Business phone system for limited-service restaurants in Indiana
5,396 limited-service restaurants operated in Indiana in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 5,396CBP 2023
- Employees
- 116,100mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 77.9U.S. 79.4
- State rank
- 16th of 51by count
The limited-service restaurant industry in Indiana
The Census Bureau counted 5,396 limited-service restaurants in Indiana in its 2023 County Business Patterns (NAICS 722513). They employed 116,100 people in mid-March and reported $2.1 billion in annual payroll. That is the 16th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Limited-service restaurants make up 3.5% of the 155,692 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Indiana has 77.9 limited-service restaurants, in line with the national rate of 79.4. The average establishment has 21.5 employees against 18.4 nationally. Payroll per employee is $17,803, 14.6% below the U.S. figure of $20,857.
| Measure | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 5,396 | 270,088 |
| Mid-March employees | 116,100 | 4,965,080 |
| Annual payroll | $2,066,933,000 | $103,557,315,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 21.5 | 18.4 |
| Payroll per employee | $17,803 | $20,857 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 77.9 | 79.4 |
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.
Indiana's largest markets for limited-service restaurants
Census published limited-service restaurant counts for 40 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Indiana. The largest is Chicago, IL-IN, with 8,179 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 75% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL-IN | 8,179 | 139,869 | 86.9 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,896 | 39,771 | 82.3 |
| Indianapolis, IN | 1,779 | 36,961 | 81.8 |
| Louisville, KY-IN | 1,062 | 25,018 | 76.2 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 355 | 8,260 | 76.7 |
| South Bend, IN-MI | 242 | 5,163 | 74.4 |
| Evansville, IN | 242 | 5,384 | 89.0 |
| Lafayette, IN | 185 | 4,384 | 80.5 |
| Elkhart, IN | 158 | 3,029 | 76.2 |
| Bloomington, IN | 134 | 2,866 | 82.4 |
| Terre Haute, IN | 125 | 3,011 | 74.0 |
| Muncie, IN | 93 | 2,452 | 82.3 |
| Kokomo, IN | 90 | 1,860 | 107.0 |
| Michigan City, IN | 79 | 1,774 | 70.9 |
| Columbus, IN | 70 | 1,678 | 82.6 |
| Warsaw, IN | 60 | 1,177 | 74.4 |
| Marion, IN | 51 | 1,426 | 76.7 |
| Richmond, IN | 51 | 1,087 | 76.8 |
| Seymour, IN | 42 | 883 | 88.6 |
| Jasper, IN | 40 | 1,260 | 91.7 |
| Plymouth, IN | 37 | 792 | 79.6 |
| Auburn, IN | 35 | 773 | 79.0 |
| Kendallville, IN | 31 | 737 | 64.8 |
| New Castle, IN | 29 | 528 | 59.1 |
| Vincennes, IN | 29 | 548 | 80.8 |
Top 25 of 40 areas by establishments. Source: Census CBP 2023.
Team sizes at limited-service restaurants in Indiana
18.3% of Indiana's limited-service restaurants with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 24.3% nationally. 30.9% 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 | 989 | 18.3% | 24.3% |
| 5–9 employees | 678 | 12.6% | 16.2% |
| 10–19 employees | 1,424 | 26.4% | 24.6% |
| 20–49 employees | 1,832 | 34.0% | 28.4% |
| 50 or more employees | 473 | 8.8% | 6.5% |
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 limited-service restaurant in Indiana has to catch
Counter-service restaurants take phone orders and catering requests while serving a line of customers. Calls need to be answered quickly or captured for a callback.
Calls a limited-service restaurant in Indiana might handle in a typical week include:
- The restaurant calls a customer about an order delay.
- An office calls about catering for a meeting.
- A customer calls about an order mistake.
After-hours calls
After-hours callers usually want hours or catering information.
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 limited-service restaurants in Indiana
Limited-service restaurants in Indiana average 21.5 employees, so the comparison uses a 22-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 22 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $660.00 a month and 22 on Ooma Office Pro cost $548.90. On Callata the same 22 people cost $439.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $2,652. 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 | $439.00 | $5,268.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $418.00 | $5,016.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $506.00 | $6,072.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $548.90 | $6,586.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $594.00 | $7,128.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $660.00 | $7,920.00 |
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 Indiana
Indiana has 8 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your customers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 317 | 786 | Eastern | 1947 | 463 |
| 812 | 785 | Eastern and Central | 1947 | 930 |
| 765 | 725 | Eastern | 1997 | none |
| 219 | 495 | Eastern and Central | 1948 | none |
| 260 | 444 | Eastern | 2002 | none |
| 574 | 403 | Eastern and Central | 2002 | none |
| 463 | 188 | Eastern | 2016 | 317 |
| 930 | 158 | Eastern | 2015 | 812 |
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 limited-service restaurants in Indiana
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 Indiana, 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 limited-service restaurants are in Indiana?
5,396 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 116,100 people in mid-March.
Which Indiana metro area has the most limited-service restaurants?
Chicago, IL-IN, with 8,179 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 22-person limited-service restaurant?
$660.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $548.90 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $439.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Indiana 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.