Arizona restaurants are still working to recover from losses brought on by the pandemic, including the loss of employees.
Summer is usually the slowest time for Arizona businesses, as people try to escape the heat by leaving the state.
Arizona Restaurant Association President Steve Chucri says a lack of travel out of Arizona has made this summer more profitable than expected.
“This summer, it seems, or at least it appears, that more people have decided to stay. So, we’ve enjoyed a busy summer, which is wonderful for the restaurant business to try and make up for the serious losses that we experienced in 2020,” said Chucri.
Chucri says restaurant owners are more optimistic about finding employees than in past months, but it will still take time to return to full staffing.
Nationally, the unemployment rate fell to 5.4% in July, its lowest mark since the start of the pandemic.
