A McDonald's franchise in Tampa, Florida will pay you $50 just to show up for a job interview. According to owner Blake Casper, the incentive isn't really helping. Potential applicants just aren't loving it. From Food & Wine:
"It's a perfect storm right now," he continued, "You've got a lot of people with a lot of money, and they're out there shopping… And then, on the flip side, we're scrambling for help."
The shortage apparently stems from many factors: As the pandemic eases, large numbers of businesses are reopening at once, increasing competition for workers, yet at the same time, some people may be reluctant to take frontline jobs at a fast food restaurant due to continued COVID-19 concerns. Ongoing unemployment benefits may also play a role since those receiving assistance may not feel as rushed to get back to work, but some of these issues may also predate the pandemic as new options like gig economy jobs now offer a more flexible alternative to traditional fast food positions.
image (cropped): George Pearson – IMG_8571 (CC BY-SA 2.0)