Help wanted: Restaurants struggle to find workers

Local restaurants and fast food establishments have been struggling to find enough workers to maintain hours and dining options. Most report they're at about half the staff of normal operations. Some have cut the hours they are open. Some have closed lobbies and indoor dining.

October 1, 2021 - 5:04 PM

A & W Restaurant in Iola made changes to its drive-through procedures that have improved service time. The business is still looking to hire workers, though. From left, regional general manager Jim Gribble, Haley Crockett and Ginger Burton. Photo by Vickie Moss / Iola Register

If it came down to it, King’s Sandwich Shop owner Kyle King could run his business by himself and one other person.

Ever since his grandfather, Harley King, started the business in 1957, it has kept that same small-business, family feel. Generally, at this time of year King will have between six and nine employees.

Lately, though, he’s been running it with just four.

“I’m still toughing it out and doing the best I can,” King said. “I understand everybody else is in the same position and making adjustments, but it’s tough.”

King’s Sandwhich Shop is operating with about half the staff it typically would use at this time of year. From left, Chris Grisier, manager Heather Blackburn and owner Kyle King. Photo by Vickie Moss / Iola Register

King’s is just one of several restaurants and fast food establishments dealing with a shortage of labor.

The lack of employees has forced them to reduce the hours they are open and sometimes close dining rooms. Nearly all of them said they’ve done their best to recruit employees, including raising wages.

It hasn’t always helped.

In fact, it’s gotten worse.

“We’ve tried every avenue,” Carrie Robinson, assistant manager with Iola’s Taco Bell, said. “We’ve run ads. We’ve posted on social media. We’ve done hiring events. We have signs up. Instead of being open full-time, we cut back breakfast and moved up our closing hours except on Fridays and Saturdays, which are busier. If we don’t have enough workers, we’ll close the lobby so we aren’t stressing our employees.”

Normally, Iola’s Taco Bell has about 26 employees. They’re down to 10.

Many of them are college and high school students. That means Robinson and other managers typically allow a great deal of flexibility in scheduling. She also understands that school comes first, so it can be difficult to find the balance between school and work.

Robinson lobbied Taco Bell officials for higher wages, and was allowed to increase starting pay to $8.50 an hour, significantly more than Kansas’ $7.25 minimum wage, which had been the previous starting pay.

But just about every other local business also has increased pay, making it difficult to compete.

“It’s a problem everywhere,” she said.