoring how concentrated much of the activity was in the Houston metro.
To be clear, this report indicates total closure volume rather than localized failure rates, meaning the largest restaurant markets naturally generated the highest number of exits simply due to their size.
By metro area, the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown MSA recorded an estimated 239 closures, ranking fourth nationally behind the New York, Chicago, and Dallas–Fort Worth metros. While the report doesn’t break down closures by neighborhood or specific cuisine for Houston, it does indicate that the city follows the general North American restaurant closure trend, primarily that of quick‑service and sandwich concepts, small‑footprint locations, and many relatively new restaurants.
