Research
November 03, 2026
Restaurant Job Openings
Restaurant and lodging job openings softened in September
Job openings in the restaurant and lodging sector have remained softer over the past four months than earlier in the year, according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). In September, the sector had 659,000 job openings, down from 676,000 in August and averaging 670,000 since June. That compares with an average of 806,000 openings during the first five months of the year.
The labor market has cooled notably. From 2017 to 2019, the sector averaged 835,000 job openings per month, placing current levels below pre-pandemic norms. While demand for workers remains healthy by historical standards, it has moderated considerably from the exceptionally strong hiring environment that followed the pandemic.
Hiring in the sector increased from 721,000 in August to 879,000 in September, the highest level since January. However, JOLTS data can be highly volatile from month to month. Separations also rose sharply, increasing from 688,000 to 883,000, a 15-month high. As a result, net hiring (hires minus separations) totaled -4,000 in September, reversing gains seen in the previous two months.
The increase in separations was driven largely by a surge in quits in September. The number of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs in the accommodations and food services industry jumped from 522,000 in August to 719,000 in September, the highest level since June 2025. Quits across all nonfarm sectors also rose, increasing from 3.04 million to 3.37 million. The rise in quits points to greater labor market churn and likely contributed to the pickup in hiring during the month.
Recent data suggest the labor market has continued its transition from the "Great Resignation" to the "Great Stay," with worker turnover moving closer to pre-pandemic norms. For comparison, quits averaged 4.22 million per month across nonfarm payrolls and 787,000 in the restaurant and lodging sector in 2022, when labor market conditions were exceptionally tight and employers faced significant workforce shortages. Year to date, those averages have moderated to roughly 3.14 million and 598,000, respectively.
That said, turnover in the accommodations and food services sector remains somewhat elevated relative to expectations for a "Great Stay" environment. Workers typically become less likely to leave their jobs voluntarily during periods of economic uncertainty, yet the sector's quit rate has averaged 4.2% year to date and stood at 5.0% in September. For context, the quit rate peaked at 5.5% in June 2025, while the post-pandemic high was 6.3% in March 2022, matching the record set in January 2001. This suggests that workers are leaving their jobs in the restaurant and lodging sector for other reasons, brushing off concerns about the economic outlook.
Overall, U.S. nonfarm business job openings improved from 7.19 million in August to 7.52 million in September, a 4-month high. At the same time, there were 7.11 million unemployed individuals in September. As a result, job openings exceeded the number of unemployed workers for the sixth consecutive month, with a gap of 414,000 in September and approximately 1.06 job openings for every one unemployed individual.
There continue to be challenges with sufficient staffing, according to restaurant operators, despite it being easier to hire today than three or four years ago. For context, the labor market was substantially tighter in July 2022, when job openings outnumbered unemployed individuals by nearly two to one. At that time, there were just 49.8 unemployed workers per 100 job openings, with openings exceeding job seekers by nearly 5.81 million. While labor market conditions remain relatively tight by historical standards, the imbalance between labor demand and labor supply has narrowed considerably since the post-pandemic peak.
The labor market has cooled notably. From 2017 to 2019, the sector averaged 835,000 job openings per month, placing current levels below pre-pandemic norms. While demand for workers remains healthy by historical standards, it has moderated considerably from the exceptionally strong hiring environment that followed the pandemic.
Hiring in the sector increased from 721,000 in August to 879,000 in September, the highest level since January. However, JOLTS data can be highly volatile from month to month. Separations also rose sharply, increasing from 688,000 to 883,000, a 15-month high. As a result, net hiring (hires minus separations) totaled -4,000 in September, reversing gains seen in the previous two months.
The increase in separations was driven largely by a surge in quits in September. The number of workers voluntarily leaving their jobs in the accommodations and food services industry jumped from 522,000 in August to 719,000 in September, the highest level since June 2025. Quits across all nonfarm sectors also rose, increasing from 3.04 million to 3.37 million. The rise in quits points to greater labor market churn and likely contributed to the pickup in hiring during the month.
Recent data suggest the labor market has continued its transition from the "Great Resignation" to the "Great Stay," with worker turnover moving closer to pre-pandemic norms. For comparison, quits averaged 4.22 million per month across nonfarm payrolls and 787,000 in the restaurant and lodging sector in 2022, when labor market conditions were exceptionally tight and employers faced significant workforce shortages. Year to date, those averages have moderated to roughly 3.14 million and 598,000, respectively.
That said, turnover in the accommodations and food services sector remains somewhat elevated relative to expectations for a "Great Stay" environment. Workers typically become less likely to leave their jobs voluntarily during periods of economic uncertainty, yet the sector's quit rate has averaged 4.2% year to date and stood at 5.0% in September. For context, the quit rate peaked at 5.5% in June 2025, while the post-pandemic high was 6.3% in March 2022, matching the record set in January 2001. This suggests that workers are leaving their jobs in the restaurant and lodging sector for other reasons, brushing off concerns about the economic outlook.
Overall, U.S. nonfarm business job openings improved from 7.19 million in August to 7.52 million in September, a 4-month high. At the same time, there were 7.11 million unemployed individuals in September. As a result, job openings exceeded the number of unemployed workers for the sixth consecutive month, with a gap of 414,000 in September and approximately 1.06 job openings for every one unemployed individual.
There continue to be challenges with sufficient staffing, according to restaurant operators, despite it being easier to hire today than three or four years ago. For context, the labor market was substantially tighter in July 2022, when job openings outnumbered unemployed individuals by nearly two to one. At that time, there were just 49.8 unemployed workers per 100 job openings, with openings exceeding job seekers by nearly 5.81 million. While labor market conditions remain relatively tight by historical standards, the imbalance between labor demand and labor supply has narrowed considerably since the post-pandemic peak.
