KFC needs 20,000 permanent full- and part-time employees around the country as a direct result of the chicken chain's strong sales, a news release Thursday said.
KFC reported 14% quarterly revenue growth and 11%t two-year same-store sales growth in parent company Yum Brands' first-quarter earnings results.
According to the chain, this performance demonstrated the need for more staff and the push to recruit additional employees at all levels, including hourly team members (cooks, prep, and customer service), shift leaders, assistant managers, and restaurant general managers.
"KFC has seen tremendous growth and sustained demand in the U.S. over the last year," John Kurnick, KFC U.S. chief people officer, said in the release. "Our franchisees have a real need to fill a variety of positions on their teams."
Fast-food restaurants usually recruit tens of thousands of employees in preparation for the summer months, which are among the busiest for the industry. This year, the recruiting announcements come as restaurants declare a worker shortage. The labor deficit is felt further up the supply chain, placing pressure on ingredients such as chicken.
Consumers, on the other hand, are returning to restaurants, eager to spend their extra money as states' economies reopen.
Some restaurants and franchisees are offering bonuses for showing up to the interview or sticking for more than 90 days. McDonald's executives stated that its company-owned restaurants are not yet feeling the pinch, but they are considering raising wages or benefits just in case it becomes a problem in the near future.
In general, unemployment remains high in comparison to pre-pandemic levels. According to the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate in March was 6%.
Restaurant owners have blamed higher unemployment benefits for the labor shortage, but out-of-work restaurant workers complain their wages and tips aren't enough to compensate for the risk of contracting Covid-19.
KFC has over 24,000 locations around the world.
