Do you believe this was different than before the pandemic? I suppose it depends on the area, but most servers I've known or talked to didn't view it as a career. It was a flexible job to help support them while they were working on something else. One of my friends was a server for several years in her late 20's and she's now an obstetrician. It helped her get through med school. Most of my favorite bars and restaurants in Chicago had 20-somethings working there and there would be new people there every 6-12 months. The pandemic may have hastened plans and helped them move to the next phase of their life. But that doesn't explain why there is no demand for those jobs now among people entering the workforce for the first time. The server shortage is not about turnover, that's always been incredibly high. In 2019, the restaurant industry turnover rate was 75%. The problem is there is no new inflow.