One of the most time-consuming parts of running a restaurant is scheduling shifts, tracking employee hours, and managing staff rotas. Luckily, this can all be streamlined with the right software solution.
As a restaurant owner or manager, using employee scheduling software can make an enormous difference in how efficiently you run your operations. To help you get set up with the right platform, here are some of the best employee scheduling solutions available for the restaurant industry.
Restaurant Employee Scheduling: Our Top 9 Platforms
7shifts
7shifts stands out as a leading scheduling platform specifically designed for the restaurant industry. This means the platform includes a range of features that easily integrate into your existing restaurant operations and tools - something that many general scheduling platforms lack.
7shifts includes a robust set of features aimed at simplifying the scheduling process for managers. The platform also focuses on being easily accessible to employees.
You get a user-friendly interface with intuitive shift scheduling, efficient communication tools, and effective labor cost management. 7shifts also offers a mobile app, making it easy to keep up with schedules on the go.
Another useful feature is the automated tip pooling, which calculates tips based on employee shifts and sends tips straight to employees.
Homebase
Homebase is an all-in-one workforce management solution that includes powerful scheduling and time-tracking features. It’s a popular choice for many businesses, including restaurants. However, the platform is not purely designed for restaurants so it does not have any restaurant-specific features.
Homebase goes beyond basic scheduling by offering additional functionalities such as payroll management and time-clocking tools. It’s an easy platform to use, and a great solution if you just want one tool to manage all of your restaurant staffing and employee scheduling needs.
TimeClock Plus
TimeClock Plus is a straightforward solution for employee scheduling. The platform focuses on time tracking and clocking shifts, which is really useful if employees are paid by the hour.
Beyond scheduling, the platform offers useful features for leave management, and it seamlessly integrates with payroll systems. While it’s not specifically designed for restaurants, the solution is easy enough to incorporate into your existing operations and restaurant management systems.
It may not be the most robust employee scheduling software, but if you just want to accurately track shifts and hours, then it's a great solution.
ZoomShift
ZoomShift is a free work schedule marker and time clock app. As a free tool, you can;t expect it to offer a diverse range of features. However, the platform is easy to use and does a good job of simply helping you manage and schedule shifts.
ZoomShift caters to small businesses across industries, so don't expect any restaurant-specific functionality. The platform’s features include drag-and-drop scheduling, labor cost forecasting, and streamlined communication tools.
This platform may be straightforward, but it still empowers managers to efficiently organize shifts and enhance their overall workforce management. If you’ve never used employee scheduling software before, then this might be a good platform to get started with.
Sling
Sling is another free platform that offers employee scheduling in a simple format. Beyond being very user-friendly, Sling also offers a restaurant-specific scheduling platform. This makes it an excellent choice, as the platform is easy to integrate into any existing systems your restaurant uses.
Sling offers features like shift planning, time tracking, and team messaging - providing a comprehensive solution for scheduling and team coordination. Sling also incorporates tools to manage labor costs effectively. This can go a long way in improving operational efficiency for restaurant managers.
When I Work
When I Work stands out as a user-friendly employee scheduling platform designed to accommodate various industries, including restaurants.
Its intuitive features include employee scheduling, a time clock, team messaging, and payroll management. Basically, you get everything you need to streamline restaurant HR.
With mobile apps for convenient accessibility, When I Work ensures that both managers and employees can stay connected and informed about their schedules on the go.
TeamBridge
TeamBridge is a complete workforce management platform offering comprehensive solutions for employee scheduling.
The platform combines features like shift planning, time and attendance tracking, and communication tools to streamline the scheduling process. It’s not as straightforward as other employee scheduling solutions, but TeamBridge does include a wide range of tools and functions to ensure every element of employee management is covered.
TeamBridge also has a major focus on automation. This means the tool can help restaurants save hours through smart scheduling workflows.
Although TeamBridge is not designed for the restaurant industry, restaurants can still easily use the many different features that the platform offers.
Social Schedules
Social Schedules is an all-in-one team management platform. This includes robust scheduling and communication features that meet the unique needs of the hospitality industry.
Social Schedules includes powerful shift management tools, time-tracking capabilities, and messaging functionalities to facilitate seamless communication among restaurant staff. It’s a great platform to improve coordination and efficiency in scheduling, ensuring that restaurant operations run smoothly.
Deputy
Deputy is a comprehensive workforce management solution that includes sophisticated employee scheduling features.
Deputy offers tools for time clocking, timesheet, and staff rota management. All employee work hours can be easily exported to your payroll system, and all shifts are easily communicated to employees to keep everyone in the loop.
Conclusion
The employee scheduling platform you choose should depend on any existing software and operational solutions that your business uses.
Try to make use of free trials, and experiment with different employee scheduling platforms and features until you find the right one for your business. When properly incorporated, this can make an enormous difference to your operations.
If your restaurant runs events, then you’ll also want to use the right venue management solution to streamline your day-to-day. Watch a demo with Perfect Venue to see how our platform can revolutionize your venue operations.
