'It's scary': Seacoast restaurants can't hire enough staff: Will relief funds help?

By Kyle Stucker, Fosters Daily Democrat

DOVER -- As Seacoast restaurants continue to struggle to staff their kitchens due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the local hiring pool, Jon Kiper is among the area restaurant owners who say they’ve turned to new strategies to fill open positions.
​
“Four of my six employees are now high school students,” said Kiper, the owner of Jonny Boston’s International Restaurant in Newmarket, noting the employees had no kitchen experience. “Three years ago, I didn’t want to hire anyone under 18 because I was worried about liability and stuff. So far, they’ve been great.”

He said his success with eager, hard-working high schoolers helps him be cautiously optimistic about the future of Jonny Boston’s as he and other area small business owners await firm details about the relief coming to their restaurants through the newly passed American Rescue Plan.

Click here to read the full article on fosters.com.