Worst summer hiring season for teens? Not for Hawaii restaurants that need workers

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Federal data shows U.S. businesses aren’t hiring as many teens this summer as they used to.

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The says teen unemployment jumped more than a percent to 14.7% from this time last year, while a report by employment firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas predicts the slowest summer hiring season for teens ages 16 to 19 in nearly 80 years.

But there is some good news if you’ve got a teenager looking for a job.

The local restaurant industry is bucking the trend and is urging teens to apply for summer jobs, saying they need more workers to weather the tough economy.

While some businesses are scaling back hiring due to the rising costs of fuel, wages and inflation, the restaurant industry says it’s not skimping on manpower.

“They’re hoping that they can get more employees because they really could use the help because we need the sales,” said Sheryl Matsuoka, president and CEO of the Hawaii Restaurant Association.

“We are seeing less teens apply. Some of it is due to sports, you know, some of it is due to family travels.”

And some of it is due to more teens focusing on college prep or wanting to be social media influencers — a sign of the times.

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“I went to Bob’s and washed dishes,” said Rick Nakashima, CEO and partner of Ruby Tuesday Hawaii, about his first job as a teen. “It was kind of the mentality, you went out and did a labor type job, and I don’t think that’s the mentality anymore. That’s not what the kids are expecting each other to do.”

To combat worker shortages, eateries are spreading the word that food service jobs pay well and teach life skills that look good on resumes.

“In Chinatown, we’re experiencing from before $25 a day on the tip. They’re making about $100 a day,” said Ave Kwok, chairman of Maunakea Marketplace, which has 22 eateries under one roof. “Restaurants like Bozie Jones Ribs and Maguro Brothers and Blue Seafood, they’re all opening for positions to hire.”

“Come over here, get some money, get some training,” Nakashima said. “My servers make good money on tips, work towards that and use it as a bridge job.”

“One in eight people in America has worked at McDonald’s. One in eight. We have astronauts to scientists to Jeff Bezos, you name it,” said Victor Lim, who owns five McDonald’s franchises in Hawaii. “The restaurant sector really provides you with a foundation, even if it’s not your career.”

Other benefits for teen workers: some eateries include free or discounted meals and a flexible schedule. Talk to the owner about working part time when school is back in session.

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