Chicago restaurants are starting to hire again

As coronavirus vaccinations ramp up and city restrictions ease, restaurants and bars in Chicago have begun hiring again.

For the first time in several months, guests had lunch at The Dearborn (Loop) restaurant. The restaurant reopened on Wednesday, having been closed since November.

„Sitting and playing video games is not my life's ambition. It's great to be back to work,“ said Greg Samuels, manager.

The reopening also brings some hope for the future to co-owners Clodagh and Amy Lawless. „There is a little light at the end of the tunnel and we are moving towards it at a faster pace,“ said Clodagh Lawless.

The catering industry, first and foremost bars and restaurants, is beginning to recover, at least according to the February labor report. The report shows 286,000 new jobs nationwide, with three out of four in restaurants and bars.

Although that is an improvement, the industry still has about 3.5 million fewer jobs compared to the pre-pandemic period.

DineAmic is hiring at a dozen of its owned restaurants in the city, including Prime & Provisions (Loop).

Although Dearborn managed to bring back most of its staff, some restaurant workers moved on to other jobs. Bars and restaurants now have a higher demand for good industry employees.

„We launched ads and used social media to spread the news,“ said Steven Hartenstein of Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants.

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SOURCE: ABC 7 CHICAGO PHOTO: PEXELS