Restaurant Employment Up In All 50 States In May Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Restaurants typically increase staff during warm-weather months, but a recent report by the National Restaurant Association said that more than 510,000 seasonal restaurant jobs would not be there this year because of coronavirus. That said, a new report by the same organization shows that restaurant employment rose in all 50 states and D.C. in May.

A Look Inside and Outside Reopened Restaurants Across America

According to the data, eating and drinking establishment added approximately 1.4 million jobs — three times more than other industries that month. These numbers are reportedly still well below the pre-coronavirus peak, and most restaurant operators don't expect their staffing levels to return to what they were before the year ends.

Each state lost at least 28% of its workforce, due to COVID-19. Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Hampshire and New Jersey lost more than 60%. 

Looking at individual states, Texas added the most jobs with a net increase of 185,800, followed by Florida with 118,300, California with 95,000, New York with 58,600 and Tennessee with 53,700.

Although restaurants are open in many jurisdictions now, the experience will be different from what it was like pre-coronavirus. In addition to following the proper safety procedures, be patient with those who are waiting on you and now more than ever, make sure you tip them properly.