Coffee shops and snack bars / Alabama
How many coffee shops and snack bars are in Alabama?
The Census Bureau counted 784 coffee shops and snack bars with paid employees in Alabama in 2023. That is 83.2% more than in 2017.
ALABAMA · 2023
The count
784
coffee shops and snack bars with paid employees
- Employees
- 8,485
- Average per site
- 10.8
- Change since 2017
- +83.2%
- State rank
- 30 of 51
What the number means
Alabama had 784 coffee shops and snack bars in 2023, ranking number 30 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Together they employed 8,485 people and paid $155 million in annual payroll, an average of 10.8 employees per site.
These businesses make up 0.74% of every employer establishment in Alabama, below the 1.02% national share. A site count is not the same as the number of companies: a chain with 40 locations counts 40 times.
38% of coffee shops and snack bars in Alabama have fewer than 5 employees, against 33% across the U.S.
Alabama holds 0.9% of the nation's coffee shops and snack bars and 1.3% of all U.S. employer establishments, so, measured against the state's overall size, the trade is under-represented. The most common size class is under 5 employees (299 sites). Average payroll per employee is $18,285, against $21,205 for the U.S. trade.
Size of the businesses
| Employees per site | Share | Sites | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 299 | 38.1% | |
| 5 to 9 | 169 | 21.6% | |
| 10 to 19 | 187 | 23.9% | |
| 20 to 49 | 114 | 14.5% | |
| 50 to 99 | 12 | 1.5% | |
| 100 to 249 | 3 | 0.4% | |
| 250 to 499 | 0 | 0.0% |
Count since 2017
Index: 2017 = 100. Employer establishments only. 2017 count 428; 2019 count 486; 2022 count 711; 2023 count 784. Employment +59.1% since 2017.
Biggest other trades in Alabama
| Trade | Sites | Employees | Since 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 2,771 | 63,096 | −3.0% |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 1,647 | 17,066 | +18.6% |
| Landscaping services | 1,359 | 9,837 | +22.3% |
| Child day care | 988 | 12,163 | +3.7% |
| General auto repair | 941 | 4,469 | +2.6% |
| Beauty salons | 740 | 3,559 | −1.3% |
| Janitorial services | 726 | 11,791 | +13.3% |
| Fitness centers | 495 | 6,802 | +21.9% |
Coffee shops and snack bars in nearby ranks
All states for coffee shops and snack bars · Every trade in Alabama
Questions
How many coffee shops and snack bars are in Alabama?
The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns counted 784 coffee shops and snack bars with paid employees in Alabama in 2023. That ranks Alabama number 30 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Is the number of coffee shops and snack bars in Alabama growing?
Between 2017 and 2023 the count grew (83.2%), from 428 to 784. Across the United States the count changed by +31.0% over the same period. These years include the 2020 pandemic.
Does this count include self-employed owners with no staff?
No. County Business Patterns covers establishments with at least one paid employee. A sole proprietor with no employees is counted in a separate Census series called Nonemployer Statistics, which this site does not use yet, so the real number of people working in this trade is higher than the figure shown.
Read this before using the number
These counts describe how many businesses already exist. They say nothing about demand, profit, competition near you or how much any owner earns, and we make no estimate of income. Check local licensing, costs and rules before acting on any figure here. See the disclaimer.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns (2023; change measured against 2017, 2019 and 2022). Establishments with paid employees only; employment and payroll carry Census noise infusion. Retrieved November 2, 2026. Method and sources.