"The restaurant industry employs 12.5 million individuals in 925,000 locations this year. As restaurants continue to be an essential part of Americans' lifestyles, we expect the industry to post steady job growth in the years ahead," observed Steven C. Anderson, president and ceo. "In recent years, the restaurant industry has been an engine of growth for the economy, even when some other industries experienced job losses. In fact, restaurant industry job growth outpaced the overall economy in each of the last six years.
Anderson said the statistic underscores that restaurants are "the cornerstone of the nation's economy and a leader in job creation."
According to BLS, restaurants and bars added 31,000 jobs in January, representing the 34th gain in the last 35 months, the only loss being in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina. During this period, the restaurant industry added an impressive 710,000 jobs, or approximately 16 percent of the net jobs added to the national economy. In 2005, eating and drinking places added jobs at a solid 2.8% rate
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