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Restaurants Statewide Having Trouble Finding Enough Staff For Summer

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Ohio’s restaurant and bar owners say they expect business to pick up this summer. But they are worried about having enough employees to handle the business.

Annes Kitchen, Powell, Ohio
Annes Kitchen, Powell, Ohio [Jo Ingles | Statehouse News Bureau]
Ohio Restaurant Association President John Barker said restaurant and bar owners are telling him they’re having a hard time trying to hire enough staff to deal with the expected return of customers this summer.

“We cannot talk to an operator who says they are not having trouble hiring people right now,” Barker said.

He said, in many cases, low pay is not the issue. And he claims lots of bar and restaurant employees are paid far more than minimum wage.

Many business owners claim they simply cannot afford to pay employees more without raising menu prices to offset the costs, thereby making their businesses uncompetitive and unsustainable.