ON DUTY: Server Lauren Withers delivers food to a table at Sardella’s Italian Ristorante in Newport. Owner Richard Sardella believes his 41 years in the restaurant industry has been an advantage in retaining employees because they’ve been with him for so long. / COURTESY SARDELLA’S ITALIAN RISTORANTE
The restaurant jobs picture, like that in other industries, is proving to be a challenge to business owners as summer and our post-pandemic recovery is on the horizon. The “now hiring” signs and web postings appear to be going unanswered. There is no lack of theories as to why. While there is a shortage of…