International Restaurant Services (IRSI), the operator of Chili’s, Romano’s Macaroni Grill and P.F. Chang’s in Puerto Rico, has joined efforts to recruit workers affected by the closures of Encanto Restaurants restaurants. Company executive Ramón Leal announced recruitment days for Friday, November 6, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Romano’s Macaroni Grill at Plaza Las Américas, and Monday, November 9, from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM in Ponce.
IRSI runs 31 establishments around the island and employs more than 2,500 people, with locations in Caguas, Cayey, Ponce, Aguadilla, Barceloneta, Arecibo, Dorado, Carolina and Bayamón, which allows it to offer jobs in different regions. Leal noted the importance of considering the distance between home and work, particularly for employees displaced from the east region, where closures hit establishments in Humacao, Las Piedras and nearby towns.
The initiative comes as thousands of workers face uncertainty after KFC and Taco Bell halted operations and several Pizza Hut restaurants closed. Leal called the situation lamentable, sad and unexpected, while other chains, including McDonald’s and Burger King, are also running recruitment processes for those affected.