Author: Adam Hamdan

Holiday crowds, summer rushes, and local events all bring the same challenge: too many customers and not enough staff. Hiring seasonal employees helps you cover the extra demand so your team doesn’t burn out.

Seasonal employees step in during the busy period to keep operations smooth and sales flowing. Business leaders know the right seasonal workforce does more than just fill shifts. It creates a positive work environment and keeps the whole team motivated.

In this article, you’ll learn how to recruit seasonal employees and avoid costly mistakes.

Try StaffedUp now and post a job for $1 to find the right seasonal talent without the headache!

What Are Seasonal Employees?

Seasonal employees are staff you bring in for a set time when demand goes up. With weather or busy seasons for the business, like summer tourism or holiday events, extra help keeps things running smoothly.

Since the temporary nature of the work, seasonal jobs start and stop on a timeline. That makes it easier to manage payroll and avoid overstaffing once business slows down.

Typically, seasonal roles include:

• Retail sales associates during the holiday hiring
• Servers and cooks in restaurants
• Tax preparers during tax season

Some businesses may also add dishwashers, delivery drivers, or event support to keep operations running smoothly. Together, these employees form a seasonal workforce that supports regular staff and protects service standards.

Why Seasonal Hiring Can Make or Break Your Business

The holiday season or peak season often puts your business under pressure. Customers line up, orders come in nonstop, and your team fails to keep up.

How seasonal hiring helps your business:

• Extra staff eases the load on regular employees and reduces overtime.

• A bigger team protects company culture and improves customer satisfaction.
• You get a chance to test new hires before offering long-term roles.
• Seasonal jobs attract students, retirees, or part-time job seekers. Basically, you have fresh talent to choose from.

However, it could also create issues. For example, poor training leads to inconsistent service that hurts repeat business. A temporary mindset can make employees disengaged, and constant turnover raises costs with never-ending onboarding cycles.

Labor laws can trip you up if you misclassify workers or miss required pay.

The lesson is simple: businesses that plan ahead and treat seasonal hiring as a strategic move thrive, while those that wing it face extra costs and unhappy teams.

How to Recruit Seasonal Employees Effectively

Your seasonal hiring process should start early, not during the rush. A plan helps fill positions quickly and choose better candidates.

With these steps, you avoid stress and build a team that’s ready for peak demand:

1. Define Your Hiring Seasonal Needs

Before you bring in extra help, step back and figure out exactly what your business requires. Your seasonal hiring needs will look different depending on your location, customer base, and past performance.

Start with these:

• Seasonal positions such as servers, bartenders, dishwashers, or delivery drivers should match your projected sales and customer traffic.
• Review past sales and staffing data to see where service slipped or where you were overstaffed.
• Check employee classifications to avoid compliance issues with labor laws.
• Plan ahead by starting recruitment two to three months before your peak period so there’s time to train new staff.

2. Write Seasonal Job Descriptions That Attract Talent

Don’t just post a job ad that lists duties. Even seasonal roles need to show why someone should choose you over the place down the street. Job seekers have options, and they’ll skip listings that look vague or generic.

Best practices for writing job descriptions include:

• Use direct language that explains daily tasks.
• Share what makes your company culture different and worth joining.
• Highlight perks like flexible schedules or discounts, not just the pay.
• Be upfront about availability during busy months so applicants know what’s expected.
• Use action-based language that shows day-to-day tasks clearly.

3. Post on the Right Seasonal Online Job Boards and Platforms

You’ll want to spread your recruitment across industry boards, general boards, social media, and even your own local network. Each channel helps bring in a mix of candidates.

Options worth using include:

• General job boards like Indeed and ZipRecruiter bring volume.
• Niche job boards like StaffedUp will bring applicants looking for restaurant work.
• Social media is perfect for showing off your workplace and culture. A quick video or team photo can spark interest.
• Always post job openings on your own careers page to catch local job seekers.
• Launch an employee referral program to reward staff who recommend strong candidates.
• Go offline with career fairs, signs in your restaurant, or booths at local events.
• Reach out to former employees, previous interns, or even recently retired staff who may be open to short-term work.

Using a mix of these channels gives you a bigger pool of applicants and a better chance of filling positions before the rush.

Find Seasonal Workers Smarter Using StaffedUp

Seasonal hiring is often a mess. You’re posting on different job boards, chasing messages, and trying to stay organized while the clock ticks down to your busiest weeks. StaffedUp is a hiring tool built to take that stress off your plate.

Here’s what it does for you:

• Post once, and your job ad goes out to multiple job boards and social media.
• Show off your culture with a branded careers page that highlights seasonal roles.
• Text-to-apply and QR codes make it easy for people to apply on the spot.
• Automated screening ranks candidates so you see the best fits first.
• A single dashboard keeps applications, messages, and schedules in one place.

During peak periods, every shift matters. StaffedUp saves hours by cutting out manual steps and boosting operational efficiency, so you’re not buried in paperwork or missed calls.

Even better, it builds a pipeline of workers you can bring back for future seasons. That means each round of seasonal hiring gets easier and less stressful.

Spend $1, post a job, and start filling shifts with StaffedUp’s smarter hiring system!

4. Make the Application and Hiring Process Simple

Seasonal workers often choose the job that’s easiest to get. That’s why your hiring strategies should focus on speed and convenience. A smooth application process keeps candidates engaged and reduces drop-offs.

Practical steps:

• Keep the form short. Ask for name, contact info, availability, and basic experience.
• Skip resumes for entry-level spots. A few knockout questions are faster.
• Use QR codes on signs or receipts that link directly to your application page.
• Set up auto-replies so applicants know their form was received.
• Offer group or video interviews to save time, especially when hiring on a seasonal basis.

Once you find a fit, move quickly. Seasonal staff often apply to several places, and the fastest offer usually wins.

5. Screen and Select Seasonal Candidates Quickly

By the time you wait a week, the best seasonal workers are gone. That’s why recruitment efforts should focus on filtering and deciding fast.

Simple ways to manage it:

• Use short screening questions to rule out people who can’t work weekends or finish the full season.
• Rely on tools that rank applicants so you spend time on the strongest potential candidates.
• Host group interviews to see how people act under pressure.
• Try a short paid shift for top picks to test skills in real time.

6. Train and Onboard Seasonal Staff

Training for seasonal work requires focus. You don’t have weeks, so aim for short lessons that prepare people for the job while helping them feel welcome.

The following is how you turn fresh recruits into qualified candidates who can deliver consistent service:

• Prepare everything before day one, including uniforms, schedules, and employee handbooks.
• Pair new hires with mentors who can guide them during the first few shifts.
• Include a menu tasting or quick quizzes so staff can answer guest questions confidently.
• Use short exercises to practice customer service or conflict resolution.

7. Retain Seasonal Employees for Future Seasons

Seasonal workers can be more than short-term help. With the right approach, they can return year after year and save you from starting over.

Labor Laws and Compliance Considerations for Seasonal Employment

Hiring extra help for the busy rush already brings enough pressure, and legal rules can make it even tougher. Laws when hiring seasonal workers apply just as much as they do for permanent employees.

Key points to watch:

• Seasonal employees should receive at least minimum wage, plus overtime pay after 40 hours in a week.
• Contracts should outline the employment period with clear start and end dates so expectations are set on both sides.
• Larger businesses need to track hours for “Affordable Care Act coverage,” even for short-term staff.
• Many seasonal hires are students, so child labor laws limit hours and duties.
• Once the season ends, some staff may qualify for unemployment benefits depending on state rules.
• Foreign hires under H-2B visas require extra documentation and compliance checks.

Secure the Best Seasonal Talent With StaffedUp

One week, you’re stuck chasing texts from applicants. Then, the next thing you do is repost jobs because the candidate ghosted you. StaffedUp was built by restaurant owners who lived through that stress and wanted a better way to hire.

The platform helps you:

• Post once and send your job to multiple boards like Indeed and Google Jobs.
• Organize everything in one spot, from applications to onboarding, so nothing slips through the cracks.
• Filter and rank applicants automatically, which saves hours you would’ve spent sorting through resumes.
• Schedule and text candidates in seconds, cutting your time-to-hire by more than half.
• Onboard new hires online before their first shift, so they start prepared.

Managers who use StaffedUp report 8x more applicants, 77% shorter time to hire, and up to 45% lower turnover. The system also supports tax credit programs, putting money back into your business while you build a reliable seasonal team.

Post your first job on StaffedUp for only $1 and see how simple seasonal hiring can be!

FAQs About How to Recruit Seasonal Employees

What is the 1,000-hour rule for temporary employees?

The 1,000-hour rule means temporary employees who work more than 1,000 hours in a year may qualify for certain benefits, similar to those offered in permanent positions.

What is the most effective way to recruit?

The most effective way to recruit staff is to write clear job ads, use multiple hiring channels, and respond quickly to qualified applicants.

What is the minimum wage for seasonal workers?

Seasonal workers must be paid at least the applicable minimum wage, which is set by federal, state, or local law, whichever is higher.

Do seasonal employees get hired?

Yes, seasonal employees are often hired during peak demand, and some may be offered long-term or permanent roles based on performance and business needs.

You hire someone on Monday. They quit before Friday. Sounds familiar?

It’s not just you. Every week, restaurant managers across the country are spending more time replacing people than training them. You post the job, scan a bunch of half-baked applications, and rush to fill shifts, only to end up repeating the same hiring cycle.

Most of the so-called “solutions” out there are built for corporate recruiters, not hospitality operators. They’re bloated, slow, and loaded with features that don’t actually help you find qualified candidates or speed up the process.

You need something that works at the pace of restaurant life, helps you hire easily, find the right applicants, and actually hold onto them.

That’s where the right restaurant hiring software makes a difference. The kind that helps you post to major job boards, screen for quality applicants, and get people in the door.

Let’s walk through what it should do, where most tools fall short, and which options actually help you hire better with less time and fewer headaches.

What Restaurant Hiring Software Actually Does (And Why It Matters)

Hiring in the restaurant industry moves fast. You don’t have time to bounce between platforms, chase no-shows, or sift through applicants who can’t work weekends.

Restaurant hiring software is made to fix that. It’s built for managers who need to fill open positions, keep shifts covered, and bring on people who actually show up.

Here’s what the right tool should help you do:

• Post jobs fast across major job boards and social sites
• Filter early so you’re not wasting time on the wrong people
• Schedule interviews without endless texts or missed calls
• Message in one place to stay on top of conversations
• Start paperless onboarding so your new team members can hit the ground running
• Track applicant flow and move the best candidates forward
• Screen for WOTC so you can save money on hires you already need
• Keep hiring managers aligned, even across multiple locations

It’s more than just an applicant tracking system (ATS). It’s a tool that helps you focus on what matters: building a solid team without slowing down your operations.

You should be able to post a job, spot the right applicants fast, schedule interviews, and onboard, all from your phone. That’s how smart hiring works in restaurants today.

Why Most Hiring Tools Don’t Cut It in Restaurants

Most hiring software wasn’t built for restaurants. It was made for offices, full of features you don’t need and steps that slow everything down.

That’s a problem when you’re short-staffed and trying to manage staff shortages.

Here’s what usually happens:

• You post a job and get flooded with applicants who can’t work the hours you need
• You try to follow up, but it takes too long, and candidate ghosting happens
• You’re jumping between apps, emails, and texts just to set one interview
• Your team has no idea where things stand or who’s even been contacted

You don’t need a complex system. You need something that helps you get qualified applicants, lock in interviews, and stay organized without using five different tools.

When your recruitment process is slow, you lose time and lose top candidates to other places that move quicker.

Hiring software for restaurants should be simple. It should help you make better hires in less time and keep your team in the loop while doing it.

Don’t waste hours on generic platforms. Post your first job with StaffedUp in minutes.

5 Best Restaurant Hiring Software Tools for 2025

You don’t need a list of features you’ll never use. You need a tool that saves time, helps you find the right people, and keeps your hiring process moving.

Here’s a quick breakdown of five restaurant hiring tools, starting with the one built by people who’ve worked the shifts and dealt with the no-shows.

1. StaffedUp

StaffedUp is a hiring platform designed for restaurants and hospitality businesses that need dependable hourly workers and less chaos in the process. Everything you need to attract, organize, and onboard candidates lives in one place, built to keep you off spreadsheets and out of your inbox.

The system is built around how operators actually hire. You can push jobs live in a few clicks, filter applicants by role and experience, and follow up on job applications right inside the platform. 

No need to switch between apps, messages, or outdated hiring folders. You’re not just filling shifts, you’re building a team that sticks around.

Users see real results fast. With StaffedUp, many report up to 8x more applicants without having to post on multiple job boards. Stronger candidate matches help reduce turnover by 45%, so you’re not constantly scrambling to replace staff.

Hiring also moves 77% faster, which means open roles get filled before they start causing problems. On top of that, managers gain 10x the peace of mind because the process feels organized, predictable, and finally manageable.

Key features

• One-click job posting – Push jobs to your careers page and third-party boards instantly
• Custom application forms – Get the info you need upfront with role-specific questions
• Auto-tagging and filters – Quickly sort applicants by job title, location, or experience
• Bulk messaging – Reach out to multiple candidates without repeating yourself
• Mobile-friendly dashboard – Review and manage applicants on the go
• Document collection – Request W-4s, I-9s, and onboarding docs with built-in tools
• Team access and permissions – Let managers review applicants for their own location
• Hiring analytics – Track who’s applying, where they came from, and how long it takes to hire

Want to skip the extras and just start hiring fast? StaffedUp was built for restaurant teams.
Post your first job for $1 today.

2. 7shifts

Source: 7shifts.com

7shifts is a team management tool made specifically for restaurants. It focuses on scheduling but includes hiring features that help operators bring in the right people and get them working faster. 

It’s built with the restaurant industry in mind, so it matches the pace and pressure most managers deal with daily.

You can post jobs, track applicants, and move them through the hiring process inside the same system where you schedule shifts. That makes it easy to go from new applicant to scheduled employee without switching tools. 

It’s a good fit if you already use 7shifts for operations and want to keep your hiring in the same workflow.

Key features

• Job posting and applicant tracking – Post to major job boards and manage applicants in one place
• Integrated scheduling – Move applicants to the schedule as soon as they’re hired
• Team messaging – Keep applicants and staff in the loop
• Document upload and onboarding – Collect forms and paperwork in-app

Downside

If you’re not already using 7shifts for scheduling, the hiring tools alone may not feel strong enough to stand on their own. Most features are tied into their full team management system.

3. Culinary Agents

Source: culinaryagents.com

Culinary Agents is a job board and hiring platform built specifically for the hospitality industry. It’s designed for restaurants, bars, hotels, and other food service businesses that need to find experienced front- and back-of-house talent. 

The platform focuses on connecting employers with candidates who already work in the industry, cutting down time spent on unqualified leads.

Hiring teams can post jobs, review applicants, and message candidates without bouncing between different tools. The system also helps promote your brand to job seekers exploring hospitality job expectations.

Key features

• Industry-specific job board – Targeted audience of hospitality professionals
• Candidate profiles – Search and connect with experienced talent directly
• Applicant messaging – Communicate with potential hires in-platform
• Employer branding – Showcase your business to attract stronger applicants

Downside

It’s a niche platform, so it works best if you’re hiring experienced restaurant or hospitality staff. It may not be as effective for entry-level roles or fast-casual restaurants looking for quick hires.

4. Homebase

Source: joinhomebase.com

Homebase is a workforce management tool built for hourly teams in restaurants and retail. It covers hiring, scheduling, messaging, and time tracking in one system. 

Hiring features are geared toward speed, with tools to help managers post jobs, review applicants, and onboard without slowing down day-to-day operations.

The platform works well for small to mid-sized restaurants that want one tool to handle the basics. Job listings go live quickly, and new hires can fill out forms before day one. 

Everything’s designed to save time and help teams stay organized.

Key features

• Job posting across platforms – Share jobs on multiple job boards at once
• Applicant tracking – Review, message, and rate candidates in one dashboard
• Digital onboarding – Collect documents and set up payroll before the first shift
• Built-in messaging – Keep hiring managers and staff connected

Downside

Hiring tools work well, but they’re part of a larger system. If you only want hiring support without other workforce features, it may feel heavier than needed.

5. Connecteam

Source: connecteam.com

Connecteam is a workforce management platform designed for deskless teams, including restaurants, cafes, and hospitality groups. 

It offers tools for hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and team communication in one mobile-first app. Operators can manage staffing needs and new hires while keeping their team organized across locations.

The platform is built to support modern environments where speed and clarity matter. Hiring features aren’t standalone, but they’re part of a broader system that helps streamline day-to-day operations. 

If you’re looking to hire, onboard, and assign shifts without jumping between multiple platforms, Connecteam can help make that easier.

Key features

• Mobile-first onboarding – Bring new hires in fast with training, forms, and checklists
• Job scheduling – Assign and manage shifts with availability and time-off tracking
• Built-in communication – Chat, updates, and announcements in one place
• Task management – Track hiring steps, paperwork, and follow-ups

Downside

Hiring tools are more basic compared to full applicant tracking systems. You’ll get simple job posts and onboarding flows, but less control over filtering or managing applicant flow if you’re hiring at high volume.

How Restaurant Hiring Software Helps You Win

Running short-staffed hurts more than your labor cost. It slows service, leads to hospitality burnout, and kills momentum on the floor. The right hiring software helps you fix that before it starts.

Here’s what restaurant-first tools actually solve:

• Keeps your hiring pipeline full – You’re not waiting on employee referrals or reposting every week. A strong system brings in steady applicants across job boards, your website, and local sources.
• Filters out the noise – You don’t have time to scroll through 50 resumes that don’t fit. Smart tools let you set filters by job role, experience, or location so you only see the people worth talking to.
• Makes follow-up easier – No one gets hired if you ghost them. Bulk messaging and auto-replies help you stay on top of responses and avoid losing strong candidates to faster-moving teams.
• Keeps everything organized – No spreadsheets or messy inboxes. All your hiring activity lives in one place, so nothing slips through.
• Saves hours each week – You can post, screen, and respond in minutes instead of hours. That time goes back to your team and your floor.

The result: faster hiring, better fits, less chaos.

Want hiring that runs as smoothly as your best shift? Try StaffedUp today.

StaffedUp Was Built to Help You Hire Without the Headaches

Most hiring tools weren’t made for restaurants. They’re either too generic or too complex. StaffedUp is different. It’s purpose-built for service businesses that need to move fast, stay organized, and never miss out on solid applicants.

Every feature is designed with busy restaurant teams in mind. You don’t have time for clunky logins or clumsy inbox threads. With StaffedUp, posting a job takes minutes, interviews get scheduled automatically, and your team can actually help, not slow things down.

It’s not just software. It’s the system that supports the way restaurant teams really work—shift to shift, role to role, location to location.

Case Study: How Bailey’s Restaurants Fixed the Hiring Chaos

Bailey’s runs six restaurants, a catering division, and a corporate team. Like most fast-growing restaurant groups, they were constantly hiring, but their systems weren’t keeping up. Interview no-shows were common, managers were drowning in unqualified resumes, and communication between the shop and HR teams kept breaking down.

Then they switched to StaffedUp:

• Local managers gained autonomy with role-based access, while HR kept full visibility.
• Interview no-shows dropped, and the quality of applicants improved.
• Communication finally clicked. Every team could sort, tag, and move candidates forward together.
• Hiring became consistent across every unit, with faster time-to-hire and better outcomes.

Now, Bailey’s hires 15+ new team members each month across their operations, without the stress. What used to feel chaotic is now under control.

If you’re tired of generic tools slowing you down, StaffedUp is your restaurant’s hiring solution. Post your first job for only $1!

Simplify Your Hiring Process With StaffedUp Today!

Hiring in the restaurant world is tough. Shifts move fast, the team needs to change weekly, and qualified candidates don’t stay on the market for long. That’s why using a tool made for restaurants isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

StaffedUp is built specifically for high-volume, high-turnover environments like yours. From fast job posting to built-in interview scheduling and WOTC tracking, every feature works the way restaurant teams actually work: quickly, collaboratively, and without unnecessary logins or lag.

It’s not just about tools but the results. Just ask Bailey’s, which cut no-shows, improved hire quality, and finally got control of hiring across six locations without overcomplicating the process.

If you’re tired of ghosting, duplicate resumes, and tools that slow you down, it’s time to make the switch.

Post your first job for $1 or book a demo to see why restaurant teams pick StaffedUp.

FAQs Restaurant Hiring Software

What software do restaurants use?

Restaurants often use dedicated hiring platforms like StaffedUp to manage high-volume hiring. These tools help teams post jobs to leading job boards, filter for quality candidates, and track every step of the interview process in one place.

What is the best recruiting software?

The best recruiting software is one that’s purpose-built for your industry. For restaurants, StaffedUp stands out because it simplifies every part of the hiring process and makes hiring feel less like a chore. It’s designed to cut down the time to hire and help teams make fast, confident hiring decisions.

How to hire restaurant employees?

To hire restaurant employees, start by writing clear job descriptions, then post them where your ideal applicants are looking, like restaurant-focused job boards. Use tools that keep your onboarding process organized and your hiring process seamless, especially when time is tight.

What software do hiring managers use?

Hiring managers often rely on platforms that serve as a one-stop shop for candidate sourcing, communication, and tracking. Tools like StaffedUp let managers collaborate, screen for top talent, and reduce time hiring across multiple locations.

What is an applicant tracking system, and why does it matter for restaurants?

An applicant tracking system (ATS) helps restaurants keep applications organized, manage interviews, and speed up the start hiring process. With a good ATS, teams can avoid cluttered inboxes, missed interviews, and disjointed communication with customers and candidates alike.

Hiring in the restaurant industry isn’t what it used to be. You’re not just trying to fill a shift, you’re trying to find someone who shows up, fits in with your team, and doesn’t bail after two weekends.

Sounds simple, right? It’s not. Between ghosting, no-shows, and applicants who disappear after “I’ll let you know,” it’s easy to feel stuck.

Whether you’re a restaurant manager, general manager, or the owner wearing all the hats, figuring out how to recruit restaurant staff today means thinking smarter, not just working harder.

You’re competing with other employers, a tight labor market, and a generation of job seekers who value flexibility, communication, and workplace vibe more than ever.

Good news? You don’t have to wing it. This guide breaks down a better way to recruit faster, easier, and with way less guesswork.

If you’re tired of posting jobs into the void, sifting through the wrong people, or watching your new hires walk out two weeks in, we’ve got your back.

Why Is Recruiting Quality Staff So Hard?

Running a restaurant business means juggling a lot. You’re filling shifts, covering for no-shows, managing orders, and keeping service running smoothly. Hiring should help. Instead, it often feels like another full-time job.

You post online, wait for someone promising, and end up with applicants who have never worked a register or shown up on time. You hire fast because you have a staff shortage, but then they quit before the month ends. Now you’re back where you started.

Here’s why difficulty hiring is becoming the norm in restaurants:

• Turnover eats your time. In a high turnover industry, you’re constantly replacing people. It pulls focus away from training and slows your whole team down, especially when you rely on many hourly workers who rotate often.
• Too many unqualified applicants. Sorting through dozens of resumes just to find one qualified candidate is frustrating. And it’s not getting easier.
• Hiring in a rush costs you. When you bring someone on just to fill a gap, they often don’t stay. Or worse, they show up late, call off often, and drag down team morale.

The real issue isn’t a lack of people. It’s that most hiring tools are built for office jobs, not restaurants. They don’t move fast enough, and they don’t help you tell a great story about your workplace. That’s what today’s job seekers care about.

Ready to stop guessing and start hiring smarter? Post your first job for $1.

7 Simple Steps to Recruit Restaurant Staff (Without Losing Your Mind)

So how do you actually hire great people without wasting hours or settling for someone who quits after two shifts? You need a process that works at the pace of restaurant life. It should be fast, clear, and built for finding real humans, not just resumes.

Here are seven simple steps to recruit restaurant staff that actually stick around and won’t drive you up the wall.

1. Make Your Job Posts Stand Out (and Keep It Real)

Most job posts sound the same. They list off tasks, mention “competitive pay,” and hope someone decent clicks apply. But if your post reads like every other one on a job board, it’s going to blend in fast.

This is where a little honesty and personality make a difference.

Tell people what they’ll actually get working with you. Be clear and upfront when writing hospitality job descriptions: include real pay, tips, employee discounts, and what a typical shift actually looks like.

Share something about your vibe, whether it’s laid-back, all hands on deck, or built around training people with new skills. That’s what helps restaurant workers feel like your spot is worth applying to, especially recent grads from local culinary schools or people interested in growing their culinary arts skills.

Use simple, friendly language that reflects your workplace. You’re not hiring for a law firm. Talk like a human. Let your company culture come through in the way you describe the job. That’s what grabs attention and attracts more employees who want to be part of your team.

2. Post on Major Job Boards

You don’t have time to post the same job in five different places. Between the lunch rush and last-minute call-offs, logging into multiple platforms just to get one role out there slows everything down.

You need reach, and you need it fast.

Posting to major job boards like Indeed and Google Jobs helps your listing show up where job seekers are already looking. But it shouldn’t take hours. One post should be enough to hit all the right spots.

When your post goes live in more places at once, you attract more qualified candidates without chasing them down yourself. That’s the kind of reach that makes hiring smoother, not harder.

Don’t stop at online posts. Job fairs at local schools can bring in top talent from your own community. Whether you’re hiring for the back of house or front of house, a mix of digital reach and local visibility works best.

3. Filter Out Unqualified Applicants Early

Not every applicant who applies is a fit. You already know that. But sorting through a pile of resumes takes time you don’t have, especially when most don’t meet the basics.

Filtering early saves your energy for the right people.

Set clear deal-breakers upfront. Think about availability, transportation, and whether they’re familiar with the demands of the hospitality industry. Those are essential parts of many restaurant roles. Add screening questions to your application process so you’re not wasting interviews on people who’ve never worked a line or can’t work weekends.

You can also ask about schedule flexibility, interest in culinary arts, or whether they’re looking to grow into more responsibility. The earlier you narrow your list, the faster you get to candidates matching your team’s needs.

No more digging through messages or guessing who’s worth calling back.

4. Simplify Communication (No More Ghosting)

You find a solid candidate. You send a message. Then… nothing.

Ghosting in hiring happens, but a slow reply or missed message can cost you a great employee. When you’re juggling multiple interviews across texts, emails, and random DMs, it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks.

You need a faster, cleaner way to stay in touch.

Keep your messages in one spot. Respond quickly. Send reminders before interviews. The faster you reply, the better your chance of keeping qualified candidates interested and engaged.

Good communication tells a candidate what kind of place you run, and it’s an essential part of building trust from the start. 

Include staff members in the interview process so candidates get a feel for your team dynamic and your team stays on the same page, too. Show them you’re organized and ready. That starts before day one.

5. Schedule Interviews Without the Drama

You shouldn’t need ten texts just to lock in a time for a quick interview. You’re busy, they’re busy, and half the time, someone forgets to show up.

This is where most hiring gets stuck.

Set your availability once, then let candidates pick a time that works for them. No endless back-and-forth, no double booking, no missed calls. 

When scheduling is easy, more people show up, and you can focus on finding the right candidates, not chasing them down.

Need to hire multiple people fast? Try holding interviews at job fairs or local culinary schools to connect with motivated applicants in person.

Speed matters. The faster you move, the better your chance of hiring someone before another place does.

6. Onboard New Hires (Without Paperwork Stress)

You finally found someone solid. Don’t lose them in a pile of paperwork.

Chasing forms, printing packets, and waiting on signatures slow everything down. It’s a bad first impression, and in this industry, day one matters.

A smooth onboarding process helps new team members feel like part of the crew immediately. Go digital. Collect everything in one place. Make it easy for new hires to fill out what they need so they’re ready to work.

Onboarding is also an essential part of your retention strategies. When staff feel supported and connected from day one, they will likely stick around. The easier you make it, the faster they get on the floor. No delays, no missing documents, no stress.

7. Take Advantage of WOTC Tax Credits

Hiring costs money. But what if some of that money came back to you?

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) gives restaurants a chance to earn back part of their hiring spend. If a new team member meets certain criteria, you could qualify for a federal tax credit. That’s real money. Just for hiring people you were already going to bring on.

The catch? Most restaurants miss it because they don’t have time to deal with the paperwork.

Screen your applicants early, flag the ones who qualify, and let a system handle the rest. You’ll save time and get credit for hiring the people you need.

Top Qualities to Look for in Candidates

You don’t need the perfect resume. You need people who show up, work hard, and fit your team. Skills can be taught. Attitude can’t.

Some of your best hires might come from referral programs through current staff, family members, or connections at local culinary arts programs. These candidates often show strong potential and are easier to train.

Here’s what to watch for when reviewing applicants or during interviews:

• Reliable – They show up when they say they will. No excuses, no last-minute bailouts.
• Team player – They work well with others, stay positive, and keep things running smoothly during the rush.
• Good communicator – They speak clearly, listen well, and aren’t afraid to ask questions.
• Adaptable – They can jump into new tasks and handle pressure without falling apart.
• Willing to learn – They’re coachable, open to feedback, and ready to build new skills.
• Customer-minded – Even if they’re behind the scenes, they care about the guest experience.

These traits won’t always show up on a resume. Sometimes, it comes down to asking the right questions and watching how someone responds. A smart recruiting strategy helps surface the best candidates even if they’re just starting out.

How Restaurants Are Winning With StaffedUp

When you’re hiring constantly, you don’t need more steps. You need a system that actually helps. One that saves you time, gets better applicants in the door, and makes the whole process feel less like a scramble.

StaffedUp was built to fix that.

Built by restaurant owners, StaffedUp is hiring software made for high-turnover teams. 

It handles everything that slows you down, like job postings, candidate filters, messages, interview scheduling, and onboarding in one place. No spreadsheets, no switching tabs, no missed messages.

It’s fast to set up, easy for managers to use, and actually gets results:

• 8x more applicants – Reach a bigger pool without posting on every site yourself
• 45% decrease in turnover – Bring on people who stay longer and fit better
• 77% shorter time-to-hire – Fill roles faster without cutting corners
• 10x peace of mind – A better process, fewer headaches, stronger teams

That’s not just talk. Here’s what it looks like on the ground:

• Bailey’s made hiring consistent across six locations by giving store managers the tools they needed while keeping HR in the loop. They saw stronger candidates, fewer no-shows, and smoother coordination.
• LHM Group fixed their scattered hiring process across 33 restaurants. They cut turnover by nearly 30 percent and got new employees in the door twice as fast.
• Taggr ditched an overpriced system and got 300 percent more applicants while cutting costs by 80 percent. Their 35 locations now hire at scale without burning out their teams.
• Katie’s Pizza used StaffedUp to stop wasting time chasing the wrong people. With scheduling and screening automated, they focus on hospitality-first talent who actually stick around.

These teams all had the same problem: too many tools, too little time, and not enough qualified candidates. StaffedUp helped them fix that.

Want to see what better hiring looks like? Post your first job for $1 or book a quick demo today.

Stop Stressing, Start Hiring Better With StaffedUp!

Hiring doesn’t have to drain your time or wear you out. When you’ve got the right system in place, finding and keeping great people gets a whole lot easier.

You already know what’s slowing you down: too many platforms, too many unqualified applicants, and not enough time to do it all.

StaffedUp is built for busy, high-turnover teams like yours. It helps restaurant and hospitality operators hire faster by automating job posts, filtering applicants, managing communication, and keeping onboarding simple, all in one place. 

No clunky software. No guesswork. Just better hiring, less stress, and more control.

If you’re ready to stop chasing no-shows and start building a stronger, more reliable team, you’re in the right place. Post your first job for $1 today!

FAQs About How to Recruit Restaurant Staff

How to hire staff for a restaurant?

To hire staff for a restaurant, start with a solid job ad that highlights pay, schedule, and expectations. Post it across major online job boards, then use filters to focus on quality candidates who match your needs. Make your interview process fast and organized so potential employees don’t lose interest. And don’t forget to treat candidates with respect; first impressions go both ways.

How much does it cost to hire restaurant staff?

The cost to hire restaurant staff depends on where you post and how long the process drags out. With StaffedUp, you can post your first job for $1 and save money by cutting down on employee turnover and wasted hours. Hiring the wrong person or hiring too slowly costs way more.

Why is it hard to hire restaurant workers?

It is hard to recruit restaurant employees because the hospitality industry is facing a labor shortage, and many restaurants are competing for the same group of hourly employees. Add in inconsistent hours, minimum wage concerns, and limited benefits like health insurance, and it’s no surprise that line cooks and service staff are harder to keep. Plus, so many employees are juggling multiple jobs just to get enough hours.

How do you determine the staffing needs of a restaurant?

To determine staffing needs for a restaurant, look at peak hours, table turns, and how many roles need coverage, like front of house, back of house, hosts, prep cooks, and more. Factor in time-off, training for new restaurant workers, and how many current employees are reliable. Conduct exit interviews to spot turnover trends. A smart hiring strategy includes backup coverage, room for new skills, and strong retention strategies to hold onto good employees.

How can restaurants improve employee retention and attract more staff?

Restaurants can improve employee retention by writing job descriptions that are clear and engaging. Highlight workplace culture and flexibility, and build connections with local schools or culinary arts programs. Encourage staff members to refer family members. To attract more employees, focus on creating a workplace people enjoy and want to stay in.