Posted on 05/06/2018 9:13:08 AM PDT by Theoria
A quarter-century ago, there were 56 teenagers in the labor force for every “limited service” restaurant — that is, the kind where you order at the counter.
Today, there are fewer than half as many, which is a reflection both of teenagers’ decreasing work force participation and of the explosive growth in restaurants.
But in an industry where cheap labor is an essential component in providing inexpensive food, a shortage of workers is changing the equation upon which fast-food places have long relied. This can be seen in rising wages, in a growth of incentives, and in the sometimes odd situations that business owners find themselves in.
This is why Jeffrey Kaplow, for example, spends a lot of time working behind the counter in his Subway restaurant in Lower Manhattan. It’s not what he pictured himself doing, but he simply doesn’t have enough employees.
Mr. Kaplow has tried everything he can think of to find workers, placing Craigslist ads, asking other franchisees for referrals, seeking to hire people from Subways that have closed.
Yet there he was during a recent lunchtime rush, ringing up veggie footlongs and fountain drinks. He feared that if the line grew too long, people might get frustrated and not come back.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Many are home in their bedrooms being on social media.
Translation: illegal aliens. Otherwise ICE woudn't bother them.
when i had my FF job, there were breakfast moms while their kid was in school. The bulk of us were teens and college students. Now there are adults working FF who think they should raise a family on minimum wage.
This (FF) was always a starter job. Unless u worked up to management.
Around here fast food employees are almost all Hispanic with limited English. A trip through the drive thru means your order won’t be what you wanted !
BS on the entire article. Many fast food jobs are now taken by adults.
Many are in formaldehyde having been sold by Planned Parenthood before they were born
Many are home in their bedrooms being on social media.
—
stoned out of their minds ...
They’ve been replaced by people who often look like they’ve just been released from prison. Ugly tattoos on their arms and hands and even uglier demeanors
Except for in n out, in SoCal they are all Hispanic adults.
Today’s teens are pampered little princesses and princes by their over indulgent parents. Work is a four letter word to them. Besides it would mean they’d have to take their noses out of the phones and that’s just a horrible terrible earth shattering idea.
US Civilian Labor Force Participation Rate, 16 years and older
Where? Up your... and to the left. - IJ
“Where Have All The Teenagers Gone?”
Look! The New York Times is advertising for new employees!
I opened at 5 am and worked through the lunch hour on weekends in high school. The only adult employee in the small café was the cook.
I hate it when FReepers rag on all young people. How are you geezers with your harsh dismissiveness of youth somehow morally superior to young people?
The other day we were out of town so stopped in at Whataburger. It took 25 minutes to get the order out. We were second in line. Worst burger EVER. Never again.
Is mowing neighborhood lawns, babysitting and working the family farm included in that graph? That’s what many teens did in the 50s and 60s.
Looking at that graph, perhaps a large portion of the problem is the greatly increased number of restaurants.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.