How to Hire Restaurant Staff Who Stay

In short: good hiring starts with a clear picture of the role and the shifts, continues with an honest advert and ends with a paid trial and a proper start. The cheapest hire is the one who stays, so spend your effort on the first step, not on the last.

Employment rules differ by country; check yours.

Step 1: Define the role

Before you write an advert, write one page for each role with:

• The purpose of the job in one sentence.
• The shifts and hours, including late nights and weekends.
• The daily tasks.
• The skills needed on day one, and the skills you will teach.
• Who they report to.
• Pay, pay review, and how tips are shared. See tips and service charges.

Be specific. "Kitchen assistant" can mean washing up, prep or the fryer. Say which.

Count your needs from the rota, not from a feeling. Our guide to labour cost and the rota shows how to turn forecast demand into people hours. Then add cover for holiday, sickness and rest rules.

Step 2: Write an honest advert

People read dozens of adverts. Yours should be clear in the first two lines. Include:

• The job: the title and the type (full time, part time, casual).
• The pattern: days, hours and how far ahead you publish the rota.
• The pay: a figure or a range. Adverts that hide pay get fewer good applicants.
• The place: the address or area, and how to reach it by public transport.
• What you offer: training, meals on shift, a clear route to promotion, tips policy.
• What it is like: be honest about the pace, the heat and the late finishes.
• How to apply: a simple route, such as a phone number or a short form.

Avoid words you cannot back up, like "family atmosphere", unless you can explain it. Use plain wording and avoid language that discourages particular groups from applying. Many countries have laws on discrimination in recruitment, and some require pay information in adverts.

Step 3: Look in the right places

• Your own guests and team. Referrals are common and often work well. Treat referred candidates like others in the process.
• Local colleges and hospitality courses. Good for entry level kitchen and floor roles, and they often have placement schedules.
• Community boards and shop windows. Reach people who live nearby, which helps with late shifts.
• Job websites and social media. Wide reach, but screen carefully.
• Your own website. A "work with us" page costs nothing and tells guests you are growing. See restaurant website with online ordering.
• Agencies. Useful for gaps and seasonal peaks, though costly for permanent hires.

Reply to every applicant, even with a short no. It protects your reputation.

Step 4: Screen quickly and fairly

Use the same few questions for every candidate for a role. A short phone call of ten minutes can check availability, pay expectations, travel and right to work. Keep notes. A consistent process is fairer to candidates and easier to defend.

For experienced roles, ask for a recent reference and a short description of the last kitchen or floor they worked in: the number of covers, the style of service and their station.

Step 5: Interview for what the job needs

Ask about specific past situations, and listen for details.

For floor staff:

• Tell me about a time a guest was unhappy. What did you do?
• How would you handle a table that waits too long for food?
• What do you do when two tables need you at once?
• A guest says they are allergic to nuts. What do you do next? (Look for a clear process: ask, check with the kitchen, never guess. See allergen information.)

For kitchen staff:

• Describe the busiest service you worked. What was your role?
• How do you keep your station clean during a rush?
• How do you know when chicken is cooked safely?
• How do you handle a mistake on a plate?

For managers:

• How do you build a rota? How do you cut costs without hurting service?
• Tell me about a time you had to manage a conflict in the team.
• What numbers do you check each week? (See five weekly numbers.)

Do not ask about topics that are protected under discrimination law, such as age, marital status, health, religion or plans to have children. Ask about availability and ability to do the job, not the person's circumstances.

Step 6: Use a paid trial shift

Nothing replaces watching someone work. A trial shift of two to four hours at a quiet time shows how they handle instructions, speed, cleanliness and the team.

Rules for a good trial:

• Pay for it. In many countries unpaid work trials can break minimum wage and employment rules. Check your local law and follow it.
• Tell them the plan before they arrive: time, dress, who to ask for.
• Give a simple task and a named person to work with.
• Ask your team what they thought.
• Give feedback to the candidate whatever the outcome.

Step 7: Check the right to work and references

Employers must check that new staff are allowed to work in the country. In the UK, the process and the documents are set out by the Home Office and summarised on GOV.UK. Other countries have their own checks, so ask your authority what to do and keep the records.

Take references where it is your policy, and ask concrete questions: dates, role, reliability and whether the person would be rehired. Follow data protection rules in handling the answers.

Step 8: Offer clearly and in writing

Send a written offer: the role, start date, hours, pay, tips policy, probation or trial period, notice and the person to report to. Follow with a contract that meets local law. In the UK, GOV.UK explains employment contracts and conditions. Written terms reduce disputes and make the first week easier.

Step 9: Plan the first week

A weak start is the biggest cause of early leavers. Before the person arrives:

• Put them on the rota with a named buddy.
• Prepare their uniform, locker, login and training plan.
• Tell the team who is joining and what they will do.
• Plan the induction: safety, hygiene, allergens, systems and the menu.

For staff identities and access in your systems, DineHarbor's team and shifts tools give each person their own login and limit access to their role. See restaurant staff shifts and permissions. Then follow the training guide.

Hiring for a busy season

If you need extra staff for a peak, start three to four weeks earlier than you think. Offer fixed term contracts with a clear end date and a chance to continue. Train seasonal staff on a shorter, focused version of the induction, and keep a list of good ones for next year.

Mistakes to avoid

• Hiring in a panic to fill tomorrow's gap. It often means hiring twice.
• Vague adverts that attract the wrong people.
• Skipping the trial because you are busy.
• No written terms.
• Ignoring references.
• Poor first week. See also staff retention.
• Hiring friends without a process. It can be good, but follow the same steps.

Keep the paperwork tidy

For each hire, keep a simple file: the application, interview notes, trial shift feedback, references, right to work record, signed contract, training sign offs and emergency contact. Store it securely and follow data protection rules on how long you keep it and who can see it. A tidy file helps when you need to prove training in an inspection, or settle a question about what was agreed.

Saying no kindly

You will turn down more people than you hire. Tell unsuccessful candidates promptly and politely, and where you can, give one useful reason. A good candidate who is not right for this job today may be right for the next one, and a candidate treated well tells friends that yours is a good place to apply.

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