Restaurant work has become more stressful than ever. Could a staff therapist help?

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February 18th, 2022

Nikki Perri is a server at French 76 on 17th Street in Denver, which is part of the Bonanno Restaurants group. The company has hired a full-time mental health clinician to assist other staff members coping with stress, burnout and other psychological issues. Perri says she's already consulted with her, and says the new hire is a valuable employee benefit.

Restaurant jobs have always been difficult, but the mental stress has gotten worse during the pandemic as restaurants closed or cut hours — or became a ground zero for the fight over mask-wearing.

“It is totally nerve-wracking sometimes, because all of my tables I’m interacting with aren’t wearing their masks,” says server Nikki Perri. “I am within six feet of people who are maskless.”

Perri works at French 75, a restaurant in downtown Denver. She’s 23, a DJ and music producer. And she’s not just worrying about her own health.

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