Research
May 02, 2025
Total restaurant industry jobs
Restaurant operators are becoming more cautious with their workforce expansion plans, while still retaining existing employees.
Eating and drinking places* added a net 16,600 jobs in April on a seasonally-adjusted basis, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That followed an upward-revised gain of more than 30,000 jobs in March – the largest monthly increase since December 2024.
The resumption of restaurant employment growth was a welcomed rebound from the 66,000 jobs lost during the first 2 months of 2025. However, despite the recent gains, eating and drinking place payrolls were still down 19,000 jobs since the beginning of the year – a significant deterioration from the healthy gains during the second half of 2024.
Other data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that the soft patch in January and February was the result of a slowdown in the rate of hiring – rather than an outright elimination of jobs.
The overall separations rate in the combined restaurants and accommodations sector averaged 5.3% in January and February, according to data from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). That was identical to the average separations rate during the second half of 2024, when restaurants added more than 140,000 jobs.
Within separations, the average monthly rates of employees quitting (3.9%) and being laid off (1.2%) were also on par with their second half of 2024 levels.
Meanwhile, the first 2 months of 2025 saw a slowdown in the hospitality sector’s hiring rate. The monthly hiring rate – which represents the number of employees hired divided by the total number of jobs – averaged 5.1% in January and February. That was well below the 5.6% average monthly hiring rate during the second half of 2024.
While the industry’s hiring rate ticked up to 5.3% in March, it was still dampened compared to 2024 levels. Taken together, this suggests that restaurant operators are continuing to focus on retaining their existing employees, while at the same time are becoming more cautious with their workforce expansion plans.
Even with the losses at the beginning of 2025, the size of the restaurant workforce remained above pre-pandemic levels. As of April 2025, eating and drinking place employment was 61,400 jobs (or 0.5%) above February 2020 readings.
Fullservice segment down 256k jobs from pre-pandemic level
Within the restaurant industry, the limited-service segments continue to post the strongest job growth.
The coffee and snack segment has led the way throughout the recovery from pandemic-induced job losses. As of March 2025, employment at snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars – including coffee, donut and ice cream shops – was nearly 165,000 jobs (or 20.4%) above March 2020 readings.
Employee counts at quickservice and fast casual restaurants were 111,000 jobs (or 2.4%) above pre-pandemic levels.
In contrast, fullservice restaurant employment levels were 256,000 jobs (or 4.5%) below pre-pandemic readings, as of March 2025.
[Note that the segment-level employment figures are lagged by one month, so March 2025 is the most current data available.]
Restaurant job growth uneven across states
Fully 5 years after the onset of the pandemic in the U.S., restaurant staffing levels remain below pre-pandemic readings in 21 states and the District of Columbia.
In 5 of those states – West Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois and Vermont – eating and drinking employment is more than 4% below February 2020 levels.
In contrast, restaurant employment in several of the mountain states has soared well beyond pre-pandemic levels. This group is led by Idaho (+13%), Utah (+12%), Montana (+11%), Nevada (+10%) and Arizona (+8%).
View the latest employment data for every state.
*Eating and drinking places are the primary component of the total restaurant and foodservice industry, providing jobs for roughly 80% of the total restaurant and foodservice workforce of more than 15.7 million.
Track more economic indicators and read more analysis and commentary from the Association's economists.
The resumption of restaurant employment growth was a welcomed rebound from the 66,000 jobs lost during the first 2 months of 2025. However, despite the recent gains, eating and drinking place payrolls were still down 19,000 jobs since the beginning of the year – a significant deterioration from the healthy gains during the second half of 2024.
Other data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that the soft patch in January and February was the result of a slowdown in the rate of hiring – rather than an outright elimination of jobs.
The overall separations rate in the combined restaurants and accommodations sector averaged 5.3% in January and February, according to data from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). That was identical to the average separations rate during the second half of 2024, when restaurants added more than 140,000 jobs.
Within separations, the average monthly rates of employees quitting (3.9%) and being laid off (1.2%) were also on par with their second half of 2024 levels.
Meanwhile, the first 2 months of 2025 saw a slowdown in the hospitality sector’s hiring rate. The monthly hiring rate – which represents the number of employees hired divided by the total number of jobs – averaged 5.1% in January and February. That was well below the 5.6% average monthly hiring rate during the second half of 2024.
While the industry’s hiring rate ticked up to 5.3% in March, it was still dampened compared to 2024 levels. Taken together, this suggests that restaurant operators are continuing to focus on retaining their existing employees, while at the same time are becoming more cautious with their workforce expansion plans.
Even with the losses at the beginning of 2025, the size of the restaurant workforce remained above pre-pandemic levels. As of April 2025, eating and drinking place employment was 61,400 jobs (or 0.5%) above February 2020 readings.
Fullservice segment down 256k jobs from pre-pandemic level
Within the restaurant industry, the limited-service segments continue to post the strongest job growth.
The coffee and snack segment has led the way throughout the recovery from pandemic-induced job losses. As of March 2025, employment at snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars – including coffee, donut and ice cream shops – was nearly 165,000 jobs (or 20.4%) above March 2020 readings.
Employee counts at quickservice and fast casual restaurants were 111,000 jobs (or 2.4%) above pre-pandemic levels.
In contrast, fullservice restaurant employment levels were 256,000 jobs (or 4.5%) below pre-pandemic readings, as of March 2025.
[Note that the segment-level employment figures are lagged by one month, so March 2025 is the most current data available.]
Restaurant job growth uneven across states
Fully 5 years after the onset of the pandemic in the U.S., restaurant staffing levels remain below pre-pandemic readings in 21 states and the District of Columbia.
In 5 of those states – West Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois and Vermont – eating and drinking employment is more than 4% below February 2020 levels.
In contrast, restaurant employment in several of the mountain states has soared well beyond pre-pandemic levels. This group is led by Idaho (+13%), Utah (+12%), Montana (+11%), Nevada (+10%) and Arizona (+8%).
View the latest employment data for every state.
*Eating and drinking places are the primary component of the total restaurant and foodservice industry, providing jobs for roughly 80% of the total restaurant and foodservice workforce of more than 15.7 million.
Track more economic indicators and read more analysis and commentary from the Association's economists.