10 minutes

Ever faced a night where handling your restaurant’s team felt like a never-ending struggle? If you’re nodding in agreement, you’re among many restaurant owners who feel the same.

From the complexities of handling staff performance management to reduce labor costs, restaurant scheduling software can optimize employee schedules and enhance their experiences. But what if there was a way to make everything run more smoothly with just a few clicks?

Introducing Restaurant Labor Management Software—HR software that is designed to help you manage labor effortlessly at multiple locations, improving workflow, reducing payroll errors, and driving overall success with ease.

Let’s explore some key figures highlighting the importance of restaurant staff management software:

  • 80% of restaurant owners who use labor management software report a reduction in overtime costs.
  • By 2032, the Restaurant Management Software Market is projected to grow to USD 26.3 billion, from USD 5.7 billion in 2023, at a CAGR of 16.5%.

It’s evident that strong labor management software is crucial for successful workforce management. But with so many restaurant workforce management software tools available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

What is Restaurant Labor Management?

Managing Restaurant Labor management involves more than just monitoring wages and benefits. You need to track how many employees are advancing in their training, manage shift swaps, and focus on employee retention.

By keeping detailed records of wages, salaries, employee benefits, and other costs with restaurant HR software, you can maintain profitability in the hospitality industry and ensure that your staffing is always optimized.

Aiming for labour costs under 30% is key to restaurant profitability. Spend less than $3 on wages and benefits for every $10 made. High labor costs could hurt sustainability, while low costs might lead to being short-staffed. Use employee records to create schedules based on demand.

Top Restaurant labor Management Software Solutions for 2024

1. KNOW

Are you tired of juggling multiple tasks and facing chaos in your restaurant operations? Try KNOW, the #1 restaurant staff management software. This intuitive HR software tool, just 10 MB in size, offers payroll management, employee recruitment, customizable features, and tight access control, ensuring for authorized personnel only.

  • Staff Training Programs:
    KNOW goes beyond basic scheduling by offering interactive staff training programs with quizzes and assessments in different formats. It’s like giving your staff a crash course in awesomeness, right on their phones.
  • Team Management:
    Effective team management is crucial for optimizing operations in the restaurant industry. KNOW enables restaurant managers to streamline scheduling, enhance communication among staff, and improve overall employee satisfaction.
  • Simplify Full-Time and Part-Time Scheduling:
    Instantly notify your skilled employees of their shift timings and any last-minute changes. Incorporating the hiring process and optimizing labor costs, restaurant industry workforce management software automates scheduling, helping to save time and boost restaurant employee morale.
  • Eliminate Timesheet mistakes:
    With KNOW for restaurant employees, timesheet errors and inaccurate payrolls are a thing of the past. This innovative software allows your entire team – from kitchen staff and chefs to waiters and delivery drivers – to clock in and out using their mobile phones.Mobile Checkin Screengrab

2. 7shifts

7shifts is a comprehensive HR management software for restaurant employees. This powerful tool allows you to simplify employee scheduling, streamline team communication, track training progress, and manage time-off requests.

  • Cost-Effective Management: With 7shifts’ advanced forecasting tools, you can save thousands of dollars annually. Automatically predict sales and labor needs to avoid over or under-staffing, ensuring that restaurant business operations run profitably.
  • Build Employee Schedules with Ease: With 7shifts employee scheduling tools, you can easily create and adjust schedules, empowering your staff to request shift changes and time-off with just a few clicks. Maximizing employee engagement can lead to improved employee satisfaction, reduced turnover rates, and enhanced customer service.
  • Significant Cost Savings: Avoid over or under-staffing by using 7shifts’ accurate sales and labor projections. These insights allow you to create optimized schedules, saving your restaurant thousands of dollars in labor costs each year.

3. QuickBooks Time

Running a restaurant means juggling great food with smart financial management. QuickBooks restaurant employee management software helps you do both, so you can focus on your passion for cooking. And with their free mobile app, you’ll easily manage accounts and improve the employee experience on the go

  • Snap & Save: Just snap a photo of your receipts, and let QuickBooks handle the rest. Your expenses will be automatically sorted, tracked, and matched, keeping you in complete control of your cash flow.
  • Access Detailed Financial Reports 24/7: QuickBooks generates instant, accurate reports, offering you real-time insights into your restaurant’s financial health, so you can make informed decisions.
  • Mile Tracking Made Easy: Got errands? QuickBooks’ GPS tracks every mile for you, whether you’re out delivering or gathering ingredients. Those miles mean tax savings. Every mile counts toward your tax deductions.

4. Toast

Toast is a point of sale and restaurant industry workforce management software engineered to enhance operational efficiency, increase sales, payroll integrations, food costs and improve the guest experience. With a focus on streamlining every aspect, Toast is your partner in success in the restaurant operations.

  • Payroll Suite: Simplify payroll processing with a system that syncs effortlessly with your POS. Manage everything from employee schedules to payment processing with a few clicks.
  • Access Capital: Gain access to fast, flexible funding to propel your restaurant forward. Whether it’s for new equipment or expansion projects, Toast provides the financial support you need to grow.
  • Online Ordering: A coherent, commission-free solution integrated with your POS for real-time updates. Empower your guests to order online effortlessly, reducing wait times and increasing order accuracy.
  • Task Management: Enhance operational efficiency and employee coordination with real-time visibility, daily checklists, and reminders to ensure tasks are completed effectively.

5. Square

Square for Restaurants isn’t just a POS system; it’s your all-in-one restaurant staff management software. Whether you run a full-service, quick-service, or multi-concept spot, it handles orders, team hours, and labor costs, plus offers delivery options and live sales reporting. Easy to set up and train your staff with—everything you need in one place

  • Maximise Sales: Its robust system simplifies online takeout and delivery orders, ensuring smooth operations and increased revenue ultimately driving profitability in today’s competitive market.
  • Explore New Revenue Streams: By integrating Square into your operations, you can enhance workforce management while exploring innovative ways to increase revenue, setting your restaurant on a path to greater success.
  • Optimize Labor and Inventory Costs: As the top choice for restaurant labor management, Square helps you stay ahead of labor and inventory costs, empowering you to excel without lowering your standards. Effective team management is essential for operational efficiency, and Square’s platform enables restaurant managers to streamline scheduling, enhance communication among staff, and improve overall employee satisfaction.

6. TouchBistro Inc.

TouchBistro has helped thousands of restaurants worldwide. With so much passion but limited time and funds, they created an all-in-one POS and restaurant staff management software to ease your workload. Their cloud-based system lets you control menus, sales, and staff from a single platform.

  • Smart integrations: TouchBistro’s restaurant staff management software offers the flexibility to add top integrations for accounting, inventory, and staff scheduling, whether in-house or not.
  • Smooth Out Guest Engagement: Connect with your customers online and in your venue effortlessly. Their commission-free solution for pickup and delivery orders integrates smoothly with your site, optimizing day-to-day operations and keeping your profits up.
  • Simplify Menus and Docs: Manage your menu and employee documents with ease. Their system helps you sell more, handle takeout, and streamline your operations.

Maximizing employee engagement can lead to improved employee satisfaction, reduced turnover rates, and enhanced customer service, ultimately benefiting the business’s bottom line.

7. TimeClock Plus

TimeClock Plus is a versatile time and attendance software solution that excels in managing employees’ clock process, scheduling, and compliance, making it perfect for the fast-paced food service industry. With TimeClock Plus, experience a new standard in restaurant employee scheduling that drives five-star guest interactions.

  • Advanced Time Tracking: TimeClock Plus restaurant industry workforce management software provides multiple methods for tracking employee time, including biometric terminals, mobile apps, and web-based time clocks. This flexibility ensures that employees can clock in and out conveniently, helping prevent time theft and buddy punching.
  • Comprehensive Reporting and Analytics: With TimeClock Plus, you get a detailed view of your business, including labor costs, attendance patterns, and how your team is performing, all thanks to its robust reporting tools.
  • Easily Manage Schedules: Want to minimize scheduling mishaps and compliance headaches? With TCP’s automated solutions, you can effortlessly customize schedules to ensure flexible employee coverage and maintain cost control. Restaurant scheduling software like TimeClock Plus reduces labor costs and enhances employee experiences, making it a vital tool for better labor management in the restaurant industry.

8. ClockShark

ClockShark HR performance management software for restaurant employees is a top choice for restaurants making clocking in and out an easy job for your team. Designed with usability in mind, ClockShark allows managers and staff to easily navigate the software, which leads to increased productivity and fewer errors.

  • Time Tracking Made Easy: Employees can clock in and out using their mobile devices, which sync seamlessly with the software. This makes managing shifts and ensuring accurate payroll processing a breeze.
  • Task Management: The software enhances operational efficiency and employee coordination by providing real-time visibility, eliminating communication breakdowns, and facilitating daily checklists and reminders to ensure tasks are completed effectively.
  • GPS Tracking: This can be particularly useful for restaurants with off-site or mobile staff, ensuring they’re on-site as expected.
  • Comprehensive Reporting: ClockShark offers detailed reporting options, allowing you to analyze labor costs, track employee hours, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your staffing levels and improve efficiency.

9. ZoomShift

ZoomShift is another excellent restaurant employee management software, known for its intuitive design and powerful work scheduling features for hourly employees. It takes care of shift swapping, time tracking, employee clock, Time-Off Tracking and reduction of labor costs

  • Easy Schedule Creation: ZoomShift simplifies schedule creation with its drag-and-drop interface. You can quickly build and adjust schedules, making it easy to accommodate changes in shift patterns or employee availability. Effective team management is essential for optimizing operations, and ZoomShift’s features support this by enhancing communication and improving employee satisfaction.
  • Shift Swapping: With ZoomShift, employees can swap shifts with their peers directly through the platform. This reduces the need for manual adjustments and helps maintain smooth operations even when unexpected changes occur.
  • Mobile Access: Employees can access their schedules, request time off, and view shift details from their mobile devices.

10. Sling

Sling is a robust labor management platform designed to streamline scheduling, communication, and time tracking. It simplifies workforce management by offering intuitive tools for creating and managing employee schedules, ensuring that shifts are filled effectively without any conflicts.

  • Optimize Labor Costs: Set weekly budgets, preferred hours, and overtime limits. Monitor shift costs and get alerts for budget breaches.
  • Smart Scheduling for Restaurants: Maximize table turns and guest satisfaction with effortless scheduling using Sling’s scheduling app. Create, update, and manage schedules effortlessly. Track time with GPS, handle payroll smoothly, and minimize tardiness. Additionally, maximizing employee engagement can lead to improved employee satisfaction, reduced turnover rates, and enhanced customer service.
  • Time Tracking and Reporting: Sling’s time tracking feature enables employees to clock in and out easily using their mobile devices. Managers can monitor attendance, track hours worked, and generate detailed reports to streamline payroll processing.

11. HotSchedules

HotSchedules leads the way in hospitality management, connecting businesses with their data for improved visibility and control. Their complete SaaS solutions support everything from scheduling to payroll, catering to customers worldwide, from small eateries to major hotel chains.

  • Smart Scheduling Made Easy: HotSchedules improves forecasting accuracy by 75% using 17 million data points. It considers POS sales, trends, weather, and local events for smarter planning.
  • Slash Admin Time by 75%: Quickly create and manage schedules, while allowing workers to swap, pick up, or drop shifts with a single tap on their mobile devices. Restaurant HR software can facilitate better hiring, training, compliance, and administrative tasks, streamlining HR processes and improving employee engagement and retention.
  • Labor Compliance and Reporting: The system generates reports on labor costs, compliance issues, and employee hours, providing valuable insights for managing payroll and avoiding potential legal issues.

12. Zoho People

Zoho People is a cloud-based HR solution that is perfect for restaurants looking to handle employee records, attendance, and shifting hurdles. The platform supports a range of HR functions such as Smart HR workflow, insightful analytics, timesheet conversions, course management and 360-degree feedback. For busy restaurant managers, it’s a top choice for restaurant staff management software

  • Seamless Global Expense Management: Manage expenses in any currency with Zoho Expense, perfect for businesses with global operations. Automatic syncing with Zoho People keeps your data accurate and updated whenever changes occur.
  • HR Chatbot: Need to apply for time off? Just tell Zia your days, reason, and leave type, and it’s done! Zia also provides pending task lists and updates on holidays, helping employees manage their day effectively. Task management features ensure real-time visibility and eliminate communication breakdowns, facilitating daily checklists and reminders.
  • Collect Genuine Insights: Guarantee anonymity to encourage honest feedback from employees, ensuring accurate survey results with Zoho People’s HR tools.

Key Features of Restaurant Labor Management Software: Employee Scheduling

Real-Time Scheduling & Shift Management: Efficiently manage employee schedules using HR tools, restaurant workforce management software and POS systems and update shifts instantly to meet changing needs and ensure optimal staffing levels at all times.

Managers can easily notify employees of changes, minimizing scheduling conflicts and enhancing the employee experience.

Employee Performance Analytics: HR performance management software for restaurant employees leverages advanced analytics to evaluate employee performance and identify areas for improvement.

You can make informed decisions about training needs by accessing detailed performance reports and recognising top-performing staff. Maximizing employee engagement can lead to improved employee satisfaction, reduced turnover rates, and enhanced customer service, ultimately benefiting the business’s bottom line.

Labor Cost Forecasting & Budgeting: Predict labor costs precisely through advanced forecasting tools that help you manage budgets effectively.

This feature provides insights into labor expenses, enabling you to adjust strategies to maintain profitability.

Compliance Management & Reporting: Stay compliant with labor laws and regulations through automated compliance restaurant employee performance management software that benefits administration.

The system generates necessary reports and alerts, reducing the risk of legal issues and ensuring your restaurant adheres to industry standards.

Seamless Payroll Integration: Integrating payroll with a human capital management system boosts data access and visibility for HR.

Metrics and analytics allow HR to swiftly identify issues, improve recruitment, and assess performance, resulting in customized dashboards and a unified HR approach.

Employee Self-Service Portal: Provide employees with an intuitive self-service portal where they can manage schedules, request leave, and access personal information.

This empowers staff, fostering autonomy and engagement while reducing managerial workload.

Get started Now

Finding the right HR performance management software for restaurant employees is like completing a puzzle—transforming chaos into calm and survival into success.

Restaurant HR software can facilitate better hiring, training, compliance, and administrative tasks, making it an essential tool for restaurant owners and managers.

With KNOW, you gain access to a platform that combines advanced technology with user-friendly features to streamline your operations. From smart scheduling to seamless payroll, it streamlines processes, boosting efficiency and employee satisfaction. The key to effective restaurant management lies in empowering your team. With KNOW’s restaurant employee management software, your staff can manage their schedules, request time off, and stay engaged, leading to increased satisfaction and productivity. The result? A more cohesive, efficient, and successful operation.

Take control of your restaurant’s future with KNOW and achieve a calm, efficient, and successful operation today!