With rehiring a challenge as restaurants reopen for dine-in service, Dunkin’ announced plans Monday to lure new hires through a college degree perk.
The quick-service chain said it wants it needs 25,000 new hires this summer. The positions range from entry-level roles to assistant managers and restaurant managers.
To aid in the recruitment, Dunkin’ said it is launching its “first-ever” national recruitment campaign dubbed “Dunkin’ Runs on You.”
To further entice job seekers, the Canton, Mass-based company said it has partnered with Southern New Hampshire University to offer low-cost college degrees for franchisees and their workers.
Through the online college program, “Dunkin’ franchisees have the opportunity to offer their restaurant employees an affordable, flexible and supportive pathway to an associate or bachelor’s degree from SNHU,” the company said.
It's the first time a national college degree program has been offered to Dunkin' workers, the company said.
"To be eligible for the online college education tuition discount program, the individual must be employed by a Dunkin’ franchisee and there are no minimum hours of work required," the company added.
During the pandemic, Dunkin’ kept 90% of its 9,637 domestic locations open for off-premise orders. Many franchisees were able to keep crew members employed through loans from the Paycheck Protection Program. Parent company Dunkin’ Brands did not have any mass layoffs or furloughs since this crisis started.
While many other companies were furloughing workers, chains with drive-thru locations and in-house delivery like Papa John’s, Domino’s Pizza and Taco Bell have been looking to hire hundreds of employees. Early on, the pizza chains needed more drivers to keep up with demand.
Today, chains are hiring because they need to fill new roles created as dining rooms reopen during restrictions. In late May, Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell, a division of Yum Brands, said it was looking for 30,000 new employees for the summer. Positions included new safety-focused roles created amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Last week, the Labor Department said employers in May hired 2.5 million jobs, a sign that many companies are re-hiring workers after massive layoffs and furloughs tied to mandated shutdowns of businesses — drastic moves made to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The unemployment rate fell to 13.3%, compared to 14.7% in April.
Dunkin’ said it is committed to keeping America running and working.
"We are proud to support our franchisees who offer much-needed job opportunities, in a welcoming environment where people can feel appreciated and rewarded for serving both customers and their communities during this critical time,” Stephanie Lilak, senior vice president and chief human resources officer, said in a statement.
Dunkin' has more than 13,100 franchised restaurants in 41 countries worldwide.
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Updated: This story has been edited to include more information from Dunkin'
