Funny thing about hard economic times. Life actually goes on. We still fall in love, celebrate anniversaries, graduations, birthdays and life-changing events. When there aren't enough hours in the day, we still appreciate take-out and food delivered to our home. And, we still take clients to dinner and host meetings outside the office.
Americans have always met challenging times with courage and a determination not to allow circumstances to completely suppress the joy of living and the simple pleasures that bring happiness.
In the Depression, our grandparents managed to find the money to go to the movies and get out from under their troubles for a few hours. Perhaps they went dancing. Or celebrated the end of Prohibition by raising a glass to each other.
Today we are pulled in two different directions. Some encourage us to wear the hair shirt and cut back to bare subsistence. On the other hand, some say it is our patriotic duty to buy automobiles, real estate and other major items to help stimulate the economy.
We in the restaurant industry encourage everyone to be prudent in his or her expenditures. But we also remind you that restaurants are an integral and meaningful part of life - and our economy.
For instance, imagine a simple candlelight dinner that becomes the start of a lifelong marriage. Or a toast to the college graduate on the cusp of so many possibilities. An informal dinner with friends that acknowledges and maintains close relationships.
Restaurants are also vital to our economy. Almost one in 10 working Americans are restaurant employees. In our state, more than 400,000 people work in restaurants and these restaurants generate over $12 billion annually in sales.
And for every dollar spent, $1.31 goes into the state's economy. Restaurants represent the largest private employer category (11.7 million jobs) in the U.S., and can be counted on as an always-there opportunity for entry-level employment or to supplement an income.
How many of us helped put ourselves through school by working at a restaurant? Guess what? I did. Who will be hurt the most if we don't have a robust hospitality industry?
The typical employee in a food service occupation is living in a household with two or more wage earners, single, female, under the age of 30 and working part-time, averaging 25.6 hours a week. Again, these workers are not only the backbone of the U.S. hospitality industry but of the U.S. economy.
Restaurants are a cornerstone of career opportunities and provide a ladder to employment growth. More than eight out of 10 salaried managers at restaurants started as hourly employees. A large percentage of our country's work force honed their work ethic busing tables and preparing food, even if they no longer work in the industry.
We don't think of the server in a coffee shop or the greeter at a restaurant as being part of a vast economic force. But they are. These workers represent an industry whose economic impact is more than $1 trillion. We cannot, and should not, ignore these numbers.
Notice that the hospitality industry isn't lining up asking for a bailout or federal help. Our needs are much simpler. We know that we live in unusual times, but as we said, life goes on.
And if we are to bring a measure of joy and enjoyment to our lives, then sharing a moment out at our favorite restaurant is just what we - and our city and country - need.
George McKerrow is CEO of Ted's Montana Grill and a founder of the Georgia Restaurant Association.