U.S. restaurant employment reached pre-pandemic levels in September for the first time in three-and-a-half years, according to a report released Friday, signaling a potentially broader recovery for the leisure and hospitality industry, Reuters reported. The number of Americans employed in food service increased by 61,000 in September from the prior month, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released as part of the monthly U.S employment report showed. Food service and hospitality workers accounted for the majority of jobs added in the wider leisure and hospitality sector, which added 96,000 jobs last month. The gains in restaurant and bar employment last month were almost double the average of 37,000 jobs added monthly over the past year. Overall, American employers added 336,000 jobs in September, and the unemployment rate remained unchanged in September at 3.8%, the BLS reported.
