As COVID-19 restrictions ease, Hawaii restaurants struggle to hire workers

StripSteak Waikiki is offering a $600 sign-up bonus at its job fair Tuesday and Wednesday for anyone who is accepted for a position when it reopens in late June.

It’s an incentive to stimulate more job applicants, as StripSteak and many other restaurants in the state are struggling to find employees as they reopen or expand their hours and staff, said Sean Morris, spokesman for StripSteak, inspired by celebrity chef Michael Mina. The steakhouse in the International Market Place has been closed since since March 2020 due to the pandemic.

“People are not going back to work,” said Morris, explaining why the bonus was necessary. “Some are being forced to, but the rest that are collecting unemployment are enjoying it.”

To meet the challenge, quite a few restaurants have been holding their own job fairs or participating in community job fairs in person or virtually, said Sheryl Matsu­oka, executive director of the Hawaii Restaurant Association. A high number of food service businesses have positions to fill now that COVID-19 restrictions are relaxing and tourism returns to the islands.

“If anyone is interested in finding a career in the food service industry, this is a great time!” she said in an email. Applicants also can email info@hawaii restaurant.org and mention the position they’re interested in, no resumes needed. The association represents 3,600 food service locations.

After hearing from at least 10 restaurants per day, Ma­tsuoka said the challenge of finding workers might also lie in the fact that many former restaurant workers are parents who cannot leave their young children alone at home, or they need to help them with online classes. With school out during summer, there are few places for grade school children, she added.

Matsuoka is also an owner/partner of Gyu-Kaku Hawaii Restaurants, which has four locations, and the Kalihi location of Rainbow Drive-In, both employing a total of 250. The restaurants have been advertising on hiring websites, including Craigslist and Indeed.com. There are six openings for cooks, dishwashers and servers at all five restaurants, she said.

Chef Roy Yamaguchi, who owns six Oahu restaurants and four more on the neighbor islands, is recruiting for 40 positions for the reopening of his Beach House by Roy Yamaguchi at Turtle Bay Resort in June. With the resurgence of tourism in Waikiki, he’s also looking to hire more servers and kitchen help.

Yamaguchi usually advertises through Craigslist and Indeed.com as well, though he said he’s been fairly successful asking for help through word of mouth and current employees.

Hawaii normally has trouble finding enough workers for the food industry, even without the pandemic restrictions, he said. Some have gotten tired of working in the food industry or found jobs elsewhere, have transportation or distance problems, or moved to other islands or the mainland during the stay-at-home mandate.

“I’m a firm believer that people want to work and make a living,” said Yamaguchi. However, he understands that because they are collecting unemployment temporarily, “there’s not a quick need to go back to work.” They might feel as though a lot more jobs will be open as the economy recovers, so they don’t need to rush back into the job market now, he added.

In real estate jargon, right now it’s a seller’s market.

“Employees are able to choose when and where they choose to get back into the market,” said Yamaguchi. “We do want to provide a future for people; that’s my goal ever since I got into the restaurant business, to set up people for success and nurture them along the way, whatever they do in the future.”

Baron Obata, who will open a Hot Dog on a Stick franchise today at Pearlridge Center, said he’s recruited most of his employees through Indeed.com but also hired longtime friends or their children who just graduated from high school. He gleaned two others from asking other Pearlridge Uptown food court staff whether they wanted more work hours. He said it’s been a real challenge to hire about eight workers, and is looking for another three part-timers.

“There are still people making more on unemployment than coming back to the workforce. Not everybody is taking advantage of the system, though,” said Obata. “But by the time they go back (to job-hunting), we’ll be fully staffed.”

Morris, president of Advertising Associates International, said StripSteak is trying to fill 20 to 25 positions, mostly servers and kitchen staff. When the state allows Oahu to advance to Tier 4 of pandemic restrictions, more will be required.

StripSteak’s job fair will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at 2330 Kalakaua Ave., Suite 330. Conditions apply regarding the $600 signing bonus. Parking validation will be provided. For more information and appointments, visit bit.ly/sshiringevent or contact Palani Villanueva at 864-5331 and fvillanueva@minagroup.net.