Labor
What’s really behind the restaurant ‘labor shortage’?
The Dallas Morning News 5/18
In a sharp reversal, restaurants that once grappled with widespread pandemic-induced layoffs are now struggling to find enough workers to fill positions as diners return and business begins to rebound.
Masks ‘not optional’ for restaurant workers
Fast Casual 5/18
Although Americans all over the country are ditching their masks, restaurant employees can’t throw them out any time soon.
Food Industry Policy
The Pandemic Made Delivery a Necessity for Restaurants. What’s Next?
Modern Restaurant Management 5/18
But as reality of the pandemic sunk in and dining rooms remained closed, it became apparent that ordering delivery and takeout was the best way to help restaurants weather the storm — and there was a significant consumer appetite to do so. By August 2020, Americans reported ordering takeout 2.4 times a week, spending a total of $67 weekly since the start of the pandemic.
New CDC guidelines raise thorny questions about the future of masking at Bay Area restaurants
San Francisco Chronicle 5/18
That said, most Bay Area diners have obliged and caused no issues, according to several owners interviewed by The Chronicle. But many customers are asking restaurant staff questions about the CDC guidelines and whether restaurants’ masking policies will change soon. California officials announced Monday that the state would line up with the CDC guidance and drop its mask mandate on June 15.
On the Side
Restaurant Closures Now at 14% Despite Apocalyptic Predictions
Bloomberg 5/18
New data from the National Restaurant Association finds a sliver of good news for the industry.
Restaurant Sales Reach New Pandemic Peak
FSR Magazine 5/18
Food and drink places earned $64.9 billion in April, the highest sales month since the pandemic began in March 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
