Restaurants across the nation are understaffed with no signs of relief, and Illinois is no exception.
Illinois Restaurant Association president and CEO Sam Toia says that, although restaurants are doing what they can to keep their head above water, they are still going through the thick of it.
“Overall, restaurants are on a path to recovery, but it’s still a very difficult time, as many face two years at best with higher food costs, supply issues and staffing challenges,” Toia told The Center Square.
Toia recently received data from the National Restaurant Association that shows Illinois restaurants are currently understaffed with 57% of operators saying their restaurant is greater than 10% below necessary staffing levels and 19% of operators are currently greater than 20% below necessary staffing levels.
“In Illinois, we know that 87% of Illinois operators say the restaurants are less profitable now than they were in 2019. And at 75% of operation, a restaurant currently does not have enough employees to support its existing customer demand,” he said.
Toia says the restaurant industry isn’t alone when it comes to losing team members to other industries like cannabis, third-party delivery and distribution centers. Illinois is also seeing a reduction in staffing levels in sectors like health care and transportation.
“What we do know is that restaurants are doing everything in their effort to bounce back from the pandemic and they’re offering bonuses for people to come to work, health care, different things for employees to come back to work,” Toia said.
Tioa hopes Democrats and Republicans can come together to pass bipartisan legislation regarding immigration reform to help with staffing shortages. He also asks that customers try to be understanding the next time they visit their favorite Illinois restaurant.
“If you’re enjoying one of your favorite restaurants because restaurants are the soul of every neighborhood,” Tioa said. “Give the wait people, give the busboys, give the cooks a little more time than you usually did before the pandemic.”
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