Scheduling Holiday Restaurant Staffing Guide: How to Schedule for the Busy Season

The holidays bring higher traffic, larger checks, and greater catering demand, but also the highest labor risk of the year. Shifts become less predictable; teams request time off, overtime creeps in, and service expectations spike. Without the right plan, labor costs can climb fast, and operations struggle to keep up. 

The restaurants that win the holiday season do three things differently: They prepare early, schedule intentionally, and use data to guide every decision. 

Here’s how operators can stay fully staffed, protect labor margins, and deliver a great guest experience during the busiest weeks of the year. 

1. Forecast Holiday Demand Using Last Year’s Data  

Accurate forecasting is the foundation of an efficient holiday schedule. Start by reviewing last year’s traffic patterns by daypart. Look closely at when covers spiked, when the kitchen slowed down, and which days required additional prep. Include catering trends, weather patterns, large-party reservations, and off-premise demand to build a baseline. 

This forecast becomes the roadmap for building a schedule that aligns staffing with expected demand.  

2. Finalize Holiday Time-Off Requests Before December Starts 

Holiday PTO can derail scheduling if not managed early. Set a clear deadline for time-off requests and communicate blackout dates for the busiest days. Managers should review these requests against forecasted demand to ensure coverage is balanced across both the front of house and back of house. 

When teams understand expectations before December begins, the schedule becomes easier to build, and last-minute staffing surprises become less frequent.  

3. Build Holiday Schedules That Match Peak Traffic Patterns 

• Prep labor early in the week to handle catering and pre-production
• Mid-shifts during peak windows to control labor while keeping pace
• Support roles like expo, runners, and barbacks on high-volume seatings

These targeted adjustments keep service moving without overspending on labor. 

4. Cross-Train Teams to Increase Holiday Staffing Flexibility

Flexible teams reduce stress on high-volume days. Cross-training early helps operators cover gaps without adding unnecessary shifts. Hosts who can run food, bussers who can expo, cooks who can switch stations, and bartenders who can serve give managers more options when the dining room fills faster than expected. 

A few weeks of cross-training can make the difference between falling behind and staying ahead. 

5. Prepare for Catering and Off-Premise Volume

Catering demand often spikes before dine-in volume does, creating added pressure on prep and production teams. Review catering orders weekly and assign dedicated prep labor or production windows to avoid pulling resources away from the line during peak service. 

6. Monitor Overtime and Break Compliance During Busy Weeks

Holiday volume puts added pressure on labor compliance. Longer shifts, tighter turnarounds, and last-minute changes make it easy for meal periods, rest breaks, and clopening rules to slip, especially in regulated markets like California. Left unmanaged, these issues lead to unnecessary costs and compliance exposure. 

The best approach is to build compliance into the schedule from the start. Use clear labor rules to structure shift lengths, break timing, and opening/closing coverage, and review hours regularly as the week unfolds. Forte’s compliance workflows support this by offering rule-based scheduling, required-break settings, and automated checks that help managers prevent violations before they happen. 

A disciplined, proactive approach keeps labor costs controlled, protects the team, and reduces compliance risk during the busiest stretch of the year. 

7. Strengthen Manager Communication During Holiday Service

Holiday shifts move quickly, and strong restaurant team communication is the only way to keep operations aligned. Create a consistent rhythm across your locations: use a weekly planning meeting to review expected volume, catering orders, reservations, and staffing needs, then reinforce that plan with short daily huddles during peak weeks. 

Forte’s manager logbook helps managers stay connected throughout the day. Notes on shift pacing, staffing gaps, prep adjustments, and guest flow give every leader a clear view of what’s happening on the floor. When managers share information, they make faster decisions, communicate more effectively, and keep the entire team moving in the same direction during the busiest weeks of the year. 

8. Use Scheduling Software to Control Holiday Labor Costs

Managing holiday staffing manually is time-consuming and tedious. Forte provides operators with clear, accurate labor visibility and includes forecasting, rule-based scheduling, exception alerts, and insights across every location. Managers can spot overtime risk before it hits, automatically monitor compliance, and publish schedules that align with the rhythm of expected holiday demand. 

With restaurant operational intelligence and menu performance reports, operators can identify which dishes drive the most margin and prepare accordingly—adjusting prep levels, station setup, and upsell priorities to keep service efficient during the busiest weeks of the year. 

9. Manage Holiday Stress by Supporting Your Team

High-volume weeks are tough on both managers and hourly staff. A few thoughtful gestures can make a big difference—providing meals on peak days, setting clear expectations before each shift, or rotating heavier tasks so the load feels fair. When teams feel supported, communication improves, and service stays consistent, even on the busiest days. 

Final Takeaway 

Holiday weeks test every part of a restaurant. When teams plan ahead, communicate well, and build schedules that match real demand, service stays smooth, and labor stays on track. 

Forte helps operators do precisely that with clear workflows and scheduling tools built for busy seasons. Request a demo to see how Forte supports smarter holiday staffing.