<p>There are over 40,000 restaurants in the state of Texas according to the National Restaurant Association and they contribute a booming $52.4 billion dollars to the economy.&nbsp;Over 1.2 million people are employed in the food and hospitality industry representing 12% of the total employment for the state. That number is expected to grow by 17.9% by 2026 creating 221,400 additional jobs.&nbsp;</p>