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Restaurant employees see industry as long-term career path, study finds

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September 25, 2026

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New research from the National Restaurant Association finds that restaurant employees largely view the industry as a place to build long-term careers, develop transferable skills and find opportunities for advancement, the association announced today in a news release. The Made in Restaurants: Industry Careers in America report also identified a significant perception gap between people who have worked in restaurants and those who have not, with current employees reporting more positive views of restaurant careers, working conditions and advancement opportunities.

"The people who know our industry best demonstrate the foundational career experience that restaurants deliver," National Restaurant Association president and CEO Michelle Korsmo said in the release. "As an industry where skills and training are mastered one shift at a time, restaurants build leaders and foster entrepreneurship to provide limitless opportunity."

Additional key findings include:

96% of current restaurant employees are satisfied with their industry work experience.
89% believe there are opportunities for career advancement in the restaurant industry.
86% say they are likely to continue working in the restaurant and foodservice industry until retirement.
91% would recommend a restaurant job to a friend or family member.
86% of current employees believe restaurants provide good long-term career opportunities, compared with 54% of adults who have never worked in the industry.
90% of current employees say restaurant work is a good job, compared with 65% of those without restaurant experience.
82% say restaurant jobs prepare people for success in whatever jobs or careers they pursue.
Of employees who see advancement opportunities, 48% see them with their current restaurant employer, 10% with another industry employer and 42% with both.
42% of current restaurant employees say they would like to own or operate a restaurant someday.
People without restaurant experience were more likely to view scheduling as a challenge, with 53% citing it as a concern compared with 29% of current restaurant employees.
Compensation showed a similar perception gap: 50% of those without restaurant experience viewed it as a challenge compared with 28% of current employees.
Employees identified teamwork, work ethic, customer service, time management, adaptability, communication, leadership and problem-solving among the transferable skills developed through restaurant work.

The findings suggest firsthand experience plays a significant role in how people perceive restaurant careers. In the release, NRA chief economist Chad Moutray said the gap could have implications for recruiting, particularly if potential employees don't recognize the career paths and transferable skills available in the industry.

"This perception gap has clear implications for one of the biggest challenges facing the industry: employee recruitment," Moutray said. "As the report shows, those who have worked in the industry see restaurants as places where they gain transferable skills and can build a career."

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