A Hardy Breed (Editorial)

Brent Rogers takes an order at Casa Mañana inside the Ottenheimer Market Hall at the River Market in downtown Little Rock. (Steve Lewis)

Few industries were hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic than the food service industry, but four years later and the sector appears to have fully recovered, at least as far as employment is concerned.

Nationwide, employment in eating and drinking places stood as 12.33 million in June 2024, compared to the previous high of 12.29 million in February 2020, according to the National Restaurant Association.

In Arkansas, employment in the accommodation and food services sector was 112,350 in the first quarter of 2024, surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 109,742 in the third quarter of 2019.

This is not to say that challenges don’t remain. Inflation is stubborn and finding qualified workers can be difficult. The pandemic also took a toll on places like Ottenheimer Hall in Little Rock’s River Market District. And Arkansas food writer and historian Kat Robinson notes in the Executive Q&A that the restaurant industry saw a lot of closures in 2022 and 2023. 

But she also sees “a cautious optimism,” citing Arkansas Tourism’s move to emphasize culinary tourism. And she rightly emphasizes the “endearing lack of competition in our market.” Arkansans in the hospitality and food service sector tend to see a rising tide lifting all boats.

Our restaurateurs and brewers and such are a hardy bunch, and we’re grateful for them.