NY restaurant owner forced to close all locations due to worker shortage

The restaurant industry is struggling to find workers as many people continue to stay home and live off of unemployment benefits.

Ted's Fish Fry, a New York restaurant chain, was forced to close all seven of their locations due to the massive staffing shortage.

JOB OPENINGS SURGE TO RECORD 8.1M, BUT BUSINESSES STRUGGLING TO HIRE WORKERS

"Business has actually been pretty well since COVID hit. We took a little bit of a dip in the beginning, but, you know, we eventually got back on and half of our business has been take out anyway… It's just in the recent few months that we've been really struggling staffing our stores," Ted's Fish Fry owner William Deeb told FOX Business' "Varney & Co." on Tuesday. 

The restaurateur went on to say that while there are many factors leading to this shortage, unemployment benefits were definitely a major contributor.

"I think there's a lot to the story, obviously, paying people staying at home has been a benefit for a lot of people, but it's also hurt people coming back to work," Deeb explained. 

Ted's Fish Fry isn't the only business struggling to bring workers back. U.S. job openings hit a record high of 8.12 million unfilled positions, in March

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Many small business owners are blaming the federal unemployment benefits for the shortage, arguing that they incentivize people not to work. The federal government has been paying people $300 plus their normal unemployment money due to the pandemic.

Now, 21 states are opting out of the payments this summer with the coronavirus pandemic seemingly winding down and many getting vaccinated.

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FOX Business' Megan Henney contributed to this report.