CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for supermarkets and grocery stores in Rhode Island
204 supermarkets and grocery stores operated in Rhode Island in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 204CBP 2023
- Employees
- 10,446mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 18.3U.S. 18.5
- State rank
- 46th of 51by count
Supermarkets and grocery stores in Rhode Island by the numbers
County Business Patterns counts 204 establishments in Rhode Island classified as Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores (NAICS 445110) for 2023. They employed 10,446 people in mid-March and reported $320.2 million in annual payroll. That is the 46th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Supermarkets and grocery stores make up 0.69% of the 29,510 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Rhode Island has 18.3 supermarkets and grocery stores, in line with the national rate of 18.5. The average establishment has 51.2 employees against 44.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $30,656, 2.8% above the U.S. figure of $29,817.
| Measure | Rhode Island | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 204 | 62,947 |
| Mid-March employees | 10,446 | 2,808,118 |
| Annual payroll | $320,228,000 | $83,729,007,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 51.2 | 44.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $30,656 | $29,817 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 18.3 | 18.5 |
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.
Rhode Island's largest markets for supermarkets and grocery stores
Census published grocery store counts for 1 metro or micropolitan area that include part of Rhode Island. The largest is Providence, RI-MA, with 292 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans).
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence, RI-MA | 292 | 17,204 | 17.2 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at supermarkets and grocery stores in Rhode Island
31.5% of Rhode Island's supermarkets and grocery stores with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 32.9% nationally. 40.9% 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.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 64 | 31.5% | 32.9% |
| 5–9 employees | 19 | 9.4% | 10.3% |
| 10–19 employees | 27 | 13.3% | 11.9% |
| 20–49 employees | 31 | 15.3% | 13.9% |
| 50 or more employees | 62 | 30.5% | 31.0% |
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 grocery store in Rhode Island has to catch
Independent grocers take calls about stock, deli and bakery orders, and departments need calls routed to them. Holiday orders bring call peaks. That holds for supermarkets and grocery stores in Rhode Island as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to supermarkets and grocery stores in Rhode Island:
- A supplier calls about a delivery.
- A customer calls to order a holiday platter from the deli.
- The store calls a customer when an order is ready.
Texting customers
Grocers text order-ready notices.
Texting from a local number in Rhode Island requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for supermarkets and grocery stores in Rhode Island
Supermarkets and grocery stores in Rhode Island average 51.2 employees, so the comparison uses a 51-person team. Priced per seat, 51 users would run $1,530.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $1,272.45 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $1,019.00 a month for 51 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $6,132 less than RingCentral for a grocery store in Rhode Island 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 | $1,019.00 | $12,228.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $969.00 | $11,628.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $1,173.00 | $14,076.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $1,272.45 | $15,269.40 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $1,377.00 | $16,524.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $1,530.00 | $18,360.00 |
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 Rhode Island
Rhode Island has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a grocery store can hold a number in more than one of them.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401 | 581 | 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.
How Callata works for supermarkets and grocery stores in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island 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 supermarkets and grocery stores are in Rhode Island?
204 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 10,446 people in mid-March.
Which Rhode Island metro area has the most supermarkets and grocery stores?
Providence, RI-MA, with 292 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 51-person grocery store?
$1,530.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $1,272.45 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $1,019.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Rhode Island 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.