Restaurant Summer Hiring Slows as Labor Pool Tightens
Summer hiring is losing some steam across the restaurant industry, but operators are still expected to add hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers as travel, tourism, and warmer weather drive demand.
According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2026 Eating and Drinking Place Summer Employment Forecast, restaurants are projected to add approximately 450,000 seasonal jobs this summer. That’s down modestly from the 469,000 positions added in 2025 and marks the third consecutive year seasonal hiring has remained below the 500,000 mark.
The Association said a more uncertain operating environment is contributing to the softer hiring outlook. Operators continue to contend with uneven consumer traffic and cautious spending patterns, making many more measured in their staffing plans heading into the industry’s busiest months.
Another challenge is a shrinking labor pool among younger workers. Teenagers and young adults remain the backbone of seasonal restaurant employment, yet both groups entered the summer with fewer workers participating in the labor force than a year ago.
Restaurants are the nation’s largest employer of teenagers, with workers ages 16 to 19 accounting for roughly 20 percent of the industry’s workforce. More than 1.8 million teenagers work in restaurants, representing about one-third of all employed teens nationwide. However, approximately 6 million teenagers were participating in the labor force in April, about 200,000 fewer than during the same month in both 2024 and 2025.
Young adults also remain a critical hiring pool. Employees between the ages of 20 and 24 make up another 22 percent of the restaurant workforce, but labor force participation among that demographic slipped from 71 percent in April 2025 to 69.6 percent this year.
Additionally, companies may find more experienced applicants available. Adults age 65 and older continue entering the workforce at record levels, with 12 million participating in April, up from 11.7 million a year earlier. Although older adults currently account for only about 3 percent of restaurant employees, the Association expects that demographic to become more important as the labor force continues aging.
Hiring demand will vary considerably by geography, according to the Association.
States across the Northeast are projected to experience the strongest percentage growth in seasonal restaurant employment, largely because many restaurants in those markets operate primarily during the summer tourism season. Maine is expected to lead the nation with a 32 percent increase in restaurant employment, followed by Alaska at 22 percent. Rhode Island and Delaware are each projected to grow 15 percent, while Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Jersey are each expected to post 12 percent gains.
In terms of total jobs added, New York is projected to lead the country with 42,100 seasonal restaurant positions, followed by California with 33,500, New Jersey with 31,400, Massachusetts with 29,600, Illinois with 23,300, Texas with 22,400, Michigan with 20,700, and North Carolina with 19,500.
Not every market is expected to see growth. Florida is projected to lose roughly 21,500 restaurant jobs during the summer months because its peak tourism season occurs during the winter. Arizona and Louisiana are also expected to post seasonal employment declines.
The Association also noted that some restaurants in cities hosting FIFA World Cup matches this summer could increase staffing to accommodate an influx of international visitors. However, because the tournament spans only several weeks, those localized hiring increases are not expected to materially affect nationwide summer employment figures.
Despite the moderation in hiring, restaurants remain one of the country’s largest creators of seasonal jobs each summer, trailing only the construction industry.