Workforce

Which jobs it covers on its own. Some products only build rotas, while others add clocking, payroll, hiring and messaging. Decide what you want in one system before you compare prices.

Link to your till or POS. Sales data from the POS feeds forecasts, labour cost against takings, and tip calculations. Check that your exact POS is supported.

Rules for your country. Working-time, break and tip rules differ by country and some products are built for one place only. Check the countries listed and confirm the rules with an adviser.

Published price or quote only. Small-team tools usually show a price per location or per user. Products for larger groups often ask you to book a demo first.

Employee Scheduling & Rostering (45)

Building the weekly rota is one of the most time-consuming jobs a manager has.

Labour Forecasting & Optimisation (23)

Labour is one of the largest costs in a restaurant, and it is hard to control if you set staffing by habit.

Task Management & Digital Checklists (16)

Opening checks, cleaning rounds, temperature logs and closing routines all need to be done and proved.

Payroll (15)

Payroll software works out what each person is owed from their hours, rates, tips and deductions, produces payslips and pays them.

Tip Pooling & Tip Distribution (15)

Tips are shared between servers, bar staff, kitchen and hosts under rules that change from one venue to the next, and working out the split by hand after a busy night is slow and open to argument.

Earned Wage Access (8)

Earned wage access lets an employee take part of the pay they have already earned before the normal payday.

Hiring & Applicant Tracking (5)

Restaurants hire often, and every vacancy means writing an advert, posting it in several places, sorting replies and chasing candidates.