In February 2026, about one out of every 14 food service workers was unemployed, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This places the unemployment rate for food service and drinking establishments at 7.1%, nearly twice the national average of roughly 4.1%.

That percentage translates to around 875,000 food service workers actively seeking employment but unable to secure jobs. During the first two months of 2026 alone, the industry lost approximately 29,700 positions between January and February.

Two Years of Declining Conditions
The February 2026 numbers are part of a broader trend rather than a one-off spike. Unemployment in the food service sector has climbed steadily over the past two years:
 

“Two years ago, roughly 1 in 20 food service workers were unemployed in February,” said Milos Eric. “Today that number is closer to 1 in 14. The industry has still added jobs during that time, which may seem contradictory, but both trends can exist simultaneously.”

Data from OysterLink also illustrates this pattern. Job postings for open positions have increased year over year in many markets, yet many workers are moving between roles more frequently instead of staying in long-term positions, contributing to higher overall unemployment levels within the sector.

Fourteen years ago, Abdul Karim Bangura landed in Athens from Sierra Leone with only a handful of Greek phrases and a determination to start anew in the Mediterranean city.

As he wrestled with the language barrier, it became clear that continuing the sales career he’d built back home would be nearly impossible. To survive, he took whatever work he could find — first cleaning jobs, then an entry-level role in a kitchen.

Everything changed when he came across a Facebook post from Odyssea, a nonprofit offering free vocational training in the food sector for people from underrepresented backgrounds. The organization notes that two out of every five young people in Greece are unemployed, and it focuses on helping those excluded from the job market, including people with disabilities, individuals experiencing homelessness, former drug users, and migrants like Bangura.

Seeing a path forward, Bangura enrolled in the ReStart by Mastercard program to earn professional credentials and boost his employment prospects.

Through courses in food safety, hygiene, and culinary basics, he became one of 200 graduates of ReStart — a program created by Odyssea — and soon secured a position at Kykloi by Priceless, Mastercard’s new dining concept in the lively Kerameikos neighborhood.

Today, he’s one of 12 ReStart alumni working in the restaurant as kitchen assistants and servers. Under the guidance of Michelin-starred chef Pavlos Kiriakis, Kykloi serves a modern, sustainable interpretation of Mediterranean cuisine.

“I’m really excited to be working side by side with professional chefs,” Bangura says. “It’s been an amazing journey so far.”

Athens’ long-standing culinary traditions made it a natural choice for Mastercard’s first restaurant in Greece. Kykloi features dishes created with locally sourced ingredients — from red sea bream with potato confit to calamari paired with tarama. Like Mastercard’s other Priceless restaurants across the world, Kykloi aims to create immersive dining moments, including master classes with guest chefs and molecular mixology sessions. However, this location is the first to be explicitly centered on social impact.

The name “Kykloi,” meaning “circles” in Greek, is reflected in its minimalist design, crafted with natural materials. The concept stands out in a city where food culture thrives everywhere — from casual street stalls to refined, high-end establishments.

“For us, Kykloi represents the cycle of food,” explains Loukia Chorafa, Mastercard’s head of marketing and communications for Greece, Cyprus, and Malta. “From the earth to the table, from sharing a meal to giving ReStart participants a new beginning — it all forms a circle.”

Kiriakis and the Priceless team also envisioned the restaurant as a model for how the industry can champion social inclusion and train people for long-term success.

Because restaurants often struggle to hire skilled cooks and service staff, investing in employee training benefits both the industry and jobseekers.

Since opening in July, Kykloi — drawing inspiration from the circular Mastercard logo — has quickly become popular with locals and visitors who come to Athens for its vibrant dining scene as much as its historic sites.

The rapid progress of the ReStart program suggests that this social-impact approach could be seamlessly adopted by future Priceless restaurants worldwide and potentially set a standard for the hospitality industry, Chorafa adds.

To date, nearly all ReStart graduates — including migrants representing 29 countries — have secured work in Athens, supported by the technical training, confidence, and connections they developed through the program. The next stage aims to help Greek youth facing employment barriers, including those with disabilities or experience in institutional care.

For participants like Bangura, who spent years trying to find stability, ReStart and his role at Kykloi have offered a chance to finally build the life he envisioned in his new home.

“This gives me and my family the opportunity to enjoy a more secure future here in Athens,” he says.