Restaurant industry posts positive growth
The nation's economic recovery has proven tepid, especially when it comes to job creation. However, new analysis by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) shows that the restaurant industry continues to post solid job growth at more than double the rate of the overall economy. Since the employment recovery began in March 2010 , the restaurant industry has added 645,000 jobs, including nearly 16,000 jobs in September. Eating and drinking places added nearly 71,000 jobs in the third quarter, bringing the total number of industry positions created this year to more than 185,000. In the 12 months ending September 2012 , eating and drinking place employment jumped 2.9 percent, more than double the 1.4 percent increase in total U.S. employment during the same period. Restaurants have been the third largest private sector job creator since the employment recovery began, with current industry staffing levels standing 263,000 jobs above the pre-recession peak. The re