My theory is that the public got used to getting poor service during the height of the pandemic, due to worker shortages. The business owners realized that they could make more profit by NOT hiring people, but they keep the fake hiring process in place so that they can use the excuse, "no one wants to work." Most employers keep raising the prices of their goods, but they are not hiring a sufficient workforce, and not increasing the pay of the workers they have. Ugly capitalism at its best.