But I don't think that explains the dearth of front line employees in fast food, retail, etc. Very few boomers held those positions. Our favorite family owned Mexican restaurant has had to open only for lunch - closes down for supper. Can't find help. They had plenty of employees (not boomers) before. Where did they all go?
When restaurants and small business establishments were forced to close due to the outrageous government lockdowns, many of the entry-level and semi-skilled employees who worked in those places went to work for larger establishments that didn’t close. If you have local restaurants in your area that can’t find help, I’ll bet most of their prospective employees are already working at Walmart, Amazon or FedEx.