As Orange County’s restriction-ravaged restaurants recover from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they’re expected to turn to an unexpected source for help: the aging workforce. With younger employees moving toward virtual, gig- and opportunity-driven jobs, restaurants willing to dip into the more mature pool for help may just find a golden solution to the economic recovery challenges ahead, industry experts said. “Everyone in Orange County is scrambling for staff,” Pam Waitt, president of the Orange County Restaurant Association, told The Epoch Times. “Older workers are the answer.” The demographic shift comes as California plans for a June 15 reopening, after being under government-mandated restrictions and closures throughout the past year. With Orange County restaurants beginning to expand their capacity, COVID-weary diners are filling establishments in record numbers. As a result, staffing demands are surging at a staggering pace. By the Numbers The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that in the next …