Wages for Restaurant, Hotel and Hospitality Workers Cause Controversy

The restaurant sector has been one of the world’s largest providers of employment. As of December 2023, America’s restaurants and various other food service and drinking establishments employed 12.4 million people, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (The National Restaurant Association typically estimates that number to be much larger, in the 15.7 million range for 2024.) Likewise, hotels and similar businesses are very large employers, at about 1.5 million workers in the U.S. alone in late 2024.

While the number of jobs provided in hospitality is exceptionally high under normal conditions, the wages tend to be among the lowest of any industry. This tradition of low wages is due to many factors. For example, restaurant work is an entry-level job for many people, with few formal skills required on the low end. Next, the profit margin at typical restaurants is relatively low. Restaurant customers are very price sensitive. It is a significant challenge for restaurant operators to maintain profitability at all, leaving little room for substantial employee wages and benefits.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Become a Plunkett Research Online subscriber to gain unlimited access to our massive amount of vital industry data and market research.

✔ 100,000 Industry Statistics
✔ 500 Industries Analyzed for Market Size, Profits and Forecasts
✔ 150,000 Industry Executives Profiled
✔ 25,000 Companies Profiled, Ranked and Analyzed
✔ 1,000 Vital Trends Analyzed, totaling 1,000,000 words

Learn More

Wages for Restaurant, Hotel and Hospitality Workers Cause Controversy, Business and Industry Trends Analysis

A Representative List of Organizations that Have Used our Research and Products:

How to access Plunkett Research data.

What data challenge can we help you solve today?

Take a Tour

Contact

Testimonials