Restaurants are starting the new year with a problem that keeps coming up: not enough workers.
Chipotle said Thursday it’s looking to hire 15,000 people in North America to ensure its stores are staffed up ahead of its busy spring season. Other chains are also looking for workers: Taco Bell has more than 25,000 listings for crew members on its website, while Starbucks has posted more than 10,000 listings for baristas.
According to ApNews, The National Restaurant Association says that since the height of the pandemic, restaurants in the U.S. have added jobs for 24 months in a row. But there are still 3.6% fewer restaurant jobs than before the pandemic. This is the same as 450,000 jobs.
Companies laying off employees: See the link below…
- Microsoft Set To Lay off Thousands of Employees
- Amazon To Lay off Thousands of Employees, According To Linkedin Posts
In November, the association surveyed its members and found that 62% of restaurant owners said they didn’t have enough workers to meet customer demand. Eighty-seven percent of operators said they would hire more people in the next year if they can find qualified candidates, but 79% said they already have job openings that have been hard to fill.
Hudson Riehle, the senior vice president of research for the association, said that more jobs outside the restaurant industry, like delivery drivers, compete for the same workers. Even though restaurants are increasing pay and adding benefits, he doesn’t think the number of people working in the restaurant industry will return to where it was before the pandemic this year.
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