The pandemic intensified a labor shortage in the foodservice industry, and some restaurants still face an uphill battle when it comes to hiring and retaining talent. We’re here to help.
Read on for effective restaurant hiring tips designed to attract employees and boost loyalty.
Optimize Your Hiring Ads
Getting the word out is always good, but doing it strategically works even better.
- Determine your target audience. Knowing your audience will help you determine whether you’re placing ads in the right places and whether ads will resonate with them.
- Focus on what matters. Put benefits (pay, time off) front and center. Always use strong calls-to-action. Make it clear how people should apply, and ensure that applying is easy, whether it’s on your website or via email.
- Finally, keep track of what works and what doesn’t.
Keep Ads Open Even if Positions Are Filled
Even if you have a full roster, keep key positions open and ads running. Then, when employees leave, you’ll already have good resumes on deck. Perpetually advertising for core roles also means that you build connections even when you don’t hire people right away.
Offer Careers (Not Just Jobs) for Young Hires
Students graduating from high school might not know that a job at your restaurant could turn into a long-term, fulfilling career. Pair new hires with seasoned team members; younger ones will learn faster and see the potential for a lasting career, boosting your restaurant’s retention.
Enhance Your Social Media Presence
The most cost-effective tool for effective restaurant hiring? Social media. Post eye-catching content that highlights benefits, shows off your restaurant culture, and celebrates your team. You’ll forge new connections and be more likely to reach (and attract) quality candidates.
Simplify Your Restaurant’s Approach to Training
SOPs (standard operating procedures), especially those with pictures, maintain consistency and quality while also streamlining training. Many pizzerias find it useful to keep finished dish charts handy, detailing toppings and portions down to the last detail (i.e., how many olives?). Other SOPs could be focused on tabletop settings, equipment use, and cleaning.
Emphasize Cross-Training
Providing opportunities for front-of-the-house staff to learn back-of-the-house duties and vice versa gives employees an appreciation for each other’s contributions and pain points, fosters collaboration, and can encourage tip sharing. Cross-training is also a great way to leverage downtime for training and increase potential for shift covering.
Focus on Employee Appreciation
“Thank you” goes a long way, but making employee appreciation more tangible can have a powerful impact on morale and retention. Here are some ideas:
- Small gifts personalized to the employee’s interests or hobbies
- Gift cards
- Breakroom treats
- Extra break time
- Employee discounts
- Team meals
- Event tickets
- Paid volunteer time
- Pay raises
- Extra time off
Spark Employee Motivation with Goal-Based Incentives
Outline a set of goals that earn employees rewards when reached. Goals might include strong attendance, positive reviews mentioning them, length of service, or the number of extra shifts picked up in a month. The rewards you offer could be one of the items we listed above or something small, like a dedicated top employee parking spot.
Set up an Employee Referral Program
Once you’ve hired an awesome employee, it’s time to tap into their networks. Invite employees to refer people who would be a good fit for your restaurant in exchange for incentives. Often, incentives are monetary, as pay is a strong motivator. You can run your referral program in several ways: using referral software, website forms, or even a simple resume drop box.
Slim Down Your Menu
Limit your menu offerings to those dishes you’re known for or that are unique to your restaurant. Alternatively, reduce your offerings to focus on a seasonal menu. A smaller menu means you can thoroughly train cooks on preparing (and waitstaff on selling) these items to improve confidence and prevent frustration or burnout.
Prioritize Flexibility
Staff scheduling can be a sticking point in the food industry, and, understandably, not all conflicts can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. However, implementing a scheduling system that accommodates most staff requests will demonstrate that you value employees’ time both on and off the clock.
Choose Products That Make Everyone’s Life Easier
Cutting prep time doesn’t mean cutting quality. Par-baked crusts, pre-made dough balls, and fully prepared sauces from AK Pizza Crust help you reallocate limited labor, manage the bottom line, and reduce stress for employees by:
- Reducing the number of team members and time required to prepare pizzas, maximizing staff efficiencies and minimizing per-pie labor costs
- Maintaining consistency in pizza preparation so training and service are uniform and economical across locations
- Controlling food costs so there’s more money in the budget for recruiting and compensating skilled labor
Simplify your menu and keep your crew smiling with our consistently great pizza products—contact our pizza pros today.
This blog was originally published on August 31, 2017, but was updated and republished on December 3, 2025.
