Chattanooga area Panera eateries are offering $1,000 to managers and to employees hired before next June 14 as the company tries to retain and find staff amid a scarcity of workers besetting businesses.
“I’ve been in restaurants for 40 years and I’ve never seen anything like we’re going through,” said Mike Lucas, director of operations for area Panera franchisee CSC Investments. “It’s not just the restaurant industry, it’s retail, it’s everybody else.”
Lucas said the downtown Chattanooga Panera restaurant has temporarily closed its dining room during the staffing shortage, though the Market Street location is continuing with catering, pickup and delivery.
Even the restaurant company’s new Hixson location near Northgate Mall has felt the hiring crunch, he said.
“Business is good when we’re able to keep it open,” Lucas said. “Sometimes it’s drive-thru only at night depending on staff.”