Restaurant employee scheduling software
Simplify restaurant staff scheduling
Create shift schedules faster and keep your front and back of house running smoothly with restaurant staff scheduling software. The When I Work app helps restaurants save time, reduce labor costs, and keep teams connected.
Start scheduling and tracking time today with a free 14-day trial.
Start scheduling and tracking time today.
Restaurant staff scheduling app
Schedule your restaurant employees with ease
Build shift schedules in minutes and keep your restaurant fully staffed, even during busy service hours. The When I Work app sends instant notifications to employees, allowing them to confirm new shifts, update availability, and stay aligned.
Restaurant teams gain more control, and managers get more time back.
With our restaurant employee scheduling app, you can:
- Adjust shifts quickly to handle callouts
- Use OpenShifts to improve shift coverage
- Allow shift swapping without creating chaos
- Save up to 15 hours each week with better scheduling
Restaurant employee time clock and timesheets
Track restaurant employee hours with accuracy
Track attendance, breaks, and time off in one place. The built-in time clock syncs directly with the schedule, helping to reduce payroll errors and providing managers with clearer visibility into labor costs.
With restaurant staff management software, you can:
- Get real-time overtime alerts
- Monitor punch-ins and punch-outs
- Review digital timesheets before exporting to payroll
- Use reporting to manage trends in labor spend
Bradley Taylor
The Donut Trap
Customer since 2022
Rave reviews for our time clock app
Reliable time tracking. Hassle-free attendance management.
Digital timesheets, payroll integrations, and labor reporting help you manage your budgets and get back to business. Customers have reported seeing savings as large as:
20%
Decrease in labor costs
8x
Time saved scheduling
3x
Reduction in employee no-shows
Restaurant job sites
Keep employees in the right place at the right time
Manage multiple restaurant locations or service areas with job sites. Assign employees to specific job sites, share eligible staff across restaurants, and provide teams with the necessary information before they arrive.
Job site tools help you:
- See who is working at each location
- Reduce confusion between front and back of house
- Improve on-time arrivals
- Maximize shift coverage without overstaffing
Restaurant team messaging
Keep your restaurant team connected
The When I Work app includes team messaging, so communication stays in one place. Managers and staff can send individual messages, group messages, or restaurant-wide updates without sharing personal phone numbers.
Use team messaging to:
- Coordinate shift coverage
- Share menu updates or service notes
- Communicate specials, events, or catering needs
- Keep prep, service, and management aligned
EMPLOYEE SCHEDULING SOFTWARE FOR ANY INDUSTRY
Glowing reviews from our clients in food service
270
No. of Employees
18
Scheduling Managers
2
Weeks to Transition Staff to When I Work
How Elephants Deli switched to When I Work in 2 weeks.
270
No. of Employees
18
Scheduling Managers
2
Weeks to Transition Staff to When I Work
Elephants Delicatessen has been serving up gourmet food and warm hospitality to the Portland community for nearly 40 years.
"With When I Work we can find coverage for shifts within minutes and build accountability with employees."
– Roz Catania , Operations Trainer
With 18 scheduling managers and 270 employees, they had outgrown their previous software of 22 years and only had two weeks before their contract was supposed to expire. Roz was able to get their 270 employees off-boarded from the previous scheduling software company and on-boarded to When I Work before the 2-week deadline. After using When I Work they are now able to have all employees on a single platform to communicate, find coverage for shifts and share availability.
Products Used
Scheduling
14
No. of Employees
94%
Task Completion Rate
10
Hours Saved Per Week
How a digital task list improved staff efficiency
14
No. of Employees
94%
Task Completion Rate
10
Hours Saved Per Week
Prior to using When I Work to manage tasks, Ryn Grant used laminated task lists, where her staff would frequently forget to mark tasks as completed.
"It was really easy to set up and took no time at all. Now when I have a new task to add, I can quickly add it to the current task list and I don’t have to make, print, and laminate an entirely new list. My young employees love the convenience of using the app to manage tasks. They no longer have to holler at each other about who swept and run back and forth to check the list."
– Ryn Grant , Owner
Prior to using When I Work to manage tasks, Ryn Grant used laminated task lists, where her staff would frequently forget to mark tasks as completed. In addition, every time she wanted to add a new task, she had to do the time-consuming work of re-printing and laminating the list. Ryn was excited to try Tasks by When I Work. She mentioned, “it was really easy to set up and took no time at all. Now when I have a new task to add, I can quickly add it to the current task list and I don’t have to make, print, and laminate an entirely new list.” Using tasks saves her time and holds her employees more accountable. There are no more excuses and employees know that management has visibility into what is getting done and who is assigned to that task. Tasks have also helped her employees be more efficient when working together by giving everyone visibility into the progress of a task list. This has helped reduce the labor hours spent closing the store. With 2-3 closers every night, her team can work together and save time. She also mentioned, “My young employees love the convenience of using the app to manage tasks. They no longer have to holler at each other about who swept and run back and forth to check the list."
Products Used
- Scheduling
Tasks
Tips tracking for restaurants
Accurate tip reporting for every shift
Customize tip collection by role, track high-volume service periods, and let employees enter tips at clock-out. Make compliance easier and ensure accurate pay for tipped workers.
TIMESHEETS INTEGRATE DIRECTLY WITH PAYROLL
Processing payroll can be easier and more reliable.
Make payroll simple by sending accurate timesheets straight to your payroll provider. The When I Work app keeps time tracking and scheduling in one place, so you can reduce manual corrections, prevent errors, and save hours every pay period.
Franchise owners and managers can review hours, approve timesheets, and export payroll-ready data in just a few clicks. It maintains payroll consistency across all locations without adding extra admin work.
When I Work integrates with your favorite payroll providers:
A powerful combination for restaurant operations
Restaurant scheduling software and time clock app
Manage labor costs, prevent overtime surprises, and streamline scheduling with tools designed for fast-paced restaurant environments.
Control labor costs
- View labor distribution reports
- Compare scheduled hours vs. worked hours
- Understand where labor dollars are allocated
Restaurant margins are tight, so real-time labor oversight matters. Get clear visibility into staffing needs and spending.
Simplify payroll
- Export timesheets directly to your payroll provider
- Reduce manual corrections
- Save time every pay period
Make payroll more dependable and reduce errors with a smoother process that saves time every pay period.
Manage breaks
- Set paid or unpaid breaks
- Let employees record breaks during clock-out
- Keep the front and back of house compliant and consistent
Breaks look different in every kitchen and dining room, but compliance and consistency are non-negotiable.
Food Service Industries We Schedule
Loved by millions around the globe
1 in 10 employees have used When I Work.
When I Work is rated 
by our customers on Capterra.
