Everyone has different criteria when seeking the best employee scheduling software solution for their needs. Although there are several employee scheduling solutions available on the market, a few stand out when it comes to client satisfaction.

Today, we will compare Push Operations with 7 Shifts, HotSchedules, and Ameego to see how these unique solutions can help support each client’s specific needs.

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What are the top 4 restaurant scheduling software solutions?

In this article, we will compare these top-rated solutions, in no particular order:

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• Push Operations
• 7 Shifts
• HotSchedules
• Ameego

These solutions all fall under the category of employee scheduling software—however, they all have their pros and cons when it comes to the markets they serve, and the functionalities the software provides. It falls on the business owner to select the most appropriate scheduling software for employees while taking into consideration factors like the needs of the business, cost implications, and available features.

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What is restaurant scheduling software?

Employee scheduling software is a workforce and scheduling management solution that enables business owners and managers to streamline the rostering and scheduling process of their hourly workers. The software automates the process of creating schedules to ensure seamless transition from one shift to another while also automating notifications for shift changes, timecard creation, clock-in and clock-out, and payroll file importation.

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Restaurant scheduling software can include the following features:

• Schedule overview. This enables managers to view the weekly, biweekly, and monthly shifts, so that they can gain valuable insight into employees’ schedules, for example spotting gaps in cover. Information can be filtered based on location, specific shifts, and roles.
• Auto-assign shift scheduling. Employee scheduling software that can autonomously assign tasks and shifts to employees streamlines the time-consuming process of shift scheduling. Tasks are automatically assigned to the most appropriate employee, speeding up the whole process.
• Time tracking. This allows you to keep track of the hours put in by all employees by accurately monitoring their logged time-ins and time-outs, as well as their paid time off days. This puts you in a great position for better  identifying situations that result in understaffing or overstaffing.
• Worker profile. Worker profiling helps managers handle all their employees’ data, such as contact information, licenses, training, certifications, employment history, and education information. Managers are then able to align job responsibilities with each employee’s expertise, and also ensure labor law compliance.
• Real-time communication and mobile technology compatibility. An employee scheduling software solution that successfully merges its capabilities with mobile technology allows 24/7 real-time access to employees through mobile messaging platforms. This ensures timely notification about schedule changes.
• Shift swapping. This feature allows employees to virtually exchange shifts or pick up available ones without causing scheduling conflicts or requiring direct input from management.
• Labor and resource forecasting. This lets managers know how much labor and resources will be needed for future tasks, allowing them to plan months in advance.
• Integrations. An ideal employee scheduling software solution should allow integrations with other facets of the business, providing options like POS system syncing as well as payroll solutions.
• Automated customizable reports. These provide information on different metrics you may want to examine, such as the number of times a particular employee has changed shifts or been absent.

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7 Shifts

In business since 2014, 7 Shifts is a well-known and trusted employee scheduling software solution designed specifically for restaurants. Over 300,000 restaurants around the world use 7 Shifts. It has a drag-and-drop builder that simplifies the process of creating schedules while also boasting mobile capabilities that make it ideal for restaurants that need a mobile scheduling tool.
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Who is 7 Shifts best suited for?

7 Shifts is ideal for restaurateurs as it is packed with industry-specific features to target and address their scheduling needs. It offers internal communication tools, advanced analytics, and integrations. It also provides compliance reports to ensure the restaurant is always compliant with labor laws. With this software, a restaurateur can save time and reduce costs, thereby driving up profits.
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What we like most about the software.

One of our favorite 7 Shifts features is its intuitive drag-and-drop builder, which makes scheduling a breeze. Additionally, although its UI layout is designed similarly to Excel worksheets, the software upgraded functionality via an auto-scheduling feature and custom shift plates. This combines the familiarity and ease of use of traditional workplace schedules without sacrificing advanced functionality.
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Staff can also be notified of new assignments or changes with instant notification via the free mobile app—which is great because it allows 24/7 real-time communication at no added cost. Other features—like the desired hours tracker, built-in time clocking, total hours/labor projection per day, and time off requests—also ease the scheduling process and enable managers to plan ahead.
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What’s missing from the software?

Its highly specific functionality means 7 Shifts fails to perform satisfactorily in fields outside the restaurant industry. Its integration capabilities also leave a lot to be desired, as there are often difficulties with syncing with features like a POS system. But for a restaurant owner looking for a cost-effective employee scheduling software option that helps them save money scheduling, 7 Shifts is the best choice.

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Push Operations

When it comes to employee scheduling software, Push Operations offers robust features that are ideal for any business owner who has to manage hourly employees.

Push is a fully integrated solution and offers unique features like sales forecasting and automated pay calculations, as well as usability features like easy shift swaps, manager approval functions, and overtime alerts, all within the scheduling platform.
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What we like most about the software.

We have two favorite things when it comes to Push employee scheduling software. First, we love how easy it is to use, and how it’s the ideal tool for managers or business owners who need to manage their hourly employees, due to the easy wage adjustment features.

Next, we love that Push is an integrated a-la-carte system. A user  could choose scheduling to start with, then build the system out to integrate time tracking with facial recognition, HR with self-onboarding, reports on sales and labor thanks to POS integration functionality, and payroll with all the automations and calculations. The result? Scheduled hours to go directly into payroll for each month.
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What’s missing from the software?

Push is a robust system, so business owners who are looking for something fast, cheap, and simple may wish to look elsewhere. However, if you are looking to use this tool as a jump-off point to managing your entire operations, you are in the right place.

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HotSchedules

HotSchedules, a part of the Fourth platform, is an online workforce management solution created specifically for businesses in the restaurant and hospitality industries. It is a leading employee scheduling software solution in these industries because it provides easy management of schedules while also easing communication with the team. It’s a win-win option for both employees and managers.
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Employees love HotSchedules because it enables shift swapping, selection, or release in one click. On the other hand, managers appreciate the time saved with automated schedule building and one-click approvals for shift changes.
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Who is HotSchedules best suited for?

HotSchedules works best for teams that work on a shift basis. This is quite common in the restaurant and hospitality industries. It boasts specific features that make it ideal for such teams, and these include ready-made scheduling templates, one-click shift change approvals, compliance tools for meals, breaks, and fair work weeks, and time and attendance management.
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What we like most about the software.

There are quite a few things we like about this employee scheduling software solution. First, it is incredibly time-saving as it automates the scheduling process and allows employees to request shift changes that are only one click away from an approval or denial. The scheduling process is made even easier with ready-made templates and an easy-to-use drag-and-drop scheduling tool.
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It provides calendar sync and notifications that keep teams up-to-date on schedule changes. There is also an option for broadcast and one-on-one messaging that keeps the team connected, encouraging team building and ensuring higher levels of employee happiness and productivity.
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Another thing we like about HotSchedules is that it provides tools for applicant tracking, employee onboarding, manager logbooks, inventory, and payroll, making it a well-rounded employee scheduling software solution.
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What’s missing from the software?

Unlike 7 Shifts, another restaurant-targeted employee scheduling software option, HotSchedules doesn’t place as much emphasis on compliance reports. For naïve restaurateurs, this can lead to oversights as regards local labor laws, causing preventable legal troubles. In addition, the mobile app for HotSchedules is not free. This incurs additional costs for business owners as mobile accessibility is crucial for running a business.

Despite these shortcomings, HotSchedules remains one of the leading options when it comes to employee scheduling software for restaurants and other hospitality businesses.

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Ameego

Ameego is an online employee scheduling platform that is designed to help restaurants create better employee schedules. It saves time with its automated one-touch schedules that use employee profiles to account for skill levels, weekly availability, and time off requests. By integrating all this information, it creates a highly specific schedule at the push of a button, projecting the business’s costs based on actual employee wages.
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Ameego also allows employees to login, view and edit availability, view shifts, create bookoffs, and pick up and drop shifts in the shift shop, freeing up more time for the manager to focus on other tasks.
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Who is Ameego best suited for?

Ameego is best suited for restaurant owners and managers looking for a more hands-off approach to employee scheduling that does not negatively impact the business’s profits. It provides different advantages for owners, managers, and even staff, making it a popular option in growing restaurant businesses. Its multi-unit reporting and POS integration make it ideal for owners looking for cost-effective solutions. Managers benefit from its one-touch schedules, sales forecasts, and overtime tracker. For employees, the push notifications about shift changes, automated time tracking, and ability to update their availability make Ameego an invaluable tool.
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What we like most about the software.

This particular employee scheduling software solution will impress you with its free mobile app. We like the fact that the app allows managers to easily and efficiently manage staff requests, access labor reports, and push notifications to staff while on the go. It also allows employees to submit shift change requests, check their schedule, and stay in touch with other employees and managers on the go.
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We also like Ameego’s automated one-touch schedules, which create a detailed and accurate schedule in a matter of seconds by consolidating employee information.

Ameego also provides a time clock which allows employers to track the comings and goings of employees using Ameego Record punch times. Employers can then compare this information to their scheduled shifts and easily download it for export to their payroll provider, streamlining the scheduling and payroll processes.
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What’s missing from the software?

Unlike other competitors, Ameego is not transparent about its pricing. This means you cannot know how much you will be paying until you receive a quote, which may include unexpected professional service fees. Also, unlike many other employee scheduling software solutions, it doesn’t provide a free trial.  This makes it a less than ideal employee scheduling software for small businesses with small profit margins.

However, its extensive features still make it an attractive option for larger restaurant business owners.
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In conclusion.

Choosing the best employee scheduling software for your business is determined by the type of business you are running, its needs, and the cost implications. Business owners these days are looking for employee scheduling software solutions that not only serve their business’s needs but also save on overall operational costs by integrating other facets of running a business, such as employee onboarding, HR, and payroll management.
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These requirements make it clear that, compared to the other 3 options, Push Operations is the most well-rounded and cost-effective solution when looking for the best employee scheduling software.
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