The future of restaurant labour: evidence from the U.S. restaurants

Abstract

This study contributes to the literature by delving into the perspectives of restaurant employees and managers in the USA about the future of restaurant labour. Through a qualitative research approach, we conducted 25 semi-structured interviews with employees and managers. The findings reveal the challenges of restaurant labour, including high turnover rates due to long hours and working during holidays and weekends, lack of work-life balance, and high levels of stress and pressure on employees. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the future of restaurant labour are extracted as restaurant operations-related, management-related, employee-related, and patron-related impacts. Finally, this research highlights the requirements for the future of restaurant labour, which are requirements to enhance the quality of working conditions and decrease the turnover rate and requirements to sustain in the restaurant industry as an employee.