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Free tools/Restaurant Schedule Template
Free schedule template

A week that staffs itself.

A daypart-based weekly schedule for a full-service restaurant — kitchen, floor, and bar — with the handoff overlaps that keep the 4pm transition from falling apart.

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Weekly schedule template — full-service, single location

RoleMonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Opener / prep7a–3p7a–3p7a–3p7a–3p7a–3p6a–2p6a–2p
Line cook — AM10a–4p10a–4p10a–4p10a–4p10a–5p9a–5p9a–5p
Line cook — PM4p–10p4p–10p4p–10p4p–11p4p–12a4p–12a3p–10p
Server — lunch11a–3p11a–3p11a–3p11a–3p11a–4p11a–4p10a–4p
Server — dinner5p–10p5p–10p5p–10p5p–11p5p–12a5p–12a4p–10p
BartenderOFF5p–10p5p–10p5p–11p4p–12a4p–12aOFF
Dish / support11a–9p11a–9p11a–9p11a–10p11a–11p10a–11p10a–9p
Closer / manager3p–11p3p–11p3p–11p3p–12a3p–1a3p–1a2p–11p

Swap the times for your hours and the roles for your roster — the structure is the point: schedule by daypart, overlap the handoffs (3–5pm and close), and give every role two protected days off. Post it by Thursday for the following week; last-minute schedules are the top reason staff quit.

The rules behind the template

Schedule by daypart, not by shift length. The template splits the day at the natural seams — prep, lunch, transition, dinner, close — so labor tracks revenue hour by hour instead of running flat through dead afternoons.

  • Overlap the handoffs. The 3–5pm window is where tickets get lost; the AM and PM lines overlap on purpose.
  • Two protected days off per person. Split days off breed burnout; consecutive ones retain staff.
  • Post by Thursday for next week. Late schedules are the most-cited reason hourly staff quit.
  • Match labor to sales, weekly. Pull last week's sales by daypart and cut or add the edges — labor is half of your prime cost.

To know whether the week you just scheduled is affordable, run it against the profit margin calculator — labor plus food should stay under 65% of expected sales. And if the phone keeps pulling staff off the floor, an AI answering agent is cheaper than another body on the schedule.

Keep more of every order

Get the operator margin playbook — food cost targets, pricing moves, and win-back flows that pay for themselves. One or two emails a month, no spam.

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FAQs

Frequently asked
questions

How many staff does a restaurant need per shift?
A rough rule for full service: one server per 4–5 tables, one line cook per 20–30 covers per hour, plus support roles. Build the skeleton from your slowest day and add from sales data, not instinct.
What percentage of sales should labor be?
Most full-service restaurants target 28–33% of sales for total labor including taxes and benefits. Combined with food cost, keep prime cost under 60–65%.
When should the weekly schedule be posted?
At least three days before the week starts — Thursday for a Monday week. Some cities legally require 14 days' notice under predictive scheduling laws; check yours.
Can I use this template in Excel or Google Sheets?
Yes — copy the structure: roles down the side, days across the top, dayparts as the shift blocks. Or print this page directly; it's formatted for paper.

Ready to own every order?

Talk to our team — we'll map your POS, design your storefront, and ship it in two weeks.

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