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Only 49% of restaurant operators said they plan to grow their staffing levels this year, down from 60% in 2025, according to Toast's Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey.
However, 48% said they plan to keep the same number of staff, an increase of 10 points compared to last year, per the survey of 676 operators.
This shift indicates that retaining talent, rather than hiring new workers, is becoming more important for the restaurant industry as key measures of labor turnover have stabilized.
The unemployment rate in accommodation and food service has hovered between 5% and 7% in recent months, reaching a low of 5.6% in July, suggesting that restaurants aren't reducing their staff counts, unlike other industries.
#staff
Only 49% of restaurant operators said they plan to grow their staffing levels this year, down from 60% in 2025, according to Toast's Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey.
However, 48% said they plan to keep the same number of staff, an increase of 10 points compared to last year, per the survey of 676 operators.
This shift indicates that retaining talent, rather than hiring new workers, is becoming more important for the restaurant industry as key measures of labor turnover have stabilized.
The unemployment rate in accommodation and food service has hovered between 5% and 7% in recent months, reaching a low of 5.6% in July, suggesting that restaurants aren't reducing their staff counts, unlike other industries.
#staff
2 months ago
