The pandemic has created supply chain issues worldwide, from propane tanks to tapioca balls. And now, it seems that the restaurant industry is suffering a widespread dearth of workers, resulting in some establishments having to cut back on operating hours.
Workers that are still on the roster and coming in for their shifts are increasingly reporting feelings stressed, overworked, and burnt out.
“It’s been pretty difficult,” said Jason Bustillos, the general manager at Fire Fish Grill in Santa Cruz. “A lot of people left the restaurant and just haven’t really returned, and a lot of the staff we do get is very young,” and that often translates to a lack of experience, he said.
Some servers are finding themselves working 10 to 12 hours shifts, and the stress can be too much.
"We’ve lost a few people," said Chris Racker, a chef at Stagnaro Bros. on the wharf in Santa Cruz. "Right now we’re at the point where we’re actually scaling down."
And that’s just for the retail windows where they sell seafood directly to customers, their actual restaurant with indoor dining has been closed for the past year and a half.
A reopening was planned, but has stalled because of the lack of available workers. "It’s hard to find people to work in the restaurant," said one employee, Tim, who works the retail window.
Some restaurants have even closed for short periods to allow for their employees to take mental health breaks.
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