Running a restaurant requires careful workforce management to maintain efficiency, control labor costs, and ensure compliance with labor laws. From employee scheduling to payroll processing and time tracking, restaurant owners must juggle multiple tasks to keep operations running smoothly. Without a structured system in place, scheduling conflicts, labor shortages, and compliance issues can quickly become overwhelming.

Workforce management solutions are designed to simplify these challenges by automating key processes, improving scheduling accuracy, and providing real-time labor insights. By integrating with payroll, point-of-sale (POS) systems, and compliance tools, these solutions help restaurant owners make data-driven decisions to optimize staffing, reduce costs, and enhance employee satisfaction.

This article will compare the best workforce management solutions available for restaurants. By examining essential features such as scheduling automation, mobile accessibility, and labor compliance tracking, we will help you determine which solution best fits your restaurant's size, structure, and operational needs.

A workforce management solution is more than just a scheduling tool - it's a comprehensive system designed to streamline various aspects of labor management. From tracking employee attendance to ensuring compliance with labor laws, the right solution can make a significant impact on operational efficiency and cost control. Below are the essential features restaurant owners should look for when selecting a workforce management solution.

1. Automated Employee Scheduling
One of the most critical functions of workforce management software is automated scheduling. Instead of manually creating shift plans, restaurant managers can use AI-powered scheduling tools that predict labor needs based on sales trends, peak hours, and employee availability. These tools also allow for shift swaps, reducing last-minute scheduling conflicts and improving workforce flexibility.

2. Time and Attendance Tracking
A reliable time tracking system is essential for recording employee hours accurately. Modern workforce management solutions offer digital time clocks, biometric verification, and geofencing features, ensuring that employees clock in and out from authorized locations. This helps prevent time theft and buddy punching, leading to more accurate payroll processing.

3. Payroll Integration
Seamless payroll integration reduces administrative workload and ensures employees are paid accurately and on time. The best workforce management solutions sync with payroll systems to automate wage calculations, tax deductions, and direct deposits. This feature helps restaurant owners avoid payroll errors and compliance issues.

4. Labor Cost Optimization
Restaurants operate on tight margins, making labor cost control a priority. Workforce management software provides real-time labor cost tracking, allowing managers to monitor expenses and adjust staffing levels based on demand. By preventing unnecessary overtime and optimizing shift coverage, these tools help maintain profitability.

5. Compliance and Labor Law Adherence
Restaurants must adhere to various labor laws, including minimum wage requirements, overtime regulations, and meal break policies. Workforce management solutions ensure compliance by tracking employee work hours, managing break times, and alerting managers about potential violations. This helps avoid legal penalties and fosters a fair work environment.

6. Mobile Access and Employee Self-Service
A mobile-friendly workforce management system allows employees to check schedules, request time off, and swap shifts from their smartphones. This enhances communication and reduces administrative burdens on managers. Additionally, push notifications and real-time updates help employees stay informed about their work schedules.

7. Integration with POS and Other Systems
For a fully optimized restaurant operation, workforce management software should integrate seamlessly with POS systems. This allows for real-time synchronization of sales data and labor metrics, ensuring that staffing aligns with customer demand. Other valuable integrations include inventory management and HR systems, further enhancing operational efficiency.

By considering these essential features, restaurant owners can choose a workforce management solution that meets their operational needs and improves overall workforce efficiency.

Small restaurants operate with lean teams and tight budgets, making efficient workforce management essential for success. Unlike large chains that can dedicate resources to HR teams and specialized software, small restaurant owners often handle scheduling, payroll, and compliance themselves. Without the right tools, they may struggle with labor inefficiencies, compliance risks, and excessive administrative work.

Challenges in Workforce Management for Small Restaurants
Small restaurants face several workforce management challenges, including -

1. Balancing labor costs and service quality - Overstaffing increases expenses, while understaffing leads to poor customer experiences.
2. Time-consuming manual scheduling - Creating schedules manually can be error-prone and inefficient.
3. Tracking employee hours accurately - Discrepancies in time tracking can cause payroll errors and compliance violations.
4. Ensuring compliance with labor laws - Small restaurant owners must stay updated on overtime, break regulations, and wage laws.

Best Workforce Management Solutions for Small Restaurants
When choosing a workforce management solution, small restaurant owners should look for automation, mobile accessibility, and integration capabilities. Below are three top solutions-

1. Altametrics - A Comprehensive Workforce Management System
Altametrics offers an all-in-one workforce management platform designed for restaurants. It provides automated scheduling, real-time labor tracking, payroll integration, and compliance management. Small restaurant owners can adjust shifts based on demand, track employee attendance, and monitor labor costs, helping them maintain efficiency without overstaffing. Additionally, Altametrics' mobile accessibility allows employees to view schedules, request time off, and swap shifts, reducing the administrative burden on managers.

2. 7shifts - A Scheduling-Focused Solution
7shifts is widely used in the restaurant industry for automated shift planning, time tracking, and team communication. It simplifies scheduling by forecasting labor needs based on historical sales data and employee availability. While it excels in scheduling, it may not have the same depth of compliance monitoring and payroll integration that some restaurant owners may require.

3. Toast - A POS with Workforce Management Features
Toast is primarily known as a restaurant POS system, but it also includes employee scheduling, payroll, and tip management. The integration with Toast's POS makes it a convenient choice for restaurants already using their system. However, its workforce management features may not be as comprehensive as standalone workforce management solutions like Altametrics or 7shifts.

How These Solutions Compare for Small Restaurants

1. Scheduling and Shift Management - 7shifts and Altametrics offer strong scheduling tools, while Toast provides basic scheduling as part of its POS.
2. Time and Attendance Tracking - All three solutions include employee time-tracking features, but Altametrics offers real-time labor cost monitoring for better budget control.
3. Compliance and Payroll Integration - Altametrics and Toast integrate with payroll and compliance tracking, while 7shifts focuses more on scheduling.
4. Mobile Accessibility - All three platforms provide mobile apps, allowing employees to manage their schedules and shifts remotely.

For small restaurant owners looking for a complete workforce management solution that goes beyond basic scheduling, Altametrics stands out as the best option. It not only helps with day-to-day scheduling but also ensures cost efficiency, compliance, and seamless integrationcritical factors for running a successful small restaurant.

Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) operate in fast-paced environments where efficiency is crucial. Managing a workforce in this setting presents unique challenges, such as high employee turnover, unpredictable demand fluctuations, and the need for rapid shift adjustments. Workforce management solutions designed for QSRs help restaurant owners maintain labor efficiency, ensure compliance, and optimize scheduling to keep up with demand.

Challenges in Workforce Management for Quick-Service Restaurants

1. High Employee Turnover - QSRs experience frequent staff changes, making it essential to have a system that simplifies hiring, onboarding, and scheduling.
2. Fluctuating Labor Demand - Staffing needs vary depending on peak hours, holidays, and special promotions, requiring real-time labor tracking and predictive scheduling.
3. Speed of Service - Delays due to understaffing can lead to longer wait times and dissatisfied customers. Proper workforce management ensures enough staff is available during busy hours.
4. Compliance and Labor Laws - QSRs must adhere to regulations, including fair scheduling laws, overtime restrictions, and meal break policies.

Best Workforce Management Solutions for QSRs

1. Altametrics - Optimizing Labor for High-Volume Restaurants
Altametrics offers a workforce management solution that helps QSRs manage labor efficiently. Its predictive scheduling feature uses sales forecasts to create optimized shift plans, ensuring the right number of employees are scheduled during peak and off-peak hours. The real-time labor tracking feature allows managers to adjust shifts on the fly to prevent understaffing or excessive overtime. Altametrics also integrates with POS systems, syncing labor data with sales trends for better decision-making.

2. 7shifts - Streamlined Scheduling for QSRs
7shifts is a scheduling-focused solution that provides AI-driven labor forecasting, time tracking, and employee communication tools. It helps QSRs reduce scheduling conflicts and ensures that managers can make adjustments as needed. However, its payroll and compliance tracking capabilities are not as advanced as those of Altametrics.

3. Toast - A POS with Basic Workforce Management Tools
Toast's workforce management tools include employee scheduling, payroll processing, and tip tracking, making it a convenient choice for QSRs that already use Toast's POS system. However, it does not offer the same level of real-time labor analytics and compliance automation as other dedicated workforce management solutions.

Key Features QSRs Should Look for in a Workforce Management Solution

1. Predictive Scheduling - Helps managers plan shifts based on past sales trends and demand forecasts.
2. Real-Time Labor Adjustments - Enables managers to modify schedules instantly based on traffic and sales fluctuations.
3. Automated Time and Attendance Tracking - Prevents buddy punching and ensures payroll accuracy.
4. Compliance Management - Helps QSRs adhere to fair scheduling laws, meal breaks, and overtime regulations.
5. Integration with POS and Payroll Systems - Ensures labor data syncs with sales reports and payroll processing.

QSR owners looking for an efficient and adaptable workforce management system should choose one that balances scheduling automation, real-time labor tracking, and compliance management. Altametrics provides a well-rounded solution that integrates these features, while 7shifts and Toast offer useful tools with varying levels of functionality depending on a restaurant's specific needs.

Full-service restaurants (FSRs) face unique workforce management challenges that require balancing front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) staffing while ensuring smooth customer service. Unlike quick-service restaurants, FSRs often have more complex shift structures, tip pooling systems, and a mix of hourly and salaried employees. Effective workforce management solutions help restaurant owners and managers optimize scheduling, control labor costs, and ensure compliance with labor laws.

Challenges in Workforce Management for Full-Service Restaurants

1. FOH and BOH Coordination - Managing hosts, servers, bartenders, chefs, dishwashers, and bussers efficiently is essential for smooth service.
2. Tip Distribution and Payroll Integration - Many FSRs rely on tip pooling and tip-outs, requiring a system that can handle accurate distribution and payroll synchronization.
3. Labor Cost Control - High labor expenses necessitate real-time labor tracking to prevent overstaffing or excessive overtime.
4. Compliance with Labor Laws - Adhering to minimum wage, overtime, and break laws is crucial to avoid fines and lawsuits.

Best Workforce Management Solutions for Full-Service Restaurants

1. Altametrics - A Full-Scale Workforce Management Platform
Altametrics provides comprehensive workforce management for full-service restaurants. Its AI-driven scheduling tool ensures that FOH and BOH staffing is optimized based on demand. The real-time labor tracking feature helps managers adjust schedules dynamically, avoiding unnecessary overtime. Additionally, its tip management and payroll integration ensure that tip pooling and wage payments are handled accurately. Altametrics also integrates seamlessly with POS systems, allowing restaurant owners to match labor costs with real-time sales data.

2. Deputy - A Flexible Scheduling and Compliance Solution
Deputy is a workforce management system with a strong focus on scheduling and compliance. Its automated scheduling feature helps managers create shifts based on expected demand, and its time tracking ensures accurate payroll calculations. Deputy also includes break enforcement tools, ensuring that restaurants comply with labor laws. While Deputy is excellent for scheduling and compliance, it may not offer the same level of POS and tip management integration as Altametrics.

3. When I Work - A User-Friendly Scheduling Platform
When I Work is known for its intuitive scheduling and time-tracking capabilities. It allows employees to swap shifts, request time off, and receive schedule notifications via a mobile app. The software also integrates with payroll providers to simplify wage calculations. However, When I Work lacks advanced tip management and labor analytics, making it more suitable for smaller full-service restaurants that need a simple scheduling tool.

Key Features Full-Service Restaurants Should Look for in a Workforce Management Solution

1. FOH and BOH Scheduling Optimization - Ensures efficient staffing across different restaurant sections.
2. Tip Management and Payroll Integration - Automates tracking and distribution of pooled tips.
3. Real-Time Labor Cost Monitoring - Allows managers to adjust staffing levels based on business needs.
4. Compliance Automation - Helps restaurants stay compliant with labor laws and wage regulations.
5. POS Integration - Syncs labor data with sales reports for better labor cost management.

Choosing the right workforce management solution depends on a restaurant's size, complexity,
and operational needs. Altametrics offers an advanced, all-in-one workforce management system, making it a strong choice for full-service restaurants that need real-time labor tracking, compliance automation, and payroll integration.

Managing workforce operations across multiple restaurant locations presents a distinct set of challenges. Unlike single-location restaurants, multi-unit businesses must standardize labor policies, track performance across different locations, and ensure compliance with labor laws in various jurisdictions. Workforce management solutions tailored for multi-location restaurants provide centralized oversight, allowing managers and owners to maintain operational efficiency while optimizing labor costs.

Challenges in Workforce Management for Multi-Location Restaurants

1. Standardizing Schedules and Labor Policies - Consistency in scheduling, overtime management, and break policies is crucial for maintaining fairness and efficiency across locations.
2. Centralized Labor Cost Control - Managing labor costs across multiple units requires real-time data and predictive scheduling tools to prevent overstaffing or overtime expenses.
3. Compliance Across Different Locations - Labor laws may vary by city, state, or country, making it essential to have automated compliance tracking to avoid legal issues.
4. Multi-Location Reporting and Analytics - Restaurant chains need a centralized dashboard to track labor performance, absenteeism, and operational efficiency across all locations.

Best Workforce Management Solutions for Multi-Location Restaurants

1. Altametrics - A Scalable Workforce Management Platform for Restaurant Chains
Altametrics is a powerful multi-location workforce management solution designed to help restaurant owners streamline operations across all units. It provides centralized scheduling, labor cost monitoring, and compliance tracking, ensuring consistency in workforce management. Altametrics also integrates real-time sales data with labor insights, allowing owners to adjust staffing needs dynamically based on business performance. Its enterprise-level reporting tools offer deep insights into workforce efficiency, helping multi-location restaurants make data-driven decisions.

2. UKG Ready - An Enterprise-Grade Workforce Management Solution
UKG Ready (formerly Kronos) is designed for businesses that require enterprise-level workforce management tools. It offers AI-driven scheduling, automated compliance tracking, and real-time workforce analytics, making it a strong option for large restaurant chains. UKG Ready also includes self-service tools for employees, allowing them to view schedules and manage shift requests across multiple locations. However, its interface and customization options may require more time to implement compared to other solutions.

3. Paycor - A Workforce Management and Payroll Solution for Multi-Unit Businesses
Paycor provides multi-location scheduling, payroll processing, and labor law compliance tools. It is particularly useful for franchise owners who need centralized workforce oversight across several locations. Paycor also includes customizable reporting, making it easier to analyze labor trends and performance by location. However, its reporting capabilities may not be as advanced as Altametrics or UKG Ready.

Key Features Multi-Location Restaurants Should Look for in a Workforce Management Solution

1. Centralized Scheduling and Labor Oversight - Ensures consistent scheduling and workforce policies across all locations.
2. Enterprise-Level Reporting and Analytics - Helps restaurant chains track performance, absenteeism, and labor efficiency across units.
3. Multi-Location Compliance Automation - Ensures adherence to local labor laws, overtime regulations, and fair scheduling laws.
4. Real-Time Labor Cost Monitoring - Allows managers to adjust staffing levels based on sales and demand fluctuations.
5. POS Integration for Sales and Labor Tracking - Syncs labor data with sales metrics to optimize staffing efficiency.

For multi-location restaurant owners, selecting a scalable workforce management solution is essential to maintaining consistency, optimizing labor costs, and ensuring compliance across all units. Altametrics offers a comprehensive and real-time workforce management system, making it an ideal choice for restaurant chains looking for centralized oversight, labor cost control, and compliance automation. UKG Ready and Paycor also provide enterprise-level workforce management tools, but their implementation and learning curve may be steeper for some businesses.

Selecting the right workforce management solution is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency, reducing labor costs, and ensuring compliance with labor laws. However, with numerous options available, restaurant owners must carefully evaluate their needs before making a decision. Below are key factors to consider when choosing a workforce management system.

1. Identify Your Restaurant's Workforce Management Needs
Different restaurant types have unique workforce challenges.

-Small restaurants need an easy-to-use, cost-effective solution with basic scheduling and payroll integration.
-Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) benefit from predictive scheduling and real-time labor tracking to handle fluctuating labor demand.
-Full-service restaurants require tip management, payroll synchronization, and FOH/BOH scheduling tools to balance different roles.
-Multi-location restaurants need centralized reporting, compliance tracking, and enterprise-level workforce insights to manage staff across multiple units.

2. Evaluate Ease of Use and Employee Adoption
A workforce management solution should be intuitive for managers and employees alike.

-User-friendly dashboards simplify scheduling and reporting.
-Mobile accessibility allows employees to swap shifts, request time off, and check schedules from anywhere.
-Self-service features reduce administrative work by enabling staff to manage their availability.

3. Look for Real-Time Labor Cost Monitoring
Restaurants operate on tight margins, so having tools that help monitor labor costs in real time is essential.

-Workforce solutions like Altametrics provide real-time labor tracking, helping managers make informed staffing decisions.
-AI-driven scheduling ensures shifts are planned efficiently, preventing unnecessary overtime.

4. Ensure Compliance and Payroll Integration
Compliance with labor laws, wage regulations, and overtime policies is critical.

-A workforce management system should track labor law requirements, ensuring employees take required breaks and managers stay compliant.
-Payroll integration ensures accurate wage calculation and automated tax deductions.

5. Consider System Integrations with POS and Other Tools
A workforce management solution should integrate seamlessly with existing systems.

-POS integration allows for labor and sales data alignment.
-Payroll software integration simplifies payroll processing and wage distribution.
-HR system compatibility ensures smooth employee onboarding and workforce tracking.

6. Assess Reporting and Analytics Capabilities
Detailed insights into labor trends, absenteeism, and cost analysis help restaurant owners make data-driven decisions.

-Advanced workforce management solutions provide customizable reports that help track efficiency and performance.
-Multi-location reporting tools help restaurant chains maintain consistency across all locations.

7. Test the System with a Trial or Demo
Before committing to a solution, try a demo or free trial to assess usability and features.

-This helps managers and employees determine if the system is intuitive and meets their needs.
-Ensure that customer support and training resources are available for smooth onboarding.

Choosing the right workforce management solution requires evaluating operational needs, ease of use, compliance tracking, and system integrations. Altametrics offers a well-rounded solution with real-time labor tracking, compliance automation, and seamless POS integration. However, restaurants should assess different platforms to find the best fit for their specific needs. Whether running a small restaurant, QSR, full-service establishment, or multi-location chain, selecting the right workforce management software can improve efficiency, reduce labor costs, and enhance overall operations.

Workforce management is a critical aspect of running a successful restaurant, impacting everything from employee scheduling and payroll processing to labor cost control and compliance tracking. Without an efficient system in place, restaurant owners risk over-staffing, under-staffing, compliance violations, and increased labor costs - all of which can negatively affect profitability and customer service.

Choosing the right workforce management solution depends on the size and operational needs of the restaurant. Small restaurants may require a simple, intuitive scheduling tool, while quick-service restaurants benefit from predictive scheduling and real-time labor tracking to handle fluctuating demand. Full-service restaurants need tip management, payroll synchronization, and compliance tools, while multi-location restaurant chains require centralized labor oversight and enterprise-level reporting.

Solutions like Altametrics provide comprehensive workforce management tools, including real-time labor tracking, compliance automation, payroll integration, and POS synchronization, making them suitable for a variety of restaurant types. However, other solutions may also meet specific business needs, depending on the level of complexity required.

Investing in the right workforce management solution not only improves operational efficiency but also enhances employee satisfaction and reduces labor costs. By carefully evaluating features, ease of use, and integration capabilities, restaurant owners can make an informed decision that supports long-term success.