Seasonal hiring driven by diverse workforce, including a notable return of younger employees
A summer restaurant job isn’t just about earning a paycheck – it’s about building skills that last a lifetime. Whether it’s a teenager taking on their first job or a college student returning for another season, restaurants are where millions learn how to work with a team, solve problems, and stay cool under pressure.
According to the National Restaurant Association’s 27th annual Eating and Drinking Place Summer Employment Forecast, restaurants are projected to add 490,000 jobs this summer. The increase is fueled by a stronger labor pool, especially teens and young adults, returning to the workforce in numbers not seen in years.
“Restaurant jobs teach communication, adaptability, attention to detail, and teamwork – skills that set employees up for success, whether they stay in the restaurant industry or take these lessons into other professions,” said Michelle Korsmo, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “With 6.2 million teens in the labor force this April – the highest level in over 15 years – restaurants are poised to benefit from a strong pipeline of talent heading into the summer season.”
Restaurants are the largest employer of teens, providing jobs to 1.9 million 16-19-year-olds – about one-third of all working teens. That group grew to more than 6.2 million in the labor force this April, offering a key boost to seasonal hiring.
For operators like Jeff Gosnear, President of Grotto Pizza, these summer hires are the backbone of the busy season. His company, which operates 22 locations across Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, grows from 900 employees in the off-season to about 1,600 during the summer.
“A lot of our managers started as summer employees,” said Gosnear, who got his start in restaurants as a 16-year-old dishwasher. “Today, more than half of our management team began their careers at Grotto as teenagers. One of our vice presidents started as a pizza maker at 16 and has been with us for nearly four decades.”
Gosnear says this year is shaping up to be Grotto Pizza’s first fully staffed summer since before the pandemic, a milestone that reflects both an improved labor pool and the ongoing draw of summer restaurant work. “We’re seeing people come back to the industry in a real way,” he added. “The intensity of summer service, the sense of camaraderie, the pace – for a lot of people, it’s addictive in the best way.”
Summer hiring will be strongest in Northeastern states, including Maine, Alaska, Delaware, and Rhode Island, which are projected to see the largest proportional increases in restaurant employment. Restaurants remain the country’s second-largest source of seasonal jobs, behind only the construction industry.
Read the full Summer Employment Forecast, including a state-by-state breakdown, here.