Restaurants have struggled to find qualified workers before the pandemic, but it was exacerbated by it.
As of 2023, the National Restaurant Association reported 400,000 fewer hospitality workers than in 2020, and 87% of restaurants had insufficient staff.
Restaurant employment reached pre-pandemic levels last year, but the Bureau of Labour Statistics reported nearly 1 million job openings.
Toast, an online ordering and reservation software company, reports that restaurants have the highest turnover rate in America at 74%
I moderated a hospitality conference panel last autumn where every leader admitted they didn't know where to find the workers they needed.
Some sarcastically hoped a recession would make people desperate enough to work in hospitality again.
In 2023, Toast found that bad managers were the top cause of restaurant staff turnover, followed by low pay, work schedules, culture, and growth opportunities.