Restaurant jobs spike as Americans seek treats, cheap comfort food

NEW YORK, Feb 27 (Reuters) – On paper, American consumers spent last year tightening their belts, and even retail heavyweights stumbled.But sit-down restaurants and some drive-through chains buzzed with patrons seeking a special treat or cheap comfort food.Their upbeat sales made the US restaurant industry a rare bright spot for jobs, with restaurant payrolls ticking up 1% last year, adding about 108,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.In contrast, the overall US economy added 181,000 non-farm jobs in 2025, marking the weakest annual payroll growth in 20 years outside a recession year.Success among restaurants was not evenly spread, though.Corporate filings show that eateries such as Brinker’s Chili’s, Yum Brands’ Taco Bell and fast-growing coffee chain Dutch Bros lured customers by aggressively marketing bundled deals, leaning into digital innovation and limited-time offers, and focusing on high-margin, Instagrammable food.But previous darlings like Chipotle and Cava were hurt by what analysts call the “slop-bowl fatigue” – growing weariness among younger consumers with high-priced, customizable grain or salad bowls.Tempe, Arizona-based Dutch Bros and its franchisees added roughly 8,000 employees in the last two years, a 33% increase, the company said.“We have a healthy pipeline of growth,” CEO Christine Barone told Reuters after the company’s earnings in February.

The brand, which serves customizable beverages, is a hit with younger consumers, Barone said.A similar story is playing out at another chain that, like Dutch Bros, sells more treats than meals.Ice cream chain Whit’s Frozen Custard has grown its payroll by up to 40% a year for the past two years, said owner Bill Aseere, to keep up with rapid growth.It now has stores in 93 locations across ten states and some 15 to 20 employees per store.

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