Scranton, PA
Insurance for Scranton, PA cafes
Liability, equipment, and staff coverage for Scranton coffee shops and cafes. A quote is not a binder.
County Business Patterns lists 46 employer coffee shops and snack bars in Lackawanna County for 2023, employing 655 people. That is the competitive field for a cafe opening in Scranton, a city of about 75,905.
Scranton-area cafe market in numbers
| Census CBP 2023 | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops and snack bars | 46 | 2,906 |
| Employees | 655 | 33,052 |
| With 1–4 employees | 17 | 971 |
| Retail bakeries | 6 | 371 |
| Specialty food stores | 11 | 220 |
Census County Business Patterns, 2023; owner-only cafes and carts are not counted.
Lackawanna County's coffee shops and snack bars paid about $10,903,000 in 2023 wages, or about $16,646 per employee (Pennsylvania: $18,473). The low figure reflects how many cafe jobs are part-time, and workers' comp is priced on that payroll.
Lackawanna County also counts 6 retail bakeries, 11 specialty food stores (Census, 2023). Local roasters and bakeries are a cafe's suppliers and, sometimes, its competition.
Scranton commuters and the morning rush
Solo drivers make up 71% of Scranton commuters, while 43% get to work in under 15 minutes. Short commutes mean customers who stop in on foot or park briefly, so curb, entrance, and parking lot conditions matter.
Public transit carries 1.2% of Scranton's workers (Pennsylvania: 3.6%). With few transit riders, foot traffic depends more on parking and visibility from the road.
9% of Scranton workers work from home (Pennsylvania: 16%). Remote workers become midday regulars with laptops, so Wi-Fi security and card-data protection matter more than many owners expect.
Three-plus-vehicle households make up 2% of Scranton. Households with no car: 14%. Each number says something about whether Scranton customers arrive on foot or behind the wheel.
With 15% of its 35,512.0 housing units in larger apartment buildings, Scranton leans toward car-oriented retail, where drive-through and strip-center cafes do well.
Half of Scranton's housing was built before 1938. Commercial buildings of similar age may need plumbing and electrical upgrades for espresso machines, and improvements you pay for become your property to insure.
City data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 (tables B08301, B25003, B25024, B25035), via Census Reporter, plus B08303 and B25044. Population: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 city population estimates.
BLS estimates 142,220 fast food and counter workers, the category that includes baristas, on Pennsylvania payrolls, with a median wage of $28,570; bakers number 10,380 at a median $36,360 (May 2025).
With 1.6% of Pennsylvania's coffee shops, 37% of them run by fewer than five employees, Lackawanna County is a smaller part of the state's cafe market. Landlords will still want a certificate of insurance before a new cafe opens.
Habits that protect Scranton cafes
- Separate guest Wi-Fi from your point-of-sale network.
- Use carriers for orders of three or more drinks.
- Purge and wipe steam wands between dairy and plant milks.
- Log refrigerator temperatures every shift.
A cafe day, hour by hour walks through the risks a Scranton coffee shop faces from opening to close.
Around Scranton
Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) has 454 coffee shops and snack bars countywide. Coffee shops in Pittsburgh's county: 361. Of our 30 Pennsylvania city pages, Scranton places 27th for share of transit commuters.
Getting ready for a Scranton cafe quote
- Sales: Annual sales and drink-to-food split
- Kitchen: Baking, cooking, hood, or roasting
- Window: Drive-through or walk-up window
- Equipment: Espresso machine and other values
- Claims history: Any prior claims
- Payroll: Employees and estimated payroll
Scranton cafe insurance FAQ
What insurance does a Scranton coffee shop need?
General liability with products coverage, property, business income, equipment breakdown, and workers' comp with employees. See the Pennsylvania page.
How many cafes operate near Scranton?
County Business Patterns counted 46 snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars with employees in Lackawanna County in 2023. Owner-only cafes and carts are not included.
Who pays if a Scranton customer is burned by a drink?
Generally the products part of your general liability policy, subject to its terms. Secure lids and carriers help prevent these claims.
Cafe pages near Scranton
Cafe insurance in Pennsylvania · Coverage
Last updated October 15, 2026 · How we research