Restaurant Staffing Calculator

THE PERFECT RESTAURANT STAFF: SIMPLE STAFFING GUIDE

WHY STAFFING RIGHT MATTERS

Running a great restaurant is hard. Getting your staff count right makes all the difference. Too few workers? Service suffers. Too many? You lose money.

Food spots spend about 30-35% of earnings on staff pay. That’s huge! Yet skimping on workers drives customers away. Let’s fix this together.

WHAT CHANGES YOUR STAFF NEEDS

Your Restaurant Style

Different spots need different teams:

• Fancy dining: More staff per guest (1 worker for every 8-10 people)
• Casual spots: Medium teams (1 worker for every 15-20 people)
• Fast casual: Lean crews (1 worker for every 25-30 people)
• Quick service: Minimal teams (1 worker for every 30-40 people)

Your Daily Reality

Think about these when counting staff:

• Space size: Big rooms need more cleaners and watchers
• Seats available: More tables mean more servers
• Menu tricks: Fancy dishes need extra kitchen hands
• Open hours: Late nights need shift coverage
• Busy seasons: Beach towns need summer helpers

EASY WAYS TO COUNT YOUR STAFF

Method 1: Count by Guests

Use this math: Total Staff = (Daily Guests ÷ Guests Per Worker) × Day Type Number

Guests per worker by style:

• Fancy spots: 8-10 guests per worker
• Casual spots: 15-20 guests per worker
• Fast casual: 25-30 guests per worker
• Quick service: 30-40 guests per worker

Method 2: Count by Sales

Try this formula: Labor Budget = Total Sales × Target Labor Percent Total Staff = Labor Budget ÷ Avg Worker Cost

Standard labor budgets:

• Fancy spots: 35-40% of sales
• Casual spots: 30-35% of sales
• Fast casual: 25-30% of sales
• Quick service: 20-25% of sales

Method 3: Count by Tasks

Break it down:

1. List every job (like taking orders, cooking, cleaning)
2. Time each task
3. Add up hours needed
4. Match to shifts

STAFF NUMBERS THAT WORK

Front of House Teams

Job – Guests Served – Typical Shift Servers – 20-30 – 6-8 hours Bartenders – 40-60 – 6-8 hours Hosts – 80-100 – 6-8 hours Bussers – 40-50 – 6-8 hours

Back of House Teams

Job – Guests Served – Typical Shift Line Cooks – 50-75 – 8-10 hours Prep Cooks – 100-150 – 6-8 hours Dishwashers – 100-150 – 6-8 hours Kitchen Manager – N/A – 40-50 hours/week

STAFFING MISTAKES TO SKIP

Not Watching Rush Hours

Many owners average staff all day. Bad idea! You’ll be short-handed at dinner rush. And stuck with idle workers at 3 PM.

Fix: Make separate plans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner crowds. Use your sales history.

Forgetting Staff Come and Go

Restaurants lose 70-100% of workers yearly. Not planning for this means constant understaffing.

Fix: Add 10-15% extra staff for sick days, vacations, and new hires learning the ropes.

Same Staff Every Day

Using one schedule ignores reality. Tuesday lunch isn’t Saturday dinner.

Fix: Create different plans for weekdays, weekends, and holidays.

SMART STAFFING UPGRADES

Train Workers for Many Jobs

Cross-training saves money and stress:

• Teach servers to pour drinks when slow
• Show hosts how to clear tables
• Train kitchen staff on multiple stations

Use Simple Tech Tools

Great tools help count staff right:

• POS systems that track busy times
• Scheduling apps
• Wait time monitors
• Table turnover trackers

Try Flexible Shifts

Ditch rigid schedules:

• Split shifts around slow afternoons
• Keep part-timers on call for rushes
• Hire seasonal help for tourist peaks

STAFF COUNTS BY RESTAURANT SIZE

Small Spots (Under 1,500 sq ft)

• 1-2 managers
• 4-8 front-of-house workers per shift
• 3-6 kitchen workers per shift

Medium Spots (1,500-3,000 sq ft)

• 2-3 managers
• 8-15 front-of-house workers per shift
• 6-12 kitchen workers per shift

Large Spots (Over 3,000 sq ft)

• 3-5 managers
• 15-30 front-of-house workers per shift
• 12-25 kitchen workers per shift

SEASONAL STAFF TWEAKS

For Tourist Towns

Adjust teams using:

• Past visitor numbers
• Local event calendars
• Weather forecasts
• Holiday rushes

For Menu Changes

Your menu affects kitchen needs:

• Fancy holiday dishes need extra cooks
• Simple summer menus need fewer hands
• New specials might need prep help

STAFFING RULES TO KNOW

Follow these laws when counting staff:

• Minimum wage rules
• Overtime pay rules
• Required breaks
• Max shift lengths
• Rules for young workers

CHECKING IF YOUR STAFF COUNT WORKS

Track These Numbers

Watch these to see if staffing works:

• Labor cost as percent of sales
• Table turnover speed
• Customer happiness scores
• Staff turnover rate
• Sales per worker

Review Often

Check every three months:

• Compare planned vs. actual staff needs
• Update plans for menu or layout changes
• Find ways to work smarter
• Refresh your staffing targets

YOUR STAFFING QUESTIONS ANSWERED

How often should I recalculate staff?

Check quarterly. Or after big changes like:

• New menu items
• Room layout shifts
• Changing customer patterns
• New opening hours

How do I handle surprise rushes?

Try these:

• Keep a backup worker list
• Train staff for many roles
• Make a clear “call for help” plan
• Use apps that predict busy times

How do I plan for staff leaving?

Add 10-15% extra to your count for:

• Hiring new people
• Training time
• Covering empty spots
• New worker learning curves

Full-time or part-time workers?

Think about:

• Part-timers offer schedule flexibility
• Full-timers stay longer and know your spot better
• A mix often works best
• Remember full-timers get benefits

WRAPPING UP

Finding your perfect staff count mixes art and science. Industry tips help start. But your ideal team depends on your unique spot.

Check your numbers often with real sales data. Balance staff costs with great service. Staffing isn’t “set and forget.” It needs your regular care.

Start counting today. Your perfect team awaits!