Best Software for Restaurants & Hospitality Staff Scheduling [2025]
First time using employee scheduling software or ready to ditch your old system? The right tool helps you align staff coverage with demand without blowing the budget or hurting guest experience.
In restaurants and hotels, staffing needs can quickly change. Staff call in sick, events run longer than expected, and peak service hours can hit when the floor is short-staffed. Without the right system, keeping shifts covered and labor costs in check can feel like a full-time job.
Dedicated staff scheduling software equips managers to forecast demand, handle last-minute changes, and keep everyone in the loop. In this guide, we’ll walk through our top picks for restaurant and hospitality scheduling to fit different team sizes and budgets.
What should employee scheduling software do for restaurants and hospitality teams?
Here are the core capabilities that matter for hospitality operations:
Functionality
Why it matters
Streamlined scheduling tools
Saves managers hours when creating schedules (drag-and-drop, templates)
Demand-based scheduling
Aligns staffing with expected sales, reservations, or event traffic so you’re never over- or understaffed
Shift swapping and availability management
Reduces manager time spent on changes and empowers staff to manage availability
Labor cost tracking
Lets managers control costs while meeting service needs
Labor law and compliance tools
Automatically flags issues like missed breaks, predictive scheduling violations, and potential overtime
Time and attendance tracking
Captures accurate employee time, ensures staff clock in for scheduled shifts, and speeds payroll
Mobile access and self-service portals
Staff can access schedules, swap shifts, file PTOs, and get updates from their phones
Communication tools
In-app messaging and reminders cut miscommunication
Payroll integration (or built-in payroll)
Eliminates manual data entry between scheduling and payroll, reducing errors
POS integration
Connects schedules with sales data to improve forecasting
Reporting & labor forecasting
Provides insights into labor efficiency, peak seasons, and staffing trends
Top Staff Scheduling Software for Restaurants & Hospitality
Our Top Five Picks: Quick Summary
Platform
Best for
Why it stands out
Workforce.com
Hourly and shift-based restaurant or hospitality operations
Specifically designed for managing simple to complex shift patterns with AI-driven demand forecasting and tools for labor compliance
7shifts
Independent restaurants and growing regional chains
Built for restaurants, offering tools for scheduling at an affordable price point
Deputy
Growing hospitality operations that need scheduling software for multiple locations
Offers tools for scheduling and mobile tools across locations, with some language support
HotSchedules by Fourth
Mid to large hospitality, restaurant, and service-based businesses
Scheduling platform with integration into Fourth’s back-office suite for payroll, inventory, and HR
When I Work
Small teams, seasonal operators, and event-based venues
Easy to set up and budget-friendly, ideal for teams needing straightforward scheduling tools
#1 Workforce.com
Workforce.com is a cloud-based workforce management platform built specifically for hourly and shift-based businesses, like restaurants, hotels, event venues, and other hospitality establishments.
It’s built with tools to streamline and simplify employee scheduling, but it also has advanced tools that help optimize shifts, such as AI-driven demand forecasting, labor cost tracking, and labor compliance tools.
Designed for the realities of hospitality operations, Workforce.com helps managers to plan schedules ahead of time and react quickly to last-minute changes while staying on top of labor budgets and compliance rules.
AI-powered labor forecasting: Build schedules based on data that affects demand, such as sales numbers, reservations, weather, and upcoming events.
Drag-and-drop schedule builder: Create and adjust shifts with an intuitive interface and save templates for recurring patterns.
Scheduling alerts and compliance safeguards: Get instant alerts if you assign a shift to someone who’s unavailable, on PTO, nearing max hours, or missing required certification. The system also flags break and overtime issues before publishing schedules.
Shift swapping: Manage open shifts and let staff swap or claim shifts with manager approval. Employee hours are recorded as digital timesheets to reduce payroll errors.
Time and attendance tracking: Capture clock-ins via device or kiosk with geofencing to confirm staff location.
Employee self-service: Staff can view schedules, request time off, update availability, and swap shifts from mobile.
Real-time labor cost tracking: See projected labor costs when building schedules and monitor actual costs with a live dashboard.
Multi-location management: Manage scheduling across restaurants or venues from one dashboard.
Built-in payroll: Process payroll directly within the platform to eliminate manual transfers.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Restaurants, hotels, and hospitality groups with hourly or shift-based teams needing precise staffing alignment with demand.
Pricing: Quote-based — contact Workforce.com for a tailored demo and pricing.
#2 7shifts
7shifts is a restaurant-focused scheduling platform known for its intuitive interface and built-in communication tools. Users like how it streamlined team communications, though some report glitches in notifications and integrations.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Independent restaurants and growing regional chains that need a user-friendly scheduling tool.
Pricing (as of 2025): Comp Plan: Free for single-location businesses with up to 15 employees; Essentials: $44.99/month per location up to 30 employees; Pro: $89.99/month per location; Premium: $149.99/month per location. Add-ons: Payroll $39.99/month per location + $6 per employee; Tip Management $49.99/month per location.
#3 Deputy
Deputy is a scheduling and time tracking platform for shift-based teams, especially in hospitality. It offers shift-building tools, task management, and compliance checks. It’s praised for ease of use though admins may face a learning curve.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Growing hospitality operations that need scalable scheduling across locations.
Pricing (as of 2025): Scheduling: $4.50/user/month; Time & Attendance: $4.50/user/month; Premium: $5/user/month; Enterprise: Custom. Add-ons: Deputy HR $2/user/month; Analytics $1.50/user/month.
#4 HotSchedules (by Fourth)
HotSchedules is part of Fourth’s suite and includes scheduling, inventory forecasting, and team communications. It fits mid-to-large hospitality and restaurant businesses and integrates with Fourth’s back-office tools.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Mid to large hospitality or service businesses that need scheduling integrated with back-office systems.
Pricing (as of 2025): Pricing varies by configuration — contact Fourth/HotSchedules for a quote.
#5 When I Work
When I Work is an employee scheduling and time tracking solution popular among small to medium teams in hospitality. It combines scheduling, attendance tracking, and team messaging with straightforward pricing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Small hospitality teams that need simple, fast-to-roll-out scheduling software.
Pricing (as of 2025): Single location or schedule: $2.50/user/month; Multiple location or schedule: $5/user/month.
Other Notable Options
These platforms didn’t make the top five, but they’re worth considering depending on needs and budget.
Sling
Best for: Small restaurants needing an affordable scheduling solution and already on the Toast platform
Why consider it: Simple scheduling tool with good mobile functionality
Pros: Easy to use, includes a free plan for basic scheduling
Cons: Interface can be challenging to navigate
ZoomShift
Best for: Small to mid-sized hospitality and service businesses with shift workers
Why consider it: Has a free tier suitable for non-profits, small businesses, and seasonal events
Pros: Easy to set up
Cons: May be limited with forecasting and payroll integrations
Homebase
Best for: Small restaurants and hospitality businesses looking for a simple scheduling and team management tool.
Why consider it: Basic scheduling app that comes in a free plan, making it a strong choice for smaller teams
Pros: Intuitive mobile app, built-in hiring tools
Cons: Payroll comes as an add-on
What are the common staff scheduling challenges in restaurants and hospitality teams?
A significant part of running a hospitality business is keeping employee schedules adequate to meet demand and, at the same time, fair and workable for staff. On top of that, managers have to balance customer service, labor compliance, and staying within labor budgets. Let’s take a closer look at the most common shift scheduling challenges restaurants and hospitality businesses face:
Last-minute call-outs and shift swaps
Illness, emergencies, and unexpected scheduling conflicts can leave managers scrambling to fill shifts.
Fluctuating demand
Demand changes by day, week, or season. Without accurate labor forecasting, hospitality teams risk being short-staffed during rushes or overstaffed during slow periods.
Labor law compliance
Predictive scheduling laws, required break periods, and minor work hour limits vary by state. Staying on top of rules can be daunting and costly if not handled correctly.
Seasonal hiring and onboarding
Many hospitality businesses ramp up staffing for busy seasons, then reduce headcount during slower months. Onboarding and training seasonal staff increase manager workload.
Employee availability and preferences
Balancing employee preferences, labor demand, and rule compliance can be time-consuming when using manual tools.
Communication gaps
Without centralized communication, schedule changes can be missed, leading to service disruptions.
Labor cost tracking
Many operators only see labor costs after payroll runs. The right system shows costs during schedule-building so managers can make changes in advance.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the staff scheduling software for restaurants and hospitality businesses
Choosing the right staff scheduling software comes down to matching features with operational needs. Look for tools that make building schedules fast and straightforward, while forecasting demand, managing last-minute changes, staying compliant, and simplifying communication.
If you want a solution built for hourly and shift-based work, Workforce.com delivers scheduling with built-in time and attendance, HR, and payroll—an all-in-one platform to manage your team. Book a demo to see how it can help you take control of scheduling and broader workforce management.