As she struggles to keep her business afloat during a pandemic, Mojo Burrito owner Eve Williams said finding enough people to work is nearly as daunting a challenge as the dramatic dropoff in business.
“The restaurant worker shortage is not a new thing, but right now it’s a killer,” said Williams, who founded the restaurant in St. Elmo in 2002.
Williams permanently closed the Ooltewah location of Mojo Burrito last year solely because she couldn’t find enough staff to keep it open, she said.
“If you can’t find employees, you can’t run a restaurant,” she said. “That was the only reason.”
Last spring and summer, enhanced unemployment payments and stimulus funding made it tough to attract employees across Mojo’s locations, she said.