By Sara Beth Williams–
Several restaurants on Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane made the list of top 10 most visited sit-down restaurants in Citrus Heights between October 2024 to September 2025, city officials shared Wednesday during an Economic Development Work Plan update.
The top-visited sit-down restaurant in the city beat out its competitors by an estimated 163,700 visits, according to the data, which officials said was collected through an artificial intelligence program.
The data for foot traffic at each restaurant was collected using artificial intelligence tool Placer.ai, Economic Development and Community Engagement Director Meghan Huber explained. Huber also said the data does not reflect restaurants who received the most business, or top reviews. Data only represents the most foot traffic within a 12-month period.
Quick service restaurants with drive-thrus were not included in the list.
Texas Roadhouse and Buffalo Wild Wings topped the list at number one and two respectively with Texas Roadhouse receiving 437,600 total visits, and Buffalo Wild Wings receiving just under 274,000 visits.
Nine out of 10 restaurants on the list are located on either Sunrise Boulevard or Greenback Lane.
Olive Garden landed in the number three spot, with over 223,000 visits.
Applebee’s, located on Auburn Boulevard, was the only sit-down restaurant listed that was not located on Sunrise Boulevard or Greenback Lane. Applebee’s ranked number four out of 10 with roughly 213,000 visits.
Other notable eateries that did not rank on the list of most-visited included R Vita Cantina and El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant. R Vita Cantina took first place for ‘Best Restaurant’ in the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Best of Citrus Heights awards, held last August. El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant won ‘Best Restaurant’ in 2022 and 2023 at the Best of Citrus Heights awards, and ranked second during the 2025 awards season.
The newly opened and highly-praised Korean barbeque and sushi restaurant, Must Be Cow, which opened its doors in November 2025, also did not make the list, as the data was collected between Oct. 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025.
The remaining restaurants on the top 10 list of most visited include: Red Robin at number five, Black Angus at number six, La Fiesta Taqueria at number seven, Black Bear Diner at number eight, Adalberto’s Mexican Food at number nine, and Red Lobster at number 10.
