Labor Shortage at Restaurants

West Michigan restaurants temporarily close due to labor shortage

BUSINESSES ACROSS WEST MICHIGANARE STILL DEALING WITH ASHORTAG EOF WORKERS BUTEXPERTS SAY IT'S RESTAURANTSTHAT ARE HAVING THE HARDEST TIMEGETTING BACTK O FULL STAFF.FOX 17's LAUREN KUMMER SPOKE TOA SMALL BUINSESS CONSULTANT TOSEE THE IMPACT IT'S HAVINGLOCALLY.Lauren StandUp: FISHER LAKE INNHERE I NTHREE RIVERS IS JUST ONEOF THE RESTAURANTS HAVING TOTEMPORARILYCLOSE ITS DOORS DUE TO A LABORSHORTAGE.A SMALL BUSINESS CONSULTANTSAYING IT'S HAPPENING ALLAROUND MICHIGAN AND EVEN THECOUNTRY.BUTT HERE IS SOMEHOPE GOING FORWARD.

John SchmittMichigan Small BusinessDevelopment CenterWhen businesses have beencloseddown, we can't just flip aswitch and expecteverything's gonna open rightaway.7s RESTAURANTS ACROSS WESTMICHIGAN CHANGING THEIRMODELS FOR THE LAST 16 MONTHSTHROHUG OPENING, CLOSING,TAKEOUTAND CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS.NOW.MANY ARE WORKING TO BRINGSTAFF FULLY BACK, BUT IT HASN'TBEENEASY.

Schmitt -Nobody has got the exactanswer.

There's,you know, a lot of schools ofthought.One school of thought is thatwith theenhanced unemployment benefitsthat would rather not, you know,stay home and they're gettingthe check.Others feel that, you know,lobby, therestaurant industry is astressful business.19s WITH THAT STRESS, MANY OFTHOSEEMPLOYEES HAVE MOVED TO OTHERINDUSTRIES.SCHMITT SAYING ANOTHER THOUGHTBEING UNTIL KIDS GO BACK TOSCHOOL MANY FAMILIES ARE WITHOUTCHILDCARE.

ALL OF THISCONTRIBUTING TO THE LABORSHORTAGE ANDR ESTAURANTSTHEY'RE HAVING TO ADJUST.Schmitt -Resturaants are just trying to,you know, they don't want todowngrade their product.

Soconsequently,restaurants are shrinking theirhours.Some restaurants, even thoughthey canbe 100% occupied.14s SOME KEEPING A LOWERCAPACITYOR EVEN CLOSING CERTAIN DAYS TOPRESERVE STAFF FOR OTHERS.LIKE FISHER LAKE INN IN THEERRIVERS WHO ANNOUNCED ITWOULD CLOSE DOWN THURSDAY ANDFRIDAY DUE TO A LABORSHORTAGE.

Jeff Truckey GeneralManager/Owner, Fisher Lake InnI'm about 80-85% staffed up formysummer season, so we are makingit work.Periodiaclly though, staff can'twork, and if Idon't have enough staff tooperate thebusiness then I can't open.14sOTHERS LIKE.CENTRAL CITYTAPHOUSE, OWNED BYMILLENNIUM GROUP, CLOSING ITSDOORS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICETO MOVE STAFF TO OTHERRESTAURANT LOCATIONS.Those are the factors that arestaurantowner can control.

You can'tcontrolcustomers, and you can't controlpeoplecoming in to apply for work,necessarily.10s Lauren Tag: SCHMITT SAYSHE ISCONFIDENT THE LABOR SHORTAGEWILL START TO RESOLVE ITLFSEWITHIN THE NEXT FOUR, FIVE ANDSIXMONTHS.

IF YOU'RE CURRENTLYLOOKING FOR A JOB, CHECK YOURLOCALRESTAURANTS FACEBOOK PAGES ANDWEBSITES TO SEE IF THEY'REHIRING.REPORTING IN KALAMAZOO, LAURENKUMMER, FOX 17 NEWS.