Washington
Cafe insurance in Washington
Coffee shop numbers, wages, and local pages across Washington. Quotes do not bind coverage.
Washington counts 3,088 coffee shops and snack bars with employees (Census, 2023) and 94,710 fast food and counter workers, the federal category that includes baristas (BLS, May 2025). Below: the numbers, the factors behind a cafe premium, and local pages.
Washington cafe figures
| Figure | Washington |
|---|---|
| Coffee shops and snack bars (employer establishments) | 3,088 |
| Employees at coffee shops and snack bars | 33,561 |
| Average annual payroll per employee | $25,584 |
| Coffee shops and snack bars with 1–4 employees | 918 |
| Retail bakeries | 310 |
| Specialty food stores | 235 |
| Coffee and tea manufacturers, including roasters | 57 |
| Fast food and counter workers, including baristas (BLS, May 2025) | 94,710 |
| Median wage, counter workers | $37,710 |
| Bakers on payrolls | 6,270 |
| Median wage, bakers | $46,140 |
| Food service supervisors on payrolls | 20,700 |
Census CBP 2023 (NAICS 722515, 311811, 445299, 311920); BLS OEWS May 2025 (35-3023, 51-3011, 35-1012; payroll employees only).
What moves a Washington cafe's quote
Insurers look first at sales and the drink-to-food split, then seating and patio space, any drive-through window, baking, cooking, or roasting on site, espresso machine and equipment values, payroll, beer or wine, events and catering, and claims history round out the picture.
Further reading: a cafe day, hour by hour and cost factors.
Regulators
The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner oversees insurers and agents. Food establishment permits, inspections, and sidewalk seating permits are handled by health departments and cities.
Washington city pages
Sorted by the share of workers who commute by public transit (ACS), highest first.
- Seattle
- Lynnwood
- Bremerton
- Shoreline
- Burien
- Redmond
- Bellevue
- Federal Way
- Kent
- Tacoma
- Renton
- Edmonds
- Everett
- Kirkland
- Bothell
- Bellingham
- Lakewood
- Spokane
- Sammamish
- Auburn
- Olympia
- Marysville
- Puyallup
- Lacey
- Kennewick
- Vancouver
- Spokane Valley
- Richland
- Pasco
- Yakima
Cafe coverage and guides
- Hot beverage burns and liability
- Espresso machines and equipment breakdown
- Business owners policy for cafes
- In-house coffee roasting
- Workers' comp for cafes
- Spoilage and utility interruption
- A cafe day, hour by hour
- Wi-Fi, card payments, and cyber coverage
- Allergens and bakery labeling
- What affects cafe insurance cost
- Cafe application checklist
Other Washington communities by county
Cafes anywhere in Washington can request a quote. Remaining communities, by county, largest first:
Adams County: Othello, Ritzville, Lind, Washtucna, Hatton
Asotin County: Clarkston, Asotin
Benton County: West Richland, Prosser, Benton City
Chelan County: Wenatchee, Chelan, Cashmere, Leavenworth, Entiat
Clallam County: Port Angeles, Sequim, Forks
Clark County: Camas, Battle Ground, Washougal, Ridgefield, La Center, Yacolt
Columbia County: Dayton, Starbuck
Cowlitz County: Longview, Kelso, Woodland, Kalama, Castle Rock
Douglas County: East Wenatchee, Bridgeport, Rock Island, Waterville, Mansfield
Ferry County: Republic
Franklin County: Connell, Mesa, Kahlotus
Garfield County: Pomeroy
Grant County: Moses Lake, Ephrata, Quincy, Mattawa, Warden, Royal City, Soap Lake, George, Grand Coulee, Electric City, Coulee City, Wilson Creek, Hartline, Krupp
Grays Harbor County: Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Ocean Shores, Montesano, Elma, Westport, McCleary, Cosmopolis, Oakville
Island County: Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Langley
Jefferson County: Port Townsend
King County: Issaquah, SeaTac, Des Moines, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Kenmore, Covington, Woodinville, Snoqualmie, Lake Forest Park, Enumclaw, Newcastle, Duvall, North Bend, Pacific, Black Diamond, Normandy Park, Algona, Clyde Hill, Medina, Carnation, Yarrow Point, Hunts Point, Beaux Arts Village, Skykomish
Kitsap County: Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard, Poulsbo
Kittitas County: Ellensburg, Cle Elum, Kittitas, Roslyn, South Cle Elum
Klickitat County: Goldendale, White Salmon, Bingen
Lewis County: Centralia, Chehalis, Winlock, Napavine, Morton, Mossyrock, Toledo, Vader, Pe Ell
Lincoln County: Davenport, Wilbur, Odessa, Reardan, Sprague, Harrington, Almira, Creston
Mason County: Shelton
Okanogan County: Omak, Okanogan, Brewster, Oroville, Coulee Dam, Tonasket, Twisp, Pateros, Winthrop, Riverside, Elmer City, Nespelem, Conconully
Pacific County: Raymond, South Bend, Long Beach, Ilwaco
Pend Oreille County: Newport, Ione, Metaline Falls, Cusick, Metaline
Pierce County: University Place, Bonney Lake, Edgewood, Gig Harbor, Fife, Sumner, DuPont, Orting, Milton, Fircrest, Steilacoom, Buckley, Eatonville, Ruston, Roy, Carbonado, Wilkeson, South Prairie
San Juan County: Friday Harbor
Skagit County: Mount Vernon, Anacortes, Sedro-Woolley, Burlington, La Conner, Concrete, Lyman, Hamilton
Skamania County: Stevenson, North Bonneville
Snohomish County: Lake Stevens, Mountlake Terrace, Arlington, Mukilteo, Mill Creek, Monroe, Snohomish, Stanwood, Sultan, Brier, Granite Falls, Gold Bar, Darrington, Woodway, Index
Spokane County: Liberty Lake, Cheney, Airway Heights, Deer Park, Medical Lake, Millwood, Rockford, Fairfield, Spangle, Latah, Waverly
Stevens County: Colville, Chewelah, Kettle Falls, Springdale, Northport, Marcus
Thurston County: Tumwater, Yelm, Rainier, Tenino, Bucoda
Wahkiakum County: Cathlamet
Walla Walla County: Walla Walla, College Place, Waitsburg, Prescott
Whatcom County: Lynden, Ferndale, Blaine, Everson, Sumas, Nooksack
Whitman County: Pullman, Colfax, Palouse, Tekoa, St. John, Rosalia, Albion, Garfield, Colton, Uniontown, Oakesdale, Endicott, LaCrosse, Malden, Farmington, Lamont
Yakima County: Sunnyside, Grandview, Toppenish, Selah, Union Gap, Moxee, Wapato, Granger, Zillah, Mabton, Tieton, Naches, Harrah
Cafe questions: Washington
Is cafe insurance required in Washington?
Liability coverage is rarely a state mandate for cafes. In practice, landlords, sidewalk seating permits, and equipment lessors ask for it, and hiring staff brings the state's workers' comp law into play.
How many coffee shops are there in Washington?
The Census Bureau's 2023 business count found 3,088 snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars, the Census category for coffee shops, with employees in Washington in 2023.
Which Washington agency oversees insurers?
Insurers answer to the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, while food permits and inspections are handled by state and local health departments.
Does a Washington cafe need equipment breakdown coverage?
It is optional but common, because property policies usually exclude mechanical breakdown of espresso machines and refrigeration.
Data on this page: Census Bureau business counts for 2023, BLS wage estimates for May 2025, and five-year ACS commuting tables.
Price coverage for my Washington cafe
Last updated October 15, 2026 · How we research