That statistic about line cook turnover finally made sense to me

I read last month that the average line cook stays in a kitchen for just 4 months before moving on, and it hit me why my old crew from the 90s was so different. We had guys who stayed 3 or 4 years because the owner paid a fair wage and gave us Sunday off. Has anyone else noticed how much harder it is to keep a team together compared to 20 years ago?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wyatt1mo ago

Gotta push back a little on those numbers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics actually reported the median tenure for cooks is around 1.2 years, not 4 months. That shorter stat might be for fast food or entry level gigs. I've seen plenty of cooks stick around for a couple years, especially at spots that treat people right. But you're totally right that the loyalty from the 90s is mostly gone now, probably cause wages and hours are still garbage at a lot of places.

shane2441mo ago

Honestly, must be nice to find a kitchen that doesn't suck the soul out of you in 4 months.