Hiring and revenue forecasts for restaurants

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re highlighting an article from New Jersey Monthly featuring restaurant couples. We particularly like the evolution of one couple—Korn and Chayanee Wongsarochana, who are now married and own three Thai restaurants. The two started as friends, even living together platonically, before deciding to give romance a go. They've now been together for over 20 years. Who doesn't love a good love story originating in the kitchen?

On the menu:

💠 Restaurant Association expects sales growth this year
💠 Meet an 11-year-old drink influencer
💠 How to launch a happy hour menu
💠 Overcoming restaurant hiring hurdles

Burgers and cocktails are big business, and adding a local touch to both inspires Sean Umstead, the co-owner of four bars and eateries in Durham, N.C.—Kingfisher, Queeny's, QueenBurger and Killer Queen. In addition to specialty cocktails, strong coffee and burgers galore, Umstead's locations are popular spots for live entertainment from local artists. Umstead spoke with The Prep about what he’s watching in the industry (and eating, too). —Margot Lester

What trend in restaurants are you excited about right now and why? 

I love that the last few years have been huge in elevating regional cuisines that are unheralded. I think this focus really ends up influencing food all over the world and in all types of restaurants. You might not get to go to the influential African restaurant in NYC, but the unique flavors, techniques and dishes eventually become part of a broader food culture that ends up in your neighborhood restaurants.

What restaurant trend are you ready to be over? 

I am ready for inflationary spikes to be over. Predictable steady inflation is really important for planning. The current sector spikes make it quite difficult.

What's your top tip for dealing with an industry often facing uncertainty?

Be present and do the next right thing. There is no way to be reactionary to every possible fire that could come, so just deal with them as they do.

And when that doesn’t work, what’s your favorite comfort food?

Pizza! I think because it's a social food. It's delicious when it's hot and hits the table and it's still delicious when you're laughing with friends an hour later and it's cold.

Above: A specialty cocktail at Kingfisher: An aperitif cocktail of beef tallow bourbon, naturale vermouth, Campari and a pineapple snack on the side. Image courtesy of @kingfisherdurham on Instagram.

Who we’re following: The "Shirley Temple King", an eleven-year-old with discerning taste and engaging video reviews. 

News you need to know: Boston wants third-party food delivery services like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub to meet data sharing requirements and provide the city with proof of the drivers' liability insurance. 

What we’re looking forward to: The National Restaurant Association projects that the industry will reach $1.5 trillion in sales and add more than 200,000 net new jobs this year.

What we love to see: Prepaid bookings and premium experiences are up for Valentine’s Day this year.

Plus: The perks of taking a tactical pause in the kitchen.

Setting realistic expectations for happy hour

When happy hour is done right, restaurants can expect incremental sales, a smoother shoulder period, warm bodies in chairs and some free word-of-mouth advertising. It's about "putting your best foot forward," says Ben Berg, founder and CEO of Houston-based Berg Hospitality, who recently launched a happy hour at Annabelle Brasserie. Berg suggests new restaurants wait until they've smoothed out regular service before debuting a happy hour. Some popular happy hour items from Annabelle Brasserie include the $21 burger for $12 and the $16 Old Fashioned for $12. Expectations from Berg are modest and he says that happy hour "drives a little bit of revenue." (Plate)

Restaurant industry workforce update

The restaurant industry’s workforce shrunk by 15,700 jobs in January, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found. This comes after industry jobs increased during the last half of 2024. Overall, restaurant jobs are about where they were in February 2020, before the pandemic upended the industry, although the full-service category continues to be below its pre-pandemic level. As was the case even before Covid, hiring is tricky, and turnover is high in this industry. “Now is the time for most businesses to focus on keeping their best people, investing in training, and creating a workplace where employees want to stay. It’s not just about filling positions. It’s about building a team that’s primed and ready for whatever the future holds,” Restaurant365 general manager Joe Hannon says. (Nation’s Restaurant News)  

64%

Full-service customers who say the dining experience is more important than the price of the meal

(National Restaurant Association's State of the Restaurant Industry 2025)

💠 Is the bar the best place for a restaurant date?

💠 The most influential Black-owned wineries in the U.S.

💠 D.C. restaurant workers allege intimidation for union push

"I had [staff] walk through the front door of my restaurants and I never really understood why a lot of restaurants have [staff] come through the back door… I empowered my people to notice and see things and fix things that were broken before the guests saw them."

-Roger Beaudoin, podcast host and veteran restaurateur and entrepreneur 

(🎧Restaurant Rockstars)

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