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Restaurant companies in Edinburgh

937 restaurant companies have a registered office in Edinburgh, and 277 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £39,834 in cash and owed £91,593 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Licenced restaurants” (SIC 56101).

The numbers

Restaurant companies in Edinburgh compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureEdinburghUK
Registered companies93754,142
Formed in 2025 or 2026277 (30%)27%
Being struck off or in liquidation208 (22%)21%
Typical cash at year end£39,834248 accounts£23,201
Typical amount owed at year end£91,593380 accounts£62,010
Typical number of employees7390 accounts6

What this means if you’re starting one

More of these companies are closing than in most trades

16% of restaurant companies in Edinburgh are currently being struck off, against 7.1% of all companies there. Nationally that rate is higher than 96% of UK industries.

Closures run high here. It is a churn signal, not a survival rate, but it means the common failure points are worth learning before you start.

Edinburgh already has more of these businesses than most places

Restaurant companies are 1.7% of companies registered in Edinburgh, against 0.99% UK-wide (1.7× the national share).

Demand here is proven, but so is choice. Customers can compare you with several nearby options.

Cash is tight in this trade

At year end the typical restaurant company in Edinburgh holds £39,834 in cash and owes £91,593; that cash figure is lower than 54% of UK industries.

Typical operators end the year holding less cash than they owe, so there is little slack if takings dip or a big bill lands early.

Planning a business like this in Edinburgh?

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What these figures can’t tell you

Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.

Restaurant in other places

Other businesses in Edinburgh

All business benchmarks in Edinburgh