Restaurant Industry Predicts Record Growth, With Just 1 Problem: Workers

News Analysis U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that more than 70,000 restaurants closed because of the pandemic. But the restaurant industry’s rebound since 2022 has been inspiring. According to the State of the Restaurant Industry report from the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the food service industry could see a record $1.1 trillion in sales this year. But the question remains in a nation dealing with the “Great Resignation” employment dilemma: Where will the restaurant workers come from? “No doubt about it, labor is a big issue. Half of all restaurants are operating without a full staff, and 70 percent have positions that are hard to fill,” Peter Romeo, the editor at large for Restaurant Business, told The Epoch Times....