Though Tim Hortons seems to be doing well from an outside perspective — being a part of the daily routine of millions of Canadians and recently partnering with Justin Bieber to rabid fanfare and all — apparently many locations in Ontario are really struggling for the same reason much of the food and beverage sector is right now.

Correspondence between managers of a number of locations across the province, as obtained by BNN Bloomberg, indicates that the restaurants are facing a collective hiring crisis.

According to the news outlet, more than 20 Ontario Timmie's are verging on full panic mode going into the busy holiday season, with not enough staff to keep things running smoothly and issues retaining new hires.

Because the brand is a franchise, wages vary across all outposts, and wage increases are inconsistent and not required.

The hospitality industry at large has been facing a reckoning, post-lockdown, as workers have had the time and means to reassess the pay and conditions they were previously working under — which now include facing a potentially infectious public day in and day out, and the fear of further lockdowns and future job loss.

Same here in Canada, some restaurants can’t open again for dining, or owners are cooking/serving or clearing tables due to labour shortage

— Basil Halworth (@basiljh) September 6, 2021

Based on interviews BNN conducted with multiple Timmie's employees, pay at some Ontario stores is low and wage increases are rare, staff are not treated equal and concerns are often brushed off by higher-ups, all while business continues to get busier.

But, there are some owner-operators of Tim Hortons and other restaurants alike that are trying their best to offer incentives, better wages and more to attract and keep people on, as well as show their appreciation for their staff, some to great success and some, not so much.

Yup, short staff across restaurant/service industry common theme in Toronto area over last few months.

— Mike Cautillo (₿) (@MikeCautillo) September 28, 2021

Unfortunately for many establishments, the last 21 months have put them in an already extremely precarious financial position, and staffing woes have been the final straw to bring them to temporary or even permanent closures.

Others have looked to international workers to fill the 196,100 vacancy void (per StatsCan) left by those who have chosen to leave the sector altogether for seemingly greener pastures.

There's no doubt that a forcible paid leave (for those whose workplaces were shuttered) and months-long isolation and reflection has most of us re-evaluating what the heck we're doing with our lives, regardless of what industry we're in.