I just had a conversation with a friend who was trying to schedule her regular landscaper, and he said he and others he knows are having a very hard time finding and keeping employees right now. I think you’ve hit on a couple of reasons why, and then you add to the fact that for some people, unemployment benefits are paying more than they were previously earning (or at least guaranteeing more each week), and the combo is hurting a variety of businesses.
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The increased unemployment benefit is definitely the problem right now. some people may be concerned with their safety, but take away the safety net of overpayment of unemployment and I guarantee they’d be back at work.
I know people in a few different industries not being able to find workers at the 20 to $22 an hour range.
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Not to put too fine a point on the current employment situation - but it is economics 101 - SUPPLY & DEMAND. Seems it might be time to reexamine your business model and consider raising salaries.
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When you have a made up competitor in the market, the government handing out free money, supply and demand go out the window. To keep this on food topic, do you think restaurants can afford to pay everyone north of $20/hr and remain competitive?
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Can they remain competitive? That all depends on our old, reliable friend Darwin. Those who put together the right balance of location, product, venue and staff will prosper. Others, less so. Adapt or die.
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Very good historical context. Thank you for sharing that.
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Some restaurants are so desperate for help that they are offering signing bonuses of up to $200 or $300, and are still unable to find any help. McDonalds even offered $50 just for a job interview and couldn’t even get any scammers 
People are making more on the extra unemployment checks then they would make busting their asses at a restaurant.
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Add in tax refunds/recent stimulus checks and there you have it.
The problem is that we as a society do not put much value on physical labor --unless it’s ours, of course. Who here would work as a waitperson ( or a farm laborer) if they had any choice? What is hitting restaurants now has been a food production problem for years. The reason food is so cheap here compared to, say, Europe, is that we have a pool of undocumented immigrants to do that work, and much as people claim they want to end that, no one is willing to do what it would take (i.e., throw the people who knowingyemploy them in jail).
Just as we say we want to stop climate change but keep over-consuming (everything, not just food). I am not claiming to be blameless here either.
We are, I suspect, going to need to get used to higher restaurant prices.
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How would you determine if an employer “knowingly” employed someone who was here illegally?
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Well, if they are the ones providing false IDs (as was apparently the case at Agriprocessors), that’s a good clue.
That’s a rather specific example to set a basis for throwing “all” owners into jail for an act they might not have been aware of. Were you aware it’s illegal for an employer to inquire as to the legal status of someone’s citizenship? Did know you don’t need to be a citizen or have any proof of residency to get a social security or tax id number? Did you also know that once you employ someone, if you find out they are not in the country “legally” you also cannot terminate their employment for that fact alone?
It’s extremely easy for people who might have questionable immigration standing in this country to get the appropriate documents for gainful employment. Literally very easy. From that point employers hands are tied in what exact questions or vetting they can do in the interview and hiring process.
ETA (nothing I’m saying is to support illegal hiring / employment practices. Having walked in those shoes, I just find a flippant comment about throwing all “knowing” employers in jail to be a bit illogical on face value. It’s simply not that easy for an employer to actual verify these things even if they wanted to. They could wind up in more trouble than it’s worth. Just sayin’…from experience)
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This indeed. We are used to low prices at the grocery store too.
This is a statistical exercise. At what multiple of the cost of a meal at home are you willing to absorb in order to eat out? Utility is the variable…aka “enjoyment”. Home cooked vs McDonalds may favor fast food expense-wise, but you bought the difference with shame. However, if we can get our home chef on with no premium on alcohol for one quarter of a night out…adjusted for “mean service and quality of food”…our feet will do the voting.
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From their Facebook page 17 hours ago:
Thank you so much for all of your love, support, and patience! We are opening back up today at limited capacity. All reservations for this week will be honored (
) and we are taking very few additional reservations. Once the new team is situated we will open up Resy. In the meantime, we’d tell you to call, but our phone systems are down (can’t make this stuff up!) so please hang tight and if you need to get ahold of us with a time sensitive issue please send us a DM or email info(at)nettiesrestaurant.com. See you soon 
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Wait a second, I can’t drink while I’m cooking at home? F*ck that I’m quitting too!! You can’t pay me enough to work under those conditions!!! I’m on STRIKE !!!
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Exactly why my food life has changed so much. Can’t beat the restaurant experience at a place you love, but oh so much money to be saved (mainly on alcohol).
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Our “miscellaneous” spending (food and restaurants, but other store shopping as well, e.g. clothing at Costco) dropped by 25% last year.
We sent a good-sized chunk of it to our local food banks. Not everyone is doing okay, and with rising food prices, they will need help more than ever.
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As somebody coming from Germany I would wish the restaurant prices would be as cheap as in Europe. No idea why you think food prices in the US are cheaper than in Europe when it is the other way around. When I go to a restaurant in Germany and order similar dishes with comparable quality I normally pay about 20–40% less than I would do in the US. Similar with buying ingredients in the supermarket like meat, milk, bread, vegetables etc.
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In my travels throughout the Mediterranean I have found food to be fresher, cheaper, less processed than here.
Can’t vouch for Europe as I have limited experience .Can’t wait to get back to Lisbon, best seafood & inexpensive wine I have experienced.
Also if you know where to go Florence Italy is an amazing food experience. They put us to shame as far as quality & price.
As a primer watch Stanley Tucci’s shows on CNN & of course Anthony Bourdain’s various shows are an excellent primer for people looking to move on from American hype that our food experience is amazing. It’s ok but go eat a pizza in Sicily or a burger in Positano for a truly amazing meal.
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