A McDonald's in North Carolina shuts its dining room because it can't find enough staff, as the labor shortage continues to hit fast-food chains

Restaurants across the country have improved their staff benefits in a bid to attract new hires.

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• A McDonald's restaurant said it closed its dining room because it couldn't find enough staff.
• It will continue to offer takeout and collection, it said.
• Some Chick-fil-A restaurants have also shut dining rooms because they can't find staff in the labor shortage.
• See more stories on Insider's business page.

A McDonald's restaurant on the outskirts of Charlotte, North Carolina, has closed its dining room because it can't find enough staff.

The restaurant on Pineville Matthews Road confirmed to Insider that the labor shortage was the reason why it had shut its dining room.

It is still serving food via delivery and collection, the restaurant said. It also has a drive-thru, and delivers food.

Read more: How a tiny food-tech startup convinced industry heavyweights like Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell to rely on it to fight a labor shortage

A McDonald's USA spokesperson told Insider: "Thanks to the incredible efforts of the individuals working in McDonald's restaurants, over 99% of our locations in the US have stayed open throughout the pandemic to serve and support communities across the country.

"To stay competitive, McDonald's recently announced an average 10% pay increase at its corporate-owned US restaurants, and many franchisees are exploring increased wages, offering tuition assistance, and piloting backup childcare programs at select franchised locations," the spokesperson added.

Insider could not immediately verify whether the Charlotte restaurant was franchise- or corporate-owned.

Other restaurants have slashed their operations as the industry continues to scramble for workers. At least three Chick-fil-A restaurants in Alabama have shut their dining rooms because they can't find workers. All three said staff were worn out.

Two other Chick-fil-A restaurants in Alabama are closing for an extra eight hours a week because of "extremely short staffing."

On August 10, McDonald's restaurants in North Carolina held a day of open interviews as part of the chain's efforts to recruit 9,000 new staff members in the state.

Restaurants across the country have raised wages, offered sign-on bonuses, and given out free food in a bid to attract new hires, who are leaving the industry in droves.

One pizzeria in Alabama even said that it would "literally hire anyone."

Do you work in the restaurant industry? Got a story? Email this reporter at gdean@insider.com, using a non-work email.

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