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Business phone system for full-service restaurants in Georgia

7,925 full-service restaurants operated in Georgia in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
7,925CBP 2023
Employees
175,639mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
70.9U.S. 76.0
State rank
9th of 51by count

How many full-service restaurants operate in Georgia

The Census Bureau counted 7,925 full-service restaurants in Georgia in its 2023 County Business Patterns (NAICS 722511). They employed 175,639 people in mid-March and reported $4.4 billion in annual payroll. That is the 9th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Full-service restaurants make up 3.0% of the 261,320 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Georgia has 70.9 full-service restaurants, 6.8% below the national rate of 76.0. The average establishment has 22.2 employees against 20.8 nationally. Payroll per employee is $24,955, 10.9% below the U.S. figure of $28,018.

Full-service restaurants: Georgia compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureGeorgiaUnited States
Establishments7,925258,626
Mid-March employees175,6395,387,020
Annual payroll$4,382,990,000$150,931,656,000
Employees per establishment22.220.8
Payroll per employee$24,955$28,018
Establishments per 100,000 residents70.976.0

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.

Where full-service restaurants in Georgia are concentrated

Census published full-service restaurant counts for 39 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Georgia. The largest is Atlanta, GA, with 4,920 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 88% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Full-service restaurants by metro or micropolitan area, Georgia, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Atlanta, GA4,920111,10276.7
Savannah, GA44511,211103.1
Chattanooga, TN-GA43211,46873.5
Augusta, GA-SC3728,30158.4
Columbus, GA-AL2054,86963.2
Athens, GA1614,31172.0
Macon, GA1513,67663.5
Gainesville, GA1412,70963.6
Brunswick, GA1222,595104.2
Warner Robins, GA1092,97053.4
Valdosta, GA902,37459.0
Albany, GA831,85457.1
Dalton, GA741,29750.6
LaGrange, GA-AL6595661.7
Rome, GA581,53257.2
Statesboro, GA571,68959.2
Tifton, GA4290282.8
Jefferson, GA3960541.6
Thomasville, GA3767351.2
Milledgeville, GA361,00982.5
Dublin, GA3586058.9
Kingsland, GA3075050.8
Hinesville, GA2960732.6
Waycross, GA2962251.0
Calhoun, GA2760044.4

Top 25 of 39 areas by establishments. Source: Census CBP 2023.

Team sizes at full-service restaurants in Georgia

25.3% of Georgia's full-service restaurants with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 26.3% nationally. 40.0% 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.

Full-service restaurants in Georgia by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees2,00425.3%26.3%
5–9 employees1,16714.7%17.1%
10–19 employees1,56919.8%21.1%
20–49 employees2,27628.7%24.7%
50 or more employees90911.5%10.8%

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 full-service restaurant in Georgia has to catch

Restaurants take reservations, takeout orders and catering inquiries by phone during the same rush when staff are busiest. Unanswered calls during service often mean lost covers. That holds for full-service restaurants in Georgia as much as anywhere.

A few of the calls that come in to full-service restaurants in Georgia:

Texting guests

Restaurants text reservation confirmations and table-ready alerts.

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

Callata vs. per-seat pricing for full-service restaurants in Georgia

Full-service restaurants in Georgia average 22.2 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. Callata comes to $439.00 a month for 22 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $2,652 less than RingCentral for a full-service restaurant in Georgia of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Monthly list price for a 22-person full-service restaurant
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer 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 Georgia

Georgia has 10 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a full-service restaurant can hold a number in more than one of them.

Area codes in Georgia by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
470786Eastern2010404, 678, 770, 943
678785Eastern1998404, 470, 770, 943
404784Eastern1947470, 678, 943
770784Eastern1995470, 678, 943
706777Eastern1992762
912729Eastern1954565
229683Eastern2000none
478445Eastern2000none
762376Eastern2006706
943152Eastern2022404, 470, 678, 470, 678, 770

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 full-service restaurants in Georgia

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 Georgia 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 full-service restaurants are in Georgia?

7,925 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 175,639 people in mid-March.

Which Georgia metro area has the most full-service restaurants?

Atlanta, GA, with 4,920 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost a 22-person full-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 Georgia 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.