Understaffed, across the board (er, plate)

There are more restaurant positions than there are staff to fill them. And if a restaurant can’t find staff, it can’t provide the service.

Is it just a supply + demand problem? In part, yes. Although local veteran restaurateurs also associated “problems with the younger generation of workers” and a “general negative attitude towards service industry jobs.”

• Steve Seitz, Table 301 Restaurant’s CEO said that this spring when Jianna opened, they pulled staff from their 8 other restaurants to fill the gaps. “We cannibalized ourselves.”

• Chai Eang, Basil Thai owner only hired only one staff member from Greenville. The rest were from Columbia and Charlotte (other Basil Thai locations), who he put up in a hotel here.

• Chad Gangwer, of LTO Burger Bar + Southern Culture, said he used to be able to “pick and choose” employees. Now, he “has to buy in bulk.”

Some organizations are playing a part in helping train the future workforce, like the Culinary Arts Institute at Greenville Tech, Bob Jones University’s culinary arts program, Project Host, Johnson and Wales in Charlotte, and Virginia College in Charleston which provides kitchen staff for many local restaurants. 👏

What are your thoughts? Let us know + read more at Upstate Business Journal.

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