HotSchedules has long been a staple in restaurant workforce management, and after testing it ourselves, we understand why. From the moment we logged in, it was clear that this tool is built around the daily realities of running a restaurant—managing availability, responding to last-minute changes, and maintaining open communication across teams.

Its standout feature is the mobile app. During a full demo, we saw how staff could swap shifts, check schedules, or update their availability on the fly. Managers, on the other hand, could approve requests, assign shifts, or message team members directly—all without opening a laptop, if they prefer. There’s also a built-in logbook and task list manager to support shift handovers and operations.

For operators seeking better labor planning, HotSchedules offers several tiers of forecasting: from simple week-over-week trends to full-blown AI-based predictions based on years of historical data, weather, events, and more. We especially liked how its advanced packages paired forecasts with auto-generated schedules and labor optimization rules (e.g., "add one server for every 30 guests").

However, the tool isn’t without drawbacks. Reporting is serviceable, but to access the module’s full capabilities, you need to opt for one of the more advanced plans. Additionally, while the tool is extremely functional, its UX appears somewhat dated compared to newer tools, at least in our opinion. That said, any new restaurant scheduling software would be hard-pressed to compete with HotSchedules in terms of functionality.