Running a restaurant is a juggling act. And while scheduling might seem like just another ball in the air, it’s actually the backbone of your operations—affecting everything from labor costs to team morale.
That’s why choosing the right restaurant scheduling software matters.
The best solutions don’t just make scheduling easier; they actively improve how your business runs. So what makes a good scheduling software—and why does 7shifts come out on top? Let’s break it down.
What makes a good restaurant scheduling software?
When looking for scheduling software, don’t just settle for the first one you come across. Look for features that go just beyond building shifts. The best restaurant scheduling software should check off the following:
✅Maximize efficiency: Build schedules quickly to save hours each week, so you can have more time back with staff and guests.
✅Accurate forecasting: Control labor costs with smarter, data-driven predictions, so you don’t overstaff (or understaff).
✅Compliance safeguards: Stay protected with built-in alerts that keep your operations in compliance with local labor laws.
✅Team-managed shift swaps: Allow employees to handle swaps on the platform themselves, while managers stay in control with final approval.
✅Mobile-first experience: Empower managers and employees with on-the-go access to scheduling and communication, building flexibility and a more engaged team.
✅Robust integrations: Connect data with your POS, payroll provider, HR systems, and more to keep information funneling through a single platform.
✅Built for restaurants: Access restaurant-specific scheduling features, like breaks and overtime, split shifts and clopens, and station or department-based scheduling.
✅Scalability for growth: Scale from one location to multi-unit operations with scheduling tools that grow alongside your business—without the added complexity.
Why 7shifts is the best for restaurant scheduling
We know—we’re 7shifts. So sure, it might sound biased when we say we’re the top restaurant scheduling software on the market. But here’s the thing: we’ve got all the features (and the customer stories) to back it up. This includes:
Templated schedules to save time
Time is money, and this is especially true in the restaurant industry. With drag and drop features, building a schedule in 7shifts only takes a few clicks.
Any published schedule can be saved as a reusable template, and you can create unlimited templates for different roles, seasons, and locations.
Michele Bryant, Director of Operations at Jamba Juice: “I don’t have to create a new schedule. I just have to tweak it every week. I have to make one template—that one is extremely quick.”
Employee availability is also built right in, so you’ll never have to dig through notes or second-guess who’s available—and when.
Labor cost control & accurate forecasting
Only 36% of restaurants hit their labor targets, while 44% spend more than planned. Restaurant margins are tight—and labor is usually the biggest cost. But it can also be one of the most controllable costs, if you have the right tools in place (like 7shifts for scheduling).
The platform uses historical sales and labor data to build more accurate schedules, helping you avoid both understaffing (improving the guest and employee experience) and overstaffing (improving the restaurant’s labor margins).
You can set and track your budgets as you go—and with more data available over time, forecasting becomes even more precise, at 95% accuracy.
Josh Bishop, Owner of Fork & Fire and Wildfire: “To be honest, we didn’t know what we were doing when we started. We weren’t using the tools that 7shifts could provide. […] We were losing money the first year, and it was all labor—now, we are running a very efficient restaurant, and labor is the biggest area that we’ve improved. I would give 80% of that credit to 7shifts, just providing comprehensive tools so that we can manage it.”
Robust POS integrations with automatic data syncing
If you’re wondering how this works, 7shifts partners with numerous restaurant tools—including 60+ leading POS systems—to automate data syncing. These robust integrations let you centralize your data within 7shifts, making it easier to manage labor costs and grow your business.
Trevor Guy, IT Manager at Tono Pizzeria: “The integration between Toast and 7shifts is 10 times better than between Toast and Homebase. It automatically syncs wages and positions—one button. I had to do it all manually in Homebase […] Homebase reporting was actually just flat out incorrect. That has been a huge difference when we came to 7shifts—7shifts reporting is so robust and so great.”
Local compliance safeguards
One small slip-up can bring big consequences—it’s clear compliance is no joke. In states like California, where labor laws are complex, 7shifts helps keep it simple with scheduling features like:
- Scheduled break setups
- Fair workweek law compliance
- Time restrictions for scheduling minors
- Warnings for expired employee certifications
- Detection of missed meal or rest breaks
- Split shift premium enforcement
- Reporting pay enforcement (i.e., for ‘called in but sent home’ hours)
Michele Bryant, Director of Operations at Jamba Juice: “I love that it’s on the schedule, and it gives us a little error […] It doesn’t even wait until it’s expired. It tells us it’s expiring soon. We can act before it even gets there—so that’s amazing.”
Yvis Manrique, Director of Field Operations at Toastique: “I love that once you’re setting up an account and you put in your area, it immediately syncs in whatever laws are for that area. And we have learned a lot.”
Team-managed restaurant shift swaps
Scrambling to text and call your entire staff just to find shift coverage can be a nightmare. And even when someone agrees, there’s still room for miscommunication. But 7shifts cuts through the mess with the Shift Pool feature.
Employees are empowered to manage shifts themselves, with the ability to put shifts up for grabs or pick one up. And don’t worry—managers can stay in control as the final approver if they choose to. Then, all key shift details are updated automatically on the schedule for everyone to check at any time.
Jason Frankot, Owner of Black Sheep Coffee: “[The Shift Pool feature] has been great, and it really helps with day-to-day operations because we’re not just guessing […] We let anyone trade any shift at any time. Just with the ease and knowing that they don’t need approval to do that, for how we have it set up, it makes it rather user-friendly. And I think the staff really appreciates that.”
Mobile, on-the-go access
If you’re going out of town or moving between stores, you can still manage everything remotely with 7shifts—no laptop required. The mobile app gives you access to scheduling and other key tools on the go.
Leslie Broadland, Franchisee of Jamba Juice: “I can’t say it enough. You don’t think of running your business remotely, but you’re able to be on top of it remotely […] Here I am, on a park bench on my phone, and I can see all my 7shifts—and I can manage everything on it.”
And that’s also a plus for employees, who can also view schedules, swap shifts, request time off, and communicate with staff directly in the app—creating a more engaged, connected team.
Connie Walker, Regional Manager at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice: “The majority of college kids and the staff that we have—they’re on their phone, and that’s what they’re going to look at.”
Built for restaurants, beyond a scheduling app
Scheduling is just the beginning. 7shifts gives operators a single platform to manage all the shift details that keep a restaurant running smoothly. This includes:
Team communication – Keep your staff connected with private chats or team-wide announcements, all on a restaurant-specific platform, so messages don’t get lost in the chaos. Plus, no private contact information needs to be shared between employees.
Time clocking – Track hours accurately, reduce errors, and ensure compliance with labor laws, all while giving employees an easy way to clock in and out from their phones.
Payroll (U.S. only) – Process payroll in minutes with automatic calculations that include tips, overtime, and deductions. Direct deposit gets your team paid on time, every time.
Tip management – Set up automatic tip pool calculations with customized distributions and pay your team via direct deposit, eliminating trips to the bank and handling cash manually.
Team engagement – Keep your staff connected and motivated with Shift Feedback, recognition tools, and easy access to updates from their mobile devices.
Additionally, you can manage tasks, onboard new employees, store important documents, and keep all your operations in one place—so nothing falls through the cracks.
Josh Bishop, Owner of Fork & Fire and Wildfire: “When people are like ‘tech stack,’ I’m like, ‘I don’t want a tech stack.’ I just want a platform […] I can just teach somebody how to use 7shifts, and even if they need to bounce around and bang around for a little bit to find it, everything’s in one spot. It’s just so much more seamless to have one place that they go for all of those things.”
Manage your team from one app
See why 1.5 million restaurant workers use 7shifts for scheduling, payroll, and tip management.

7shifts for scheduling: Built to scale as your restaurant grows
7shifts is designed to support restaurants at every stage of growth—from single-location establishments to multi-unit franchises. Here are a few examples of how different types of restaurants leveraged the platform for better scheduling (and better restaurant operations overall):
Restaurant | Size | How 7shifts helped |
2d Restaurant | 1 location (independent) | Time spent went down to as little as 5 minutes per schedule. |
Tono Pizzeria | 12 locations (multi-unit chain) | Labor costs went down about 6 to 7% because of accurate reporting. |
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice | 120+ locations
(franchise brand) |
120+ locations adopted the platform, creating more consistent processes from store to store. |
How much does 7shifts Scheduling cost?
If you still have commitment issues, the good news is that 7shifts offers a free 14-day trial of the Pro plan—no contract or credit card required. After the trial, you can continue with the free Comp plan or choose from flexible monthly or annual plans designed to accommodate restaurants of all sizes. Here’s a breakdown:
Plan | Price (billed annually) | Description of plan | |
Comp | Free | Basic scheduling for restaurants just getting started—includes employee scheduling, time-off requests, and mobile access. | |
Essentials | $39.99 per month | Core scheduling tools plus labor budgeting, POS integrations, and compliance safeguards to help manage labor costs. | |
Pro | $79.99 per month | Advanced tools, including sales and labor forecasting, task management, tip pooling, and deeper team communication features. | |
Premium | $134.99 per month | All Pro features plus enterprise-level tools—perfect for multi-location brands needing advanced reporting, custom integrations, and dedicated support. Plus, 7shifts Payroll can be added by location. |
Visit our pricing page for details on each plan’s features, as well as the available add-ons that go beyond scheduling.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best restaurant scheduling software?
The best scheduling software is one that’s built specifically for restaurants, offering features like labor cost forecasting, compliance safeguards, POS integrations, mobile staff access, and more. 7shifts checks all these boxes—and has become the industry standard for restaurant scheduling.
Can scheduling software integrate with my POS?
Yes, platforms like 7shifts integrate with other tools like POS, payroll, and more. The automatic data sync provides more accurate reporting by eliminating manual entry errors (while saving operators countless hours).
Is 7shifts free?
You can try all the features of 7shifts Pro with a 14-day free trial—no credit card required. After the trial, you’ll still have access to the free Comp plan, with the option to upgrade to paid plans starting at $39.99 per month (per location) for more advanced features.
The best restaurant scheduling software, summarized
Restaurant scheduling isn’t just about filling shifts—it’s about controlling labor costs, staying compliant, and keeping your team happy. The right software can save managers hours each week, improve margins, and create a smoother experience for staff and guests alike.
With the full suite of 7shifts tools:
- ⏱️Restaurants save 79 hours per month
- 💰Restaurants cut $2,100 in costs per month
- 👥Restaurants increase team retention by 13%
And this is where 7shifts comes in—trusted by over 55,000 restaurants, building the perfect schedule just got easier, faster, and smarter. Start your free trial with us today.
Manage your team from one app
See why 1.5 million restaurant workers use 7shifts for scheduling, payroll, and tip management.


Jessica Ho, Content Marketing Specialist
Jessica Ho
Content Marketing Specialist
Hi, I'm Jessica, Content Marketing Specialist at 7shifts! I'm writing about all things related to the restaurant industry.