Business phone system for full-service restaurants in Nebraska
1,438 full-service restaurants operated in Nebraska in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 1,438CBP 2023
- Employees
- 27,515mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 71.7U.S. 76.0
- State rank
- 37th of 51by count
How many full-service restaurants operate in Nebraska
The Census Bureau counted 1,438 full-service restaurants in Nebraska in its 2023 County Business Patterns (NAICS 722511). They employed 27,515 people in mid-March and reported $627.0 million in annual payroll. That is the 37th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Full-service restaurants make up 2.5% of the 56,503 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Nebraska has 71.7 full-service restaurants, 5.7% below the national rate of 76.0. The average establishment has 19.1 employees against 20.8 nationally. Payroll per employee is $22,788, 18.7% below the U.S. figure of $28,018.
| Measure | Nebraska | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 1,438 | 258,626 |
| Mid-March employees | 27,515 | 5,387,020 |
| Annual payroll | $627,024,000 | $150,931,656,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 19.1 | 20.8 |
| Payroll per employee | $22,788 | $28,018 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 71.7 | 76.0 |
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.
Nebraska's largest markets for full-service restaurants
Census published full-service restaurant counts for 13 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Nebraska. The largest is Omaha, NE-IA, with 693 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 36% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | 693 | 15,926 | 69.2 |
| Lincoln, NE | 215 | 4,934 | 61.3 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 102 | 2,114 | 69.9 |
| Grand Island, NE | 53 | 1,067 | 68.6 |
| Kearney, NE | 42 | 1,035 | 72.5 |
| Scottsbluff, NE | 35 | 619 | 96.2 |
| Norfolk, NE | 31 | 741 | 63.7 |
| Hastings, NE | 31 | 491 | 76.3 |
| Fremont, NE | 31 | 382 | 81.8 |
| Columbus, NE | 24 | — | 51.8 |
| North Platte, NE | 22 | 469 | 64.7 |
| Lexington, NE | 21 | 190 | 79.7 |
| Beatrice, NE | 11 | 121 | 50.7 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at full-service restaurants in Nebraska
28.2% of Nebraska's full-service restaurants with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 26.3% nationally. 44.4% 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 | 406 | 28.2% | 26.3% |
| 5–9 employees | 232 | 16.1% | 17.1% |
| 10–19 employees | 289 | 20.1% | 21.1% |
| 20–49 employees | 390 | 27.1% | 24.7% |
| 50 or more employees | 121 | 8.4% | 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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska as much as anywhere.
Calls a full-service restaurant in Nebraska might handle in a typical week include:
- A customer calls in a takeout order.
- A supplier calls about a delivery.
- An event planner calls about a private room.
After-hours calls
After closing, callers want hours and reservations, which a greeting or AI receptionist can handle.
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 full-service restaurants in Nebraska
Full-service restaurants in Nebraska average 19.1 employees, so the comparison uses a 19-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $474.05 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $570.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 19 people cost $379.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $2,292. 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 | $379.00 | $4,548.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $361.00 | $4,332.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $437.00 | $5,244.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $474.05 | $5,688.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $513.00 | $6,156.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $570.00 | $6,840.00 |
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 Nebraska
Nebraska has 3 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your guests know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 402 | 782 | Central | 1947 | 531 |
| 308 | 463 | Central and Mountain | 1955 | none |
| 531 | 265 | Central | 2011 | 402 |
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 Nebraska
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 Nebraska, 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 full-service restaurants are in Nebraska?
1,438 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 27,515 people in mid-March.
Which Nebraska metro area has the most full-service restaurants?
Omaha, NE-IA, with 693 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 19-person full-service restaurant?
$570.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $474.05 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $379.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Nebraska 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.