Domino’s Pizza is aiming to hire 5,000 chefs and delivery drivers, as consumers’ appetite for takeaways remains strong, at a time when the hospitality industry is battling staff shortages. Britain’s biggest pizza delivery chain said it had recruited just over 8,000 people in 2020 to meet demand, including hairdressers, taxi drivers and event managers who were not able to work as usual during lockdown. However, as Covid restrictions ease, some of Domino’s pandemic recruits are returning to their previous roles. As a result, the chain needs more staff for its 1,100 UK branches, most of which are run by franchisees. The firm has previously announced plans to open a further 200 outlets. Domino’s search for new employees comes amid warnings from the hospitality industry that it is facing a staffing crisis, with businesses trying to fill thousands of vacancies. Domino’s was “overwhelmed by the response from people of all walks of life” during last year’s recruitment drive, said Nicola Frampton, operations director at Domino’s UK. “I’m proud we were able to play a part by offering people the opportunity to continue working and earning when times were tough. But as people start to reunite, customer demand is showing no signs of slowing and so we’re now looking for 5,000 new recruits,” Frampton said. The chain is also offering 1,400 work placements for young people across England, Scotland and Wales as part of the government’s kickstart scheme, where the young person’s pay, national insurance and pension contributions are covered by government for 25 hours a week. Hospitality businesses are warning that they are struggling to recruit the necessary staff, just as they face a boom in bookings. Some EU staff returned to their home countries during the pandemic, while restaurants and pubs say that post-Brexit they are facing a reduction in the supply of skilled staff from the EU.