Denny’s is hiring 20,000 workers. It’s recruiting people of color, starting in Miami.
As the post-pandemic worker shortage drags on, Denny’s has 20,000 job openings and they’re turning to Historically Black Colleges and Universities to fill them.
The national restaurant chain is kicking off a recruiting tour at the Orange Blossom Classic, an HBCU football Classic where Florida A&M will face Jackson State on Labor Day weekend at the Hard Rock Stadium. The Classic, which was historically a celebration of Miami’s black culture, is being revived after nearly 40 years and will be accompanied by several sideline events and celebrations.
Denny’s jobs range from hosts and servers to cooks, managers, regional managers and corporate-level roles. There are part-time and full-time opportunities, as well as paid internships in areas like operations, marketing and IT. Both at the director level and above and the manager level and below, the company aims to employ 50% women and 50% people of color or from multicultural backgrounds.
Gail Sharps Myers, Denny’s executive vice president and an HBCU grad herself, said the company seeks to recruit from HBCUs in the same way that many companies recruit from Ivy League schools.
“The HBCU push is to be a part of lasting and sustainable change,” she said, citing the value added from having a workforce that reflects the country’s diverse population. “The more perspective you can get involved in a discussion about an issue, the better view points you can formulate.”
When asked for specifics about the salaries of the job openings, Sharps Myers said they paid “market” rate but didn’t provide details. According to the job site Indeed, the average server at Denny’s makes $15.32/hour and the average line cook makes $14.08/hour. A shift leader earns $38,000/year and the average manager makes $50,000/year, according to Indeed. Denny’s says its salaries have gone up 10% over the last year.
Employers are having to get creative with their hiring efforts amid an unprecedented labor shortage.
In addition to the HBCU recruiting tour, Denny’s also did a hiring tour with its “mobile relief diner,” usually used during natural disasters, and offered prospective employees free pancake breakfasts in exchange for their job applications. And they’ve provided signing and referral bonuses.
A company spokesperson said that while the hiring tour is focused on HBCUs, positions are open to all. Denny’s says that 76% of its workforce and 81% of management are people with “multicultural” backgrounds. The Denny’s Board of Directors is 55% people of color and 44% women.
For more information, job seekers can access Denny’s careers page.
This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 3:40 PM.
