The Daily OrangeLocal food service industry stays strong as economy flounders
By Kristin Hunt
Posted: 2/5/09, 11:19 PM EST Section: News
If you ask Syracuse University junior Hilary Roman, who works at Wings on Nottingham Road, about her job security worries, she'll brush off the question.
"People still call us at 3 a.m. to order wings," Roman said. "It's pretty stable."
Why is Roman so relaxed? Simple. She's in food services.
As Wings manager John Beggan put it, "People still need to eat."
Kevin Hannel, New York State Department of Labor program research specialist, reported "drastically dropping" job opportunities across the state, yet remains just as optimistic about the food industry as Roman and Beggan.
"Food services has been holding steady," Hannel said. "I'd say if you're looking for a job, go there. They should weather the recession."
For former Amherst native Beggan, business couldn't be better. He said he finds himself worrying more about his friends in Massachusetts or from college than himself, since profits have increased for Wings.
"We haven't had too many problems," Beggan said. "We're still able to offer our valuable employees overtime. … No one's really hurting."
He partially credits the restaurant's high-volume advertising with the success.
Jill Trunko, a sophomore at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, who transferred from Lesley College in Massachusetts last January, said she sees little change at A La Mode. She's been working at the Nottingham Road restaurant for the past five months. Though Trunko's formerly free meal has changed to a 50-percent-off discount, Trunko said there are still lots of orders, and that the restaurant is still hiring.
Restaurants are popular workplaces for college students because of flexible hours and acceptance of applicants without Federal Work Study - a program in which the government pays for 75 percent of a student's wages and the university picks up the remaining 25 percent.
Neither Trunko nor Roman have Work Study, and they said they struggled to find on-campus jobs. Trunko said she even waited a semester to begin searching because she didn't want to deal with the difficulty of a job search when she first transferred. But with off-campus jobs in food service, it was easier to land a job.
"People still call us at 3 a.m. to order wings," Roman said. "It's pretty stable."
Why is Roman so relaxed? Simple. She's in food services.
As Wings manager John Beggan put it, "People still need to eat."
Kevin Hannel, New York State Department of Labor program research specialist, reported "drastically dropping" job opportunities across the state, yet remains just as optimistic about the food industry as Roman and Beggan.
"Food services has been holding steady," Hannel said. "I'd say if you're looking for a job, go there. They should weather the recession."
For former Amherst native Beggan, business couldn't be better. He said he finds himself worrying more about his friends in Massachusetts or from college than himself, since profits have increased for Wings.
"We haven't had too many problems," Beggan said. "We're still able to offer our valuable employees overtime. … No one's really hurting."
He partially credits the restaurant's high-volume advertising with the success.
Jill Trunko, a sophomore at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, who transferred from Lesley College in Massachusetts last January, said she sees little change at A La Mode. She's been working at the Nottingham Road restaurant for the past five months. Though Trunko's formerly free meal has changed to a 50-percent-off discount, Trunko said there are still lots of orders, and that the restaurant is still hiring.
Restaurants are popular workplaces for college students because of flexible hours and acceptance of applicants without Federal Work Study - a program in which the government pays for 75 percent of a student's wages and the university picks up the remaining 25 percent.
Neither Trunko nor Roman have Work Study, and they said they struggled to find on-campus jobs. Trunko said she even waited a semester to begin searching because she didn't want to deal with the difficulty of a job search when she first transferred. But with off-campus jobs in food service, it was easier to land a job.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
jorge
posted 2/06/09 @ 3:49 PM EST
well duh!
hello food and liquor will always be safe industries to be in. people need to eat and drink and have shelter... and utilities.
Why is this no brainer even a story?
to wake up the people the school admitted with mommy and daddy's check books vs. (Continued…)
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