This winter put the restaurant industry to the test, with cold weather placing major constraints on outdoor dining opportunities, and with many restaurants adopting costly solutions to gain back just a portion of their summer customer base. However, it seems as though the industry may be beginning to come back.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that the restaurant industry added 289,500 jobs during the month of February alone, reports Restaurant Business, a surprisingly high portion of the 379,000 total jobs added in that time. This marked the highest growth rate in the sector since the summer. Moreover, these gains occurred at a time when there was no significant change in the general unemployment rate.
Now, the BLS statistics indicate that number of “Food Services and Drinking Places” jobs remains 62,400 lower than in November levels, but it is 302,700 jobs higher than in December. Additionally, the sector’s unemployment rate…