Well, it's no secret COVID hit
the restaurant industry hard.
According to preliminary data fm
the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
job growth in the restaurant industry fell
in June after 29 months in a row of job
gains following the height of the pandemic.
Many Western New York
restaurants are still strugglin.
To find workers.
And that's why joining me live now is
Buffalo Business First reporter Tracy Drury,
who covers the restaurant indus.
Thank you for being here.
You wrote an article this
week highlighting just how hard
it is right now for restaurant
owners to actually find workers.
What are some of the specific examples
they gave you of just what the challenges
are that they're facing right n?
Sure, a lot of restaurants
are cutting back their hours.
You've probably seen some of
your favorites where you used
to get lunch or dinner who are
now having only one service.
That's partly because they might
just do one shift for the day
and it helps them manage their
workforce a little bit better.
In some cases, the owners are
getting behind the grill themse.
They're having to do some of the cooking.
So yeah, it's definitely a litte
bit tougher than it has been.
They're struggling.
And there are some cases where
I think you wrote that like
50 people would apply and.
10 or 12 would sign up for
interviews and then a lot of
people just wouldn't show up. Ty
just don't show up.
And we're seeing that with a lof
industries and not just restaur,
but remember the restaurant industry,
especially those who are the back of house,
the people in the kitchen,
those are not easy jobs.
It's hot, it's stuffy.
It's, you know,
it's just not an easy job.
So it's hard to get people back there,
especially for dishwashers and
other back of house positions.
Yeah, especially when
you're first starting out.
Some restaurant owners started
paying people more since the pandemic
and minimum wage has gone up.
In New York State, since then,
why do people in the industry
think that these higher wages
are not attracting more people?
Well, again, everyone is hiring
no matter what industry you're .
So if you can get a job doing something,
or maybe you're in a different situation,
maybe it's cooler with air conditioning,
or maybe you're just getting a higher
rate of pay at a different job that may
be more attractive to the workf.
So they're just not getting
as many people showing up.
And people have more choices
because a lot more choices.
A lot of places are hiring right now.
There are also other things that
restaurant owners are doing bess
bumping the pay up to lure people in.
What are some of those things
I'm hearing of places that are offering
benefits like many other employers will do?
So you'll see some for one K
you'll see some health benefits.
You're also seeing some that are
providing some help with colleg.
We did a piece last year on Elmo
Taco and Subs that's providing e
college assistance for their employees.
So they're really doing whatever they
can and just trying to treat pee
really well so that they want to come
to work and maybe we'll pass ona
referral to a friend or family member.
So they'll apply as well.
And part of it too is people,
I think are a lot more open
talking about these things now.
And maybe even just two or three
years ago they weren't talking t
salaries or benefits like they are now.
So I feel like that taboo Ness
of it absolutely a little bit.
How worried are restaurant ownes
about the staffing situations,
especially the ones that have
already cut back on service?
I know there are a lot of our favorite
places that used to do like full menu,
really late at night and
especially when I work nights.
That was really cool and they've
cut back on that because they jt
don't have the staff to do it.
So what other changes are
restaurant owners making?
Well, you're seeing they're cutg
back a little bit on the menus.
That's partly to deal not only
with the with the hiring situat,
but also with the high price
of different ingredients.
So fewer menu items means fewer
ingredients they need to buy.
You're seeing restaurants that e
they're shuffling employees betn
locations if they have more than one,
if those workers want to work ea
shifts or at the other location.
So they're trying to be
as flexible as they can,
but there's only so much you
can do when there aren't new
people coming in the door.
It's such a tough industry no matter what.
And then you add the pandemic
on to it and all the challenges.
Right now, it just makes it even tougher.
If people want to check out
your work, where can they go?
buffalo.bizjournals.com.
We're on Facebook and Instagram
and other social media.
LinkedIn as well, so you can
find us all over online and
of course in print every week.
Tracy Jury from Buffalo Business first.
Thank you for joining us tonigh.
Thanks for having me. Sure.