Smarter Staffing When Every Hour Counts

The holidays compress time. Traffic spikes are uneven. One bad staffing call can ripple through an entire night.

This first prompt helps you build hour-by-hour schedules grounded in reality, not guesswork. It works best when paired with POS reports, table turns, and kitchen capacity data.

Optimal Staffing Calculator Prompt

“Generate comprehensive, hourly staffing schedules for restaurant operations based on these anticipated customer volumes and operational parameters:

• Monday–Thursday average: [customers per hour during lunch/dinner]
• Friday–Saturday average: [customers per hour during lunch/dinner]
• Sunday average: [customers per hour during brunch/dinner]
• Average table turn time: [minutes]
• Seats available: [total capacity]
• Target servers per section: [tables per server]
• Kitchen capacity: [orders per hour with current staff]

Generate specific schedules showing exact start and end times for each role, minimum staffing levels by hour, when to add extra servers or cooks, and suggested break rotations.”

Think of this as your calm, data-driven counterweight to holiday chaos.

Cutting Labor Without Cutting Corners

Every operator knows the tension. You need to protect margins. You cannot afford to damage the guest experience.

This prompt forces clarity. It helps identify where hours can be trimmed responsibly, where cross-training creates flexibility, and where cutting would do more harm than good.

Labor Cost Optimization Prompt

“My labor costs are currently [current percentage]% of sales. My target is [target percentage]%.

I currently schedule staff by [describe current approach].
My biggest productivity challenges are [describe issues].

Please analyze where I can reduce scheduled hours without negatively impacting service quality and propose cross-training opportunities.

Respond with:
• Analysis: Brief summary of current labor situation
• Cut Hours Recommendations: Shifts or roles to reduce, expected impact on service (Low, Moderate, High), and rationale
• Cross-Training Opportunities: Roles to cross-train and productivity benefits
• Ordering Criteria: Rank recommendations by impact and feasibility

Keep recommendations practical and actionable.”

Used weekly, this becomes a discipline. Not a one-time fix.

Holiday Staffing Without Guesswork

Christmas week is not business as usual. Guest behavior changes. Menus change. Staffing availability changes.

This final prompt is built for exactly that.

Holiday & Event Staffing Prompt

“Plan staffing for [specific holiday or event] using:

• Expected volume increase: [percentage above normal]
• Event date and duration: [dates and times]
• Last year’s performance: [what worked and what didn’t]
• Available staff: [who can work and constraints]
• Special menu or service changes: [details]

Create a comprehensive staffing plan including minimum crew requirements, backup coverage, break schedules, prep adjustments, and contingency plans for higher or lower than expected volume.”

This is the difference between reacting and leading.