CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for drinking places in Portland, ME
Drinking places in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area: 87 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 10-person team.
- Establishments
- 87CBP 2023
- Employees
- 875mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 15.2U.S. 12.0
- Rank
- 86th of 740areas by count
How many drinking places are in Portland, ME?
The Census Bureau's 2023 County Business Patterns lists 87 establishments classified as Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (NAICS 722410) in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area. Together they reported 875 mid-March employees and $31.0 million of payroll for the year. That ranks 86th of the 740 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 572,000 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 15.2 drinking places per 100,000 people, 26.8% above the national rate of 12.0. Establishments average 10.1 employees, 5.1% below the U.S. average of 10.6. Payroll per employee comes to $35,479, 38.5% above the national $25,612.
| Measure | Portland, ME | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 87 | 144 | 40,835 |
| Mid-March employees | 875 (moderate noise) | 1,237 (moderate noise) | 432,542 |
| Annual payroll | $31,044,000 | $42,014,000 | $11,078,437,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 10.1 | 8.6 | 10.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $35,479 | $33,964 | $25,612 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 15.2 | 10.2 | 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.
Team sizes at drinking places in Portland, ME
Of the drinking places in Portland, ME that had employees in March 2023, 34.9% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 38.7%). 67.4% had fewer than ten. For a business of a few people, phone coverage is a staffing question as much as a technology one: someone has to be free to pick up, or the call needs somewhere sensible to go.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 30 | 34.9% | 38.7% |
| 5–9 employees | 28 | 32.6% | 27.4% |
| 10–19 employees | 16 | 18.6% | 20.1% |
| 20–49 employees | 12 | 14.0% | 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.
What drinking places in Portland, ME 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 Portland, ME:
- A band calls about booking a gig.
- A customer calls about trivia night.
- A guest calls about reserving space for a birthday.
When nobody can pick up
Bars are open late, so calls during service need capture and callback.
With business-hours routing, calls after closing can go to transcribed voicemail or an optional AI receptionist instead of ringing an empty room.
What a phone system costs a bar in Portland, ME
The average bar in Portland, ME has 10.1 employees, so a 10-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 10 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $300.00 a month and 10 on Ooma Office Pro cost $249.50. On Callata the same 10 people cost $199.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,212. 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 | $199.00 | $2,388.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $190.00 | $2,280.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $230.00 | $2,760.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $249.50 | $2,994.00 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $270.00 | $3,240.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $300.00 | $3,600.00 |
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.
Local area codes for drinking places in Portland, ME
The exchanges in the area's named cities and towns are all in area code 207 (269 exchanges in NANPA's file). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your guests recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207 | 269 | Eastern | 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.
Setting up Callata for a bar in Portland, ME
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 Portland, ME, 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 there in Portland, ME?
Census County Business Patterns counted 87 drinking places in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area in 2023. They employed 875 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 10-person bar?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 10 users cost $300.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $249.50 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $199.00.
What area code should a bar in Portland, ME use?
Area code 207 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.