CHICAGO — The National Restaurant Association projects that the nation's 925,000 restaurant-and-foodservice outlets will add 409,500 jobs during the 2006 summer season, a 4.5 percent increase over their March 2006 employment level.
"Restaurants are a vital part of the travel-and-tourism industry, and during the peak summer months, restaurants across the country ramp up their staffing levels to meet the increasing number of diners," said Steven C. Anderson, president and chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association. "The $511 billion restaurant industry is one of the leading job creators in the U.S., driving the nation's economy and providing rewarding career and employment opportunities to 12.5 million individuals."
The states projected to add the most eating-and-drinking place jobs during the 2006 summer season are New York (32,600), California (28,200), Illinois (23,400), Massachusetts (23,200) and New Jersey (19,400).
The states projected to register the largest proportional employment increase during summer 2006 are Maine (32.3 percent increase) and Alaska (25.4 percent increase).
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