'Finding good help is a difficult thing': Sacramento-area restaurant Mikuni closing Mondays due to worker shortage

A job fair that Mikuni hosted a couple of months ago resulted in only three applicants. The business is dangling incentives to fight a labor shortage.

A job fair that Mikuni hosted a couple of months ago resulted in only three applicants. The business is dangling incentives to fight a labor shortage.

HAVE BIG IMPACT ON OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES. MANY RESTAURANTS ARE STILL HAVING TROUBLE FINDING WORKERS TO KEEP THEIR BUSINESSES RUNNING. >> STEPHANIE LIN IS ODESI MCCURRY’ANZES STRTEE -- MCCURRY’S O J STREET. >> THERE IS A WAY TO GET IN, AND INSIDE, IT IS AND ABSOLUTE HUSSLE FOR THOSE WORKERS WHO ARE WORKING AT THIS RESTAURANT BECAUSE EYTH ARE SO SHORTSTAFFED. IT IS ANOTHER BUSY DAY FOR RESTAURANT WORKERS AT MACOMB EAST IN ROSEVILLE, SERVING UP FRESH SLICED SUSHI TO SERVE UP HUNGRY CUSTORSME -- WORKSER AT MCCOONEY’S. HE’S GRAPPLING WITH THE LATEST ROADBLOCTOK PLAY LOCAL EATERIES LIKE HIS. HE’S TALKING ABOUT THE ONGOING WORKER SHORTAGE, AND IT IS AIG ONE. >> EVERYWHERE YOU SEE, THERE ARE HELP-WANTED SIGNS. >> THE LACK OF TREXA HANDS PUTTING EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE CURRENT STAFF, OR SING THE SHTIF TO CSELO ALL NINE RESTAURANTS ON MONDAYS MOVINGOR FWARD. FROM SEPTEMBER 13 THRGHOU NOVEMBER 15. >> OURTA S HAS BEEN WORKING OVERTIME, DOUBLE OVERTE. SOME MANAGERS HAVE BEEN WASHING DISHES EVERY DAY. >> CHEF SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO ADD AT LEAST 20 OR 30 MORE OPLEPE PER LOCATION. >> I JTUS FEEL SO BAD FOR THE CUSTOMS WHEN THEY DO COME IN. >> LEANING HEAVILY ON LOCAL PATRONS, SEVERAL TELLING US THEY HAVE DINED HERE FOR OVER THE LAST DECADE. >> ONE OF THE TNGHIS I’M DOING WITH MY OWN BUDGET IS TO BE SMART ABOUT WHERE MY EXTRA MONEY ESGO AND SUPPORTING A BUSINESS I LOVE AND CHERISH. >> FINDING GOOD HELP IT SEEMS LIKE THATS I A DIFFICULT THING. YOU WANT TO SEE THE ECONOMY IN WHERE YOU LIVE THRIVE, SO I TRY TO SPEND THE MONEY THAT I EARNED IN THE AREAS THAT I LIVE. >>HE T MIKUNI RESTAURANT GROUP OFFENGRI 401)(K BONUSES AND GIFT CARDS AS AN INCENTIVE TO FIND MUCH-NEED HEDELP. >> I’M HOPEFUL. I’M NOT GOING TO STOP FIGHTG.IN WE ARE GOING TO GET THE.ER >> ANOTHER LIVE LOOK OUT HERE AT TH MIKUNI’S ON J STET.RE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, THEY DID HOLD A JOB FAIR AND ONLY GOT THREE APPLICANTS COMING OUT OF THAT, SO THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A LOT OF HELP. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED,OU Y CAN VISIT THEIR WEBSITE OR CHECK OUT THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR MORE INFORMATIO

'Finding good help is a difficult thing': Sacramento-area restaurant Mikuni closing Mondays due to worker shortage

A job fair that Mikuni hosted a couple of months ago resulted in only three applicants. The business is dangling incentives to fight a labor shortage.

Chef Taro Arai takes pride in coming up with creative solutions to grow his restaurant business, Mikuni. His ingenuity has driven over three decades of growth at Mikuni Restaurant Group, expanding the sushi eatery to nine different locations.But the pandemic is proving to be one of the biggest challenges yet. Like so many other local business operators, Arai is unable to find enough workers to staff his restaurants. "Seems every day we have to figure out a new way to operate the business," Arai said. "We have a good business, customers, but now we have no help."Arai added that the search for workers has gone on for months. A job fair that Mikuni hosted a couple of months ago resulted in only three applicants. The lack of extra hands continues to put pressure on current workers.Eight of the Sacramento region locations will be closing Mondays because of the worker shortage, the restaurant told KCRA 3. The Concord location will not be as the staffing crisis has not impacted that store."Our staff has been working overtime, double overtime, some managers washing dishes every day," Arai said. "I want to use this time to recruit and train for when we open 100% again. We're gonna use our time wisely."Right now each Mikuni restaurant is staffed with about 100 people. Arai says he'd like to add 20 to 30 more people per location. He's offering 401k benefits, higher wages, worker referral bonuses and even gift cards as incentives. "I'm hopeful, I'm not going to stop fighting," he said. "We're going to get there."

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

But the pandemic is proving to be one of the biggest challenges yet. Like so many other local business operators, Arai is unable to find enough workers to staff his restaurants.

"Seems every day we have to figure out a new way to operate the business," Arai said. "We have a good business, customers, but now we have no help."

Arai added that the search for workers has gone on for months. A job fair that Mikuni hosted a couple of months ago resulted in only three applicants. The lack of extra hands continues to put pressure on current workers.

Eight of the Sacramento region locations will be closing Mondays because of the worker shortage, the restaurant told KCRA 3. The Concord location will not be as the staffing crisis has not impacted that store.

"Our staff has been working overtime, double overtime, some managers washing dishes every day," Arai said. "I want to use this time to recruit and train for when we open 100% again. We're gonna use our time wisely."

Right now each Mikuni restaurant is staffed with about 100 people. Arai says he'd like to add 20 to 30 more people per location. He's offering 401k benefits, higher wages, worker referral bonuses and even gift cards as incentives.

"I'm hopeful, I'm not going to stop fighting," he said. "We're going to get there."

'Finding good help is a difficult thing': Sacramento-area restaurant Mikuni closing Mondays due to worker shortage

A job fair that Mikuni hosted a couple of months ago resulted in only three applicants. The business is dangling incentives to fight a labor shortage.

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