Independent research on 253 HR & workforce products. Facts checked against vendors’ official documentation.

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LeadChange Group

Employee Scheduling Software

Best Employee Scheduling Software for Restaurants

Restaurants schedule many part-time and young workers around demand that changes by the hour. A good scheduler builds shifts by role, follows the labor rules for minors and, in cities with fair workweek laws, tracks notice and premiums. It should also show labor cost against expected sales before the schedule goes out.

products that fit
6
By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Facts checked

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Our top picks

  1. Best overall

    When I Work

    Highest LeadChange Score here (9.1/10), with 9 of 11 core employee scheduling capabilities verified.

    From $2.50/user/mo

  2. Best value

    Sling

    by Toast

    Lowest published list cost at 25 employees ($50/mo) among products scoring at or above the median.

    From $2/user/mo

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Employee scheduling software for restaurants, ranked

Ranked by LeadChange Score from verified facts; products with too few verified facts are not scored yet and come last. Prices are list prices as published by each vendor.

Filter by verified facts

  1. When I Work

    When I Work is a mobile-first scheduling and time-tracking tool for hourly, shift-based teams, priced publicly from $2.50 per user per month with no setup fee or contract. It is focused on scheduling and time, so payroll runs through integrations, and there is no free plan.

    Pricing model
    Per user
    SOC 2 Type II
    Yes

    From $2.50/user/mo

    When I Work pricing

  2. Sling

    Sling fits shift-based teams in restaurants, retail, hospitality and care that want scheduling and messaging free for up to 30 users, and time tracking and labor cost tools for a low per-user price: Premium is $2.00 and Business $4.00 per user a month, 15% less billed annually.

    Pricing model
    Per user

    From $2/user/mo

    Sling scheduling pricing

  3. 7shifts

    7shifts suits restaurants, from single independents to franchise groups, that want scheduling, time clocking, labor compliance, tips and team messaging built around restaurant shifts.

    Pricing model
    Tiered plans

    7shifts pricing

  4. Buddy Punch

    Buddy Punch fits small businesses with hourly staff across job sites, stores or patients’ homes that want punch controls (GPS, geofences, photos, kiosks) and published prices. Plans run from a $19 monthly base plus $4.99 per user billed annually, and payroll is an add-on that files taxes in all 50 states.

    Pricing model
    Base fee + per employee

    From $19/mo + $6.99/employee/mo (Pro plan)

    Buddy Punch pricing

  5. Workforce.com

    Workforce.com combines scheduling, time and attendance, HR and payroll in one platform for shift-based hospitality, retail, hotel and social care teams. Pricing is quote-only, and the public REST API with webhooks and 150+ integrations suit teams that want to connect POS and payroll data.

    Pricing model
    Quote only

    Workforce.com pricing

  6. ZoomShift

    ZoomShift is a low-cost scheduling and time clock tool for small hourly teams, with a free plan up to 20 users and paid plans at $2 or $4 per active team member per month. Overtime warnings and geofenced clock-in sit on the $4 Premium plan.

    Pricing model
    Per user
    Not scored yet13 of 25 facts verifiedFacts checked Oct 13, 2026

    From $2/user/mo

    What ZoomShift costs

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

All employee scheduling software, ranked

How the score works

What matters for restaurants

  1. Minor-labor rules

    Federal rules limit the hours and times of day that workers aged fourteen and fifteen may work, so the scheduler should flag them.

  2. Fair workweek compliance

    Cities such as New York and Seattle require advance notice of schedules and premium pay for late changes; the tool should track both.

  3. Role and station scheduling

    Coverage depends on the mix of front-of-house and back-of-house roles, not only on head count.

  4. Shift swaps and open shifts

    Staff trading shifts in an app, with manager approval, keeps coverage without phone calls.

  5. Sales-based labor targets

    Managers compare planned labor cost with forecast sales before they publish the week.

More tools for restaurants

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best employee scheduling software for restaurants?

On the LeadChange Score weighted for restaurants, the highest-scoring of the 5 products with a published score are When I Work (9.1/10), Sling (8.4), and 7shifts (7.1).

Which employee scheduling platforms for restaurants offer a free trial?

7shifts, Buddy Punch, Sling, When I Work, Workforce.com, and ZoomShift list a free trial, according to their vendors: 6 of the 6 products for restaurants.

Is there free employee scheduling software for restaurants?

7shifts, Sling, and ZoomShift list a free plan, 3 of the 6 products for restaurants. Free plans limit employees, features or support.

Which employee scheduling platforms for restaurants integrate with Gusto?

Gusto, listed by 3 of the 6 employee scheduling platforms for restaurants: 7shifts, Buddy Punch, and When I Work.

Which employee scheduling platforms for restaurants have a mobile app?

Buddy Punch, Sling, When I Work, Workforce.com, and ZoomShift confirm a mobile app; 1 of the 6 products for restaurants does not document one.

How long does it take to implement employee scheduling platforms?

Vendors for restaurants that publish a typical timeline: 7shifts, under 30 days; When I Work, minutes (vendor claim).

Which employee scheduling platforms for restaurants are built for enterprises?

7shifts, When I Work, and Workforce.com list enterprises among the company sizes they serve.

How we research

This ranking of employee scheduling software for restaurants reweights the LeadChange Score: capability coverage 35%, pricing transparency & value 15%, integrations & API 10%, security & compliance 15%, fit & support 15%, and data confidence 10%. Only products with a verified fact showing they serve this segment are listed.

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What the LeadChange Score means

A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.

Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.