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Business phone system for full-service restaurants in Maine

1,446 full-service restaurants operated in Maine in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
1,446CBP 2023
Employees
22,469mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
102.9U.S. 76.0
State rank
36th of 51by count

How many full-service restaurants operate in Maine

Maine had 1,446 full-service restaurants in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 722511, Full-Service Restaurants). They employed 22,469 people in mid-March and reported $784.7 million in annual payroll. That is the 36th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Full-service restaurants make up 3.3% of the 43,345 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Maine has 102.9 full-service restaurants, 35.3% above the national rate of 76.0. The average establishment has 15.5 employees against 20.8 nationally. Payroll per employee is $34,924, 24.6% above the U.S. figure of $28,018.

Full-service restaurants: Maine compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureMaineUnited States
Establishments1,446258,626
Mid-March employees22,4695,387,020
Annual payroll$784,706,000$150,931,656,000
Employees per establishment15.520.8
Payroll per employee$34,924$28,018
Establishments per 100,000 residents102.976.0

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 Maine are concentrated

Census published full-service restaurant counts for 4 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Maine. The largest is Portland, ME, with 702 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 67% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Full-service restaurants by metro or micropolitan area, Maine, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Portland, ME70212,371122.8
Bangor, ME1132,48472.0
Augusta, ME871,80467.7
Lewiston, ME661,20057.3

Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Team sizes at full-service restaurants in Maine

33.6% of Maine's full-service restaurants with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 26.3% nationally. 50.6% 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 Maine by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees48533.6%26.3%
5–9 employees24517.0%17.1%
10–19 employees34323.8%21.1%
20–49 employees29520.4%24.7%
50 or more employees765.3%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.

What full-service restaurants in Maine use the phone for

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.

Calls a full-service restaurant in Maine might handle in a typical week include:

What full-service restaurants text about

Restaurants text reservation confirmations and table-ready alerts.

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

What a phone system costs a full-service restaurant in Maine

Full-service restaurants in Maine average 15.5 employees, so the comparison uses a 16-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $399.20 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $480.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $319.00 a month for 16 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $1,932 less than RingCentral for a full-service restaurant in Maine of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Monthly list price for a 16-person full-service restaurant
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$319.00$3,828.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$304.00$3,648.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$368.00$4,416.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$399.20$4,790.40
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$432.00$5,184.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$480.00$5,760.00

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 Maine

Maine has 1 geographic area code 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 Maine by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
207742Eastern1947none

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 Maine

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 Maine 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 Maine?

1,446 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 22,469 people in mid-March.

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

Portland, ME, with 702 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost a 16-person full-service restaurant?

$480.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $399.20 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $319.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).

Do I need to register to text customers from a Maine 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.