WASHINGTON, D.C. — The majority of full-service and limited-service restaurant operators say that business conditions are worse now than they were three months ago, according to a new survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association. The study found that 44 percent of operators think it will take more than a year before business conditions return to normal, and 19 percent believe they never will. The National Restaurant Association conducted the study from Sept. 7-15 and surveyed 4,000 restaurant operators nationwide. Although the industry has added back many of the jobs lost during the pandemic, 78 percent of operators say their restaurant does not have enough employees to support current customer demand. Rising costs are impacting restaurants too. According to the survey, 91 percent of operators are paying more for their food; 84 percent have higher labor costs; and 63 percent are paying higher occupancy costs. At the same time, profitability is down — 85 percent of operators reported smaller margins than prior to the pandemic. While August is typically one of the busiest months for restaurants, 63 percent of operators reported that their sales volume for August 2021 was lower than it was in August 2019. Additionally, 78 percent of …
