NAPLES, Fla. — You might have noticed it's still taking longer to get a table or takeout at your local restaurants lately as the worker shortage continues to be an issue.
Restaurant owners say they have plenty of job openings — they just can’t find people to fill them. And it's not about wages.
One of the owners at The Hangout restaurant in Naples says his employees are facing another challenge that affects whether they can stay working in the area at all.
"A lot of employees say they have to leave because they just can’t afford to live here any longer,” said Larry Falisi, co-owner of The Hangout restaurant. “Meanwhile, I’m paying pretty high wages for minimum job requirements. Dish washers are making 14 to 15 dollars an hour.”
He's not alone. that's why a new restaurant, Food and Thought 2 in Naples, held a job fair this week. Instead of waiting for people to apply, they invited them to interview on site.
Even then, the general manager says it's not easy to find candidates.
“It is a bit difficult,” Food & Thought 2 general manager and chef Daniel Kniola said of hiring. “We’re having a little bit situation finding culinary talent to support back of house.”
The restaurant is still short of its goal of hiring 140 employees by opening day.
But managers know it could be worse. Assistant manager Jesus Blas says the stresses of the worker shortage at other places may push more candidates their way.
“I hear that there are a lot of troubles,” Blas said of staffing shortages in Naples. “I have a lot friends in the food industry. Some ask to come join our company because they find themselves working more than what used to, and the amount of stress put on them.”
That shortage of workers has combined with a growing number of restaurants. Raena Hobson, the sous chef at the new Food & Thought says it's a problem of timing and simple math.
“The amount of restaurants popping up versus the work force that’s available — it’s more difficult to find the service staff needed to fill those positions,” Hobson said.
And those positions are demanding, even in the best of times.
“The restaurant industry is a tough business,” Hobson said. “Maybe people got tired of it and wanted to find different avenues to work in.”
FOX4 tried to get comment from multiple restaurants at River Reach Plaza at the corner of Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads in Naples. However, because of staffing shortages, most the managers and owners were too busy working to talk.
