You know how much your competitors charge for menu items, but what about how much they pay their cooks, bartenders or dishwashers?  With competition for top-notch employees in this tougher economic environment, restaurateurs can make use of a new National Restaurant Association resource to compare local wage rates.

The Association’s new "Hourly Wages for Foodservice Occupations Report" helps restaurateurs compare their wage rates with those of other employers in their areas. The report is based on the Occupational Employment Statistics Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. 

"Hourly Wages for Foodservice Occupations" includes estimates for the United States, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 377 metropolitan areas. It also includes the number of employees within each occupation. For example, there are approximately 470 restaurant cooks in Lawrence, Kansas, where their average hourly wage is $9.57. 

To order the 2010 edition of the "Hourly Wages for Foodservice Occupations," visit our online store or call (800) 482-9122. The report is available to National Restaurant Association members for $29.95 and to non-members for $59.95.