CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for limited-service restaurants in Knoxville, TN
Limited-service restaurants in the Knoxville, TN metro area: 728 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 23-person team.
- Establishments
- 728CBP 2023
- Employees
- 17,042mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 76.0U.S. 79.4
- Rank
- 64th of 925areas by count
The limited-service restaurant market in Knoxville, TN
County Business Patterns counts 728 limited-service restaurants (NAICS 722513, Limited-Service Restaurants) in the Knoxville, TN metro area for 2023. They employed 17,042 people in mid-March and paid $313.5 million in annual payroll. By establishment count the area is 64th out of 925 areas with published figures for limited-service restaurants.
Measured against its 958,000 residents (2024 estimate), the area has 76.0 limited-service restaurants per 100,000 people; the U.S. rate is 79.4, so Knoxville, TN is 4.3% below the national figure. The average establishment here has 23.4 employees, compared with 18.4 nationally. Payroll per employee comes to $18,396, 11.8% below the national $20,857.
| Measure | Knoxville, TN | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 728 | 5,735 | 270,088 |
| Mid-March employees | 17,042 | 124,268 | 4,965,080 |
| Annual payroll | $313,511,000 | $2,392,034,000 | $103,557,315,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 23.4 | 21.7 | 18.4 |
| Payroll per employee | $18,396 | $19,249 | $20,857 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 76.0 | 79.3 | 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.
How big limited-service restaurants in Knoxville, TN are
Of the limited-service restaurants in Knoxville, TN that had employees in March 2023, 12.5% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 24.3%). 24.9% 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 | 91 | 12.5% | 24.3% |
| 5–9 employees | 90 | 12.4% | 16.2% |
| 10–19 employees | 181 | 24.9% | 24.6% |
| 20–49 employees | 306 | 42.0% | 28.4% |
| 50 or more employees | 60 | 8.2% | 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 Knoxville, TN 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. That holds for limited-service restaurants in Knoxville, TN as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to limited-service restaurants in Knoxville, TN:
- A customer calls about an order mistake.
- A customer calls in a lunch order.
- A delivery driver calls for directions.
Business texting for limited-service restaurants
Restaurants text order-ready notices.
Texts sent from a local business number in Knoxville, TN have to be registered with carriers first (10DLC); on Callata that is a one-time $49 fee, after which the whole team can text from the shared number.
What a phone system costs a limited-service restaurant in Knoxville, TN
The average limited-service restaurant in Knoxville, TN has 23.4 employees, so a 23-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 23 users would run $690.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $573.85 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $459.00 a month for 23 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $2,772 less than RingCentral for a limited-service restaurant in Knoxville, TN 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 | $459.00 | $5,508.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $437.00 | $5,244.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $529.00 | $6,348.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $573.85 | $6,886.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $621.00 | $7,452.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $690.00 | $8,280.00 |
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 limited-service restaurants in Knoxville, TN
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 2 area codes. 865 has the most, with 409 of 436 exchanges (94%). A local number lets customers in Knoxville, TN 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 865 | 409 | Eastern | 1999 | none |
| 423 | 27 | Eastern and Central | 1995 | 729 |
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.
What limited-service restaurants in Knoxville, TN get with Callata
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Knoxville, TN 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 limited-service restaurants are there in Knoxville, TN?
Census County Business Patterns counted 728 limited-service restaurants in the Knoxville, TN metro area in 2023. They employed 17,042 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 23-person limited-service restaurant?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 23 users cost $690.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $573.85 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $459.00.
What area code should a limited-service restaurant in Knoxville, TN use?
Area code 865 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 423. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a limited-service restaurant?
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.