A Guide to the Best Apps for Scheduling Restaurant Employees

Effective employee scheduling is a critical element in the smooth operation of any restaurant. When done correctly, it can help ensure optimal staffing, reduce labour costs, improve employee satisfaction, and ultimately enhance the overall customer experience. In today's digital age, restaurant managers no longer need to rely on pen-and-paper rotas or complicated spreadsheets. Instead, there are a variety of apps designed specifically to streamline the scheduling process.

In this blog, we’ll explore some of the best apps for scheduling restaurant employees, highlighting their key features and how they can benefit your business.

Deputy

Overview: Deputy is one of the most popular scheduling apps used in the UK restaurant industry. It is known for its intuitive design and range of features that make employee management simpler and more efficient.

Key Features:

• Automated Scheduling: Deputy automatically suggests shifts based on employee availability and skill sets, helping to reduce scheduling errors.
• Time Tracking: Employees can clock in and out through the app, and managers can track their hours in real time.
• Shift Swaps: Employees can request shift swaps or time off directly via the app, reducing administrative hassle for managers.
• Labour Cost Management: Deputy provides real-time tracking of labour costs, enabling managers to stay within budget and avoid overscheduling.

Why It’s Great for Restaurants: Deputy is a user-friendly solution that integrates scheduling with time tracking and labour cost management, making it ideal for restaurants looking to optimise both staffing and expenses. Its mobile app makes it easy for employees to view their shifts, communicate with managers, and make adjustments on the go.

7shifts

Overview: 7shifts is a scheduling platform specifically designed for the restaurant industry. It aims to simplify shift planning, enhance communication, and improve labour cost control.

Key Features:

• Simple Scheduling Interface: Managers can create and adjust schedules quickly with drag-and-drop functionality.
• Team Communication: The app includes messaging features, allowing for easy communication between management and staff regarding shift changes or updates.
• Labour Cost Forecasting: 7shifts provides insights into labour costs in real time, helping managers optimise staff levels and reduce unnecessary expenses.
• Mobile Access: Employees can access their schedules, clock in, request time off, and swap shifts via the mobile app.

Why It’s Great for Restaurants: 7shifts is tailor-made for the hospitality industry and offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to improve scheduling efficiency and employee engagement. Its focus on labour cost management and team communication makes it a standout choice for UK restaurants.

HotSchedules

Overview: HotSchedules is a well-established player in the restaurant scheduling market, known for its robust features and integration capabilities. It is widely used in the UK restaurant sector to streamline scheduling and improve workforce management.

Key Features:

• Shift Management: HotSchedules offers a flexible scheduling platform that allows managers to quickly create and edit rosters while accommodating employee availability and requests.
• Real-Time Reporting: The app provides real-time insights into labour costs, staffing levels, and sales data, helping managers make informed decisions.
• Mobile Access: The mobile app enables employees to access their schedules, request time off, and communicate with managers in real time.
• Integration with POS Systems: HotSchedules integrates seamlessly with POS systems, allowing managers to align staffing levels with sales data and optimise labour costs.

Why It’s Great for Restaurants: HotSchedules is perfect for larger restaurants or chains looking for a comprehensive workforce management solution. Its integration with POS systems and detailed reporting features help restaurants optimise both staffing and revenue.

RotaCloud

Overview: RotaCloud is a UK-based scheduling app that’s becoming increasingly popular with restaurants looking to improve employee scheduling and simplify shift management. It’s known for its simplicity and ease of use.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Scheduling: Managers can create schedules quickly using the drag-and-drop interface, and employees can view and manage their shifts via the app.
• Employee Availability: Employees can update their availability, and managers can allocate shifts based on these preferences, improving staff satisfaction.
• Time Tracking: RotaCloud offers time clock functionality, allowing employees to clock in and out through the app and helping managers track working hours accurately.
• Labour Cost Tracking: The app tracks hours worked and calculates labour costs, ensuring your restaurant stays within budget.

Why It’s Great for Restaurants: RotaCloud is ideal for restaurants looking for a straightforward scheduling solution with powerful features like time tracking and cost management. It’s particularly useful for smaller to medium-sized establishments that need flexibility and simplicity in their scheduling process.

When I Work

Overview: When I Work is a versatile employee scheduling app that’s used in a variety of industries, including hospitality. It offers features that make managing shifts, time tracking, and employee communication easier for restaurant managers.

Key Features:

• Shift Scheduling: Managers can create schedules quickly and share them with employees instantly.
• Mobile Access: Employees can access their schedules, request shift swaps, and even clock in and out via the mobile app.
• Time and Attendance Tracking: The app includes built-in time tracking, so managers can easily monitor employee working hours and streamline payroll processing.
• Team Communication: When I Work has a built-in messaging feature, allowing managers and employees to stay connected and keep each other updated on shift changes.

Why It’s Great for Restaurants: When I Work is perfect for restaurants looking for a flexible, easy-to-use scheduling solution. It’s especially beneficial for restaurants with a large workforce or high turnover, as it simplifies communication and keeps employees engaged.

Plum

Overview: Plum is a UK-based scheduling and workforce management app that’s focused on simplifying employee scheduling while integrating seamlessly with payroll systems. It’s an ideal tool for restaurants looking to streamline both their scheduling and payroll processes.

Key Features:

• Scheduling & Time Tracking: Plum combines scheduling with real-time time tracking to make managing shifts and payroll simple and accurate.
• Employee Availability & Preferences: Employees can update their availability and preferences, helping managers create more balanced schedules.
• Shift Swaps & Time Off Requests: The app allows employees to easily request time off or swap shifts, reducing the workload for managers.
• Payroll Integration: Plum integrates with UK payroll systems, making it easy to process wages based on actual hours worked.

Why It’s Great for Restaurants: Plum is a comprehensive solution for restaurants that want to streamline both employee scheduling and payroll. Its integration with payroll systems makes it a convenient option for restaurants looking to save time on administrative tasks.

Conclusion

The right scheduling app can significantly improve the efficiency of your restaurant’s operations, save time, reduce errors, and enhance employee satisfaction. Whether you choose Deputy, 7shifts, HotSchedules, RotaCloud, When I Work, or Plum, each of these apps offers unique features designed to simplify scheduling and optimise workforce management. By embracing these digital tools, UK restaurants can better manage their teams, improve profitability, and focus more on delivering exceptional customer experiences.