CAMBRIDGE (CBS) – Despite the pickup in business for Season To Taste, the Cambridge restaurant will close in mid-June to allow staff to take a week of paid vacation. While it won’t be cheap, owner Robert Harris says it will be money well spent showing appreciation for his employees.

“In all honesty, it will probably cost about $ 12,000. That’s when you factor in the lost revenue, the opportunity cost and the work we have yet to pay for, “Harris said.

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With the restaurant industry facing a hiring shortage, others spend money trying to recruit new employees.

Ryan Jones is the Lyons Group’s Vice President of Operations. In early May, Lyons Group offered transfer fees and retention bonuses of up to $ 1,000 for new hires at its 21 restaurants in the Boston area. If the person qualifies as a full-time employee after 90 days, they will receive the bonus. The Lyons Group offers its employees 50% discount on groceries at each of its locations.

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“Whether it’s extended unemployment benefits or some people aren’t ready to go back to work, we just wanted to create something that might give people an extra boost, an extra incentive to shut them in the door get, “said Jones. “We currently have around 1,000 employees. We hope to nearly double that number in the next two or three months. “

“I think we have always valued our employees and they are like family, and any restauranteur would tell you that it’s just business and that at the moment we just have to show our love a little differently and in different ways, ”said Bob Luz, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.

Season to Taste started last summer with eating on the outdoor terrace. The paid vacation time was a thank you to the employees for their hard work over a long and tiring year.

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“When we got there for the one year anniversary, I thought it would be great to take a little break. They made the difficult decision: “Am I risking my life to keep working and being in this situation?” And that’s my reward for her, ”said Harris.