Business phone system for caterers in Louisiana

How many caterers operate in Louisiana

County Business Patterns counts 189 establishments in Louisiana classified as Caterers (NAICS 722320) for 2023. They employed 2,162 people in mid-March and reported $52.6 million in annual payroll. That is the 22nd highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Caterers make up 0.17% of the 108,561 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Louisiana has 4.1 caterers, 5.7% above the national rate of 3.9. The average establishment has 11.4 employees against 11.2 nationally. Payroll per employee is $24,320, 21.2% below the U.S. figure of $30,873.

Where caterers in Louisiana are concentrated

Census published catering company counts for 11 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Louisiana. The largest is New Orleans, LA, with 73 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 97% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Team sizes at caterers in Louisiana

48.4% of Louisiana's caterers with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 55.0% nationally. 63.8% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.

Calls a catering company in Louisiana has to catch

Caterers book events through inquiry calls and then coordinate menus, headcounts and timing over many follow-ups. Fast responses to inquiries win events. That holds for caterers in Louisiana as much as anywhere.

A few of the calls that come in to caterers in Louisiana:

• A couple calls about catering a wedding.
• An office calls about a lunch meeting order.
• A client calls about dietary restrictions.

What caterers text about

Caterers text headcount confirmations and delivery windows.

Texting from a local number in Louisiana requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.

Phone system pricing for an 11-person catering company

Caterers in Louisiana average 11.4 employees, so the comparison uses an 11-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 11 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $330.00 a month and 11 on Ooma Office Pro cost $274.45. Callata comes to $219.00 a month for 11 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $1,332 less than RingCentral for a catering company in Louisiana of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Area codes in Louisiana

Louisiana has 6 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a catering company can hold a number in more than one of them.

How Callata works for caterers in Louisiana

Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.

Porting a number you already use in Louisiana 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.