Open to Good Jobs: Now is the Time to Improve Equity and Job Quality in Restaurant Work

Restaurants and their workers have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the crisis, food and drinking establishments were an important part of the business fabric in communities across the country, and these businesses employed over 12 million people. But as food businesses lost business, millions of restaurant workers lost work. The most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows employment in restaurants and bars has been cut in half, with industry observers estimating even greater job loss. And among those who continue to work, many still endure limited hours, low wages, and poor benefits that have characterized the industry for far too long. Food and drinking establishments have been an important source of employment for women and people of color, who are over-represented in the industry’s lower paid occupations. As recent events demand attention to systems of racial injustice, we must acknowledge the interconnection of racial justice and economic justice. As we start to emerge from this crisis, can we reimagine restaurants, and restaurant work, so that workers, businesses, and communities all thrive? In this conversation we talk about ideas for business practices, public policies, and partnerships, including an innovative public/private effort that’s addressing the interests that workers, small business owners, and communities all share in a thriving restaurant sector. The discussion features Nikki M.G. Cole (National Policy Campaign Director, One Fair Wage), Saru Jayaraman (President, One Fair Wage; Director, Food Labor Research Center, University of California, Berkeley), Mutale Kanyanta (Owner, LOCALS Food), Dan Simons (Co-Owner, Farmers Restaurant Group), and moderator Maureen Conway (Vice President, The Aspen Institute; Executive Director, Economic Opportunities Program). The Economic Opportunities Program’s Opportunity in America discussion series is taking a pause as we all do what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the conversations about the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country remain vitally important. We hope you will participate as we bring our discussions to you in virtual formats, and we look forward to your feedback. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, Walmart, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Surdna Foundation for their support of this series.