CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for drinking places in El Paso, TX
Drinking places in the El Paso, TX metro area: 136 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 14-person team.
- Establishments
- 136CBP 2023
- Employees
- 1,855mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 15.5U.S. 12.0
- Rank
- 49th of 740areas by count
How many drinking places are in El Paso, TX?
There were 136 drinking places in the El Paso, TX metro area in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 722410, Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)). They employed 1,855 people in mid-March and paid $38.3 million in annual payroll. By establishment count the area is 49th out of 740 areas with published figures for drinking places.
Measured against its 879,000 residents (2024 estimate), the area has 15.5 drinking places per 100,000 people; the U.S. rate is 12.0, so El Paso, TX is 28.8% above the national figure. The average establishment here has 13.6 employees, compared with 10.6 nationally. Payroll per employee comes to $20,654, 19.4% below the national $25,612.
| Measure | El Paso, TX | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 136 | 2,996 | 40,835 |
| Mid-March employees | 1,855 | 39,037 | 432,542 |
| Annual payroll | $38,314,000 | $960,190,000 | $11,078,437,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 13.6 | 13.0 | 10.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $20,654 | $24,597 | $25,612 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 15.5 | 9.6 | 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.
How big drinking places in El Paso, TX are
Of the drinking places in El Paso, TX that had employees in March 2023, 31.6% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 38.7%). 54.9% had fewer than ten. Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 42 | 31.6% | 38.7% |
| 5–9 employees | 31 | 23.3% | 27.4% |
| 10–19 employees | 34 | 25.6% | 20.1% |
| 20–49 employees | 26 | 19.5% | 11.3% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 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.
Calls a bar in El Paso, TX has to catch
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. That holds for drinking places in El Paso, TX as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to drinking places in El Paso, TX:
- The bar calls a vendor about a delivery.
- A guest calls about reserving space for a birthday.
- A band calls about booking a gig.
What drinking places text about
Bars text event reminders and party confirmations.
Team texting on Callata runs from your business number, so replies come from the practice or shop rather than someone's personal phone. It turns on after the one-time $49 carrier registration (10DLC) is approved.
What a phone system costs a bar in El Paso, TX
The average bar in El Paso, TX has 13.6 employees, so a 14-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 14 users would run $420.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $349.30 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $279.00 a month for 14 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $1,692 less than RingCentral for a bar in El Paso, TX of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $279.00 | $3,348.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $266.00 | $3,192.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $322.00 | $3,864.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $349.30 | $4,191.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $378.00 | $4,536.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $420.00 | $5,040.00 |
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.
Getting a local number in El Paso, TX
The exchanges in the area's named cities and towns are all in area code 915 (338 exchanges in NANPA's file). A local number lets guests in El Paso, TX call without dialing out of area. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, and which numbers are open in an area code depends on carrier inventory when you choose.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 915 | 338 | Central and Mountain | 1947 | none |
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
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.
Porting a number you already use in El Paso, TX is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many drinking places are there in El Paso, TX?
Census County Business Patterns counted 136 drinking places in the El Paso, TX metro area in 2023. They employed 1,855 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 14-person bar?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 14 users cost $420.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $349.30 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $279.00.
What area code should a bar in El Paso, TX use?
Area code 915 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a bar?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.