Business phone system for drinking places in Alabama
313 drinking places operated in Alabama in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 313CBP 2023
- Employees
- 2,820mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 6.1U.S. 12.0
- State rank
- 34th of 51by count
Drinking places in Alabama by the numbers
Alabama had 313 drinking places in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 722410, Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)). They employed 2,820 people in mid-March and reported $67.1 million in annual payroll. That is the 34th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Drinking places make up 0.30% of the 105,720 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Alabama has 6.1 drinking places, 49.5% below the national rate of 12.0. The average establishment has 9.0 employees against 10.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $23,808, 7.0% below the U.S. figure of $25,612.
| Measure | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 313 | 40,835 |
| Mid-March employees | 2,820 | 432,542 |
| Annual payroll | $67,138,000 | $11,078,437,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 9.0 | 10.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $23,808 | $25,612 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 6.1 | 12.0 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Where drinking places in Alabama are concentrated
Census published bar counts for 15 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Alabama. The largest is Birmingham, AL, with 80 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 96% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 80 | 612 | 6.7 |
| Huntsville, AL | 44 | 445 | 8.1 |
| Mobile, AL | 38 | 214 | 9.2 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 28 | 455 | 9.9 |
| Daphne, AL | 27 | 188 | 10.3 |
| Montgomery, AL | 22 | 115 | 5.7 |
| Auburn, AL | 20 | 468 | 9.7 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 17 | 107 | 5.2 |
| Dothan, AL | 11 | 79 | 7.1 |
| Florence, AL | 6 | 53 | 3.8 |
| Ozark, AL | 6 | 21 | 12.0 |
| Gadsden, AL | 5 | — | 4.8 |
| Albertville, AL | 5 | 47 | 4.9 |
| Enterprise, AL | 5 | 34 | 8.9 |
| Alexander City, AL | 4 | — | 9.8 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at drinking places in Alabama
47.6% of Alabama's drinking places with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 38.7% nationally. 75.4% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 149 | 47.6% | 38.7% |
| 5–9 employees | 87 | 27.8% | 27.4% |
| 10–19 employees | 45 | 14.4% | 20.1% |
| 20–49 employees | 26 | 8.3% | 11.3% |
| 50 or more employees | 6 | 1.9% | 2.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
What drinking places in Alabama use the phone for
Bars and taverns take calls about events, private parties and hours, often when the room is too loud to hear the phone. Capturing those calls helps book parties.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for drinking places in Alabama:
- A guest calls about reserving space for a birthday.
- A band calls about booking a gig.
- A customer calls about trivia night.
Calls after closing time
Bars are open late, so calls during service need capture and callback.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for drinking places in Alabama
Drinking places in Alabama average 9.0 employees, so the comparison uses a 9-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $224.55 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $270.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 9 people cost $179.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,092. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $179.00 | $2,148.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $171.00 | $2,052.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $207.00 | $2,484.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $224.55 | $2,694.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $243.00 | $2,916.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $270.00 | $3,240.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Alabama
Alabama has 7 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your guests know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 256 | 786 | Central | 1998 | 938 |
| 205 | 785 | Central | 1947 | 659 |
| 334 | 784 | Central | 1995 | 483 |
| 251 | 528 | Central | 2001 | none |
| 938 | 193 | Central | 2010 | 256 |
| 659 | 177 | Central | 2019 | 205 |
| 483 | 11 | Central | 2026 | 334 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for drinking places in Alabama
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Alabama, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many drinking places are in Alabama?
313 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 2,820 people in mid-March.
Which Alabama metro area has the most drinking places?
Birmingham, AL, with 80 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 9-person bar?
$270.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $224.55 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $179.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Alabama number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.