Best Restaurant Management Software: Master Your Kitchen
Looking for the best restaurant management software to streamline your operations and enhance efficiency?
In today’s competitive restaurant industry, finding the right software solution can make all the difference. From optimizing inventory management to simplifying staff scheduling and enhancing customer service, the best software for restaurants offers a comprehensive suite of tools tailored to the unique needs of food service businesses.
In this guide, we’ll explore the top options in the market, helping you make informed decisions on how to make a restaurant schedule to elevate your restaurant’s performance and profitability. Whether you’re a small cafe or a large franchise, investing in the best restaurants management software is key to staying ahead in the fast-paced world of hospitality.
Key Criteria for Choosing the Software
When evaluating restaurant management software, it’s essential to consider several key criteria to ensure it meets your specific needs. Here are some factors to keep in mind:
📦 Inventory management: Look for software that offers robust inventory management features, including real-time tracking, ingredient-level inventory, and automatic stock alerts to prevent shortages.
🍽️ Ordering and menu management: Choose software that streamlines the ordering process, allows easy menu customization, and integrates seamlessly with your POS system for efficient order management.
👩💼 Staff scheduling and management: Opt for software with intuitive restaurant scheduling tools that enable you to create and manage employee schedules, track labor costs, and streamline communication with your staff.
📅 Table and reservation management: Ensure the software provides table management features to optimize seating arrangements and reservation management capabilities to handle bookings and walk-ins efficiently.
📊 Reporting and analytics: Look for restaurant system management that offers comprehensive reporting and analytics tools to track sales performance, analyze customer trends, and identify areas for improvement.
🔌 Integration and compatibility: Choose software that integrates seamlessly with your existing systems, such as POS systems, accounting software, and online ordering platforms, to ensure smooth operations and data synchronization.
Note: We do not accept paid entries for our list of the best restaurant management software. Our recommendations are based solely on thorough research and unbiased analysis to provide you with the most reliable options available in the market.
Shifts by Everhour provides an intuitive solution for managing employee schedules with ease. From flexible scheduling options to mobile accessibility, it’s the ideal solution for optimizing workforce management in any industry.
TL;DR Comparison Table
| Tool | Pricing | Key Function | Free Trial |
| Everhour | Free plan; Team plan: $8.50 per user per month | Time Tracking | Yes |
| Shifts by Everhour | Free | Scheduling | Yes |
| 7shifts | Comp Plan: Free; Entrée Plan: $29.99 per month per location; The Works Plan: $69.99 per month per location; Gourmet Plan: $135 per month per location | Scheduling | Yes |
| Jolt | Custom | Operations Management | Yes |
| HotSchedules | Custom | Employee Scheduling | Yes |
| Zenefits | Starts at $8 per employee per month | HR Management | Yes |
| UpMenu | Basic: $49 monthly per restaurant, Standard: $89 monthly per restaurant, Premium: $169 monthly per restaurant | Online Ordering and Menu Management | No |
| Restaurant365 | Essential package: $399/month; Professional package: $489/month. | Accounting, Operations, and Staffing Solutions | No |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | Starter: $39/month; Plus: $119/month; Pro: $289/month; Custom pricing for enterprise solutions | Point-of-Sale Solution | Yes |
| HungerRush | Custom | Full-Stack Restaurant Management | Yes |
What Is a Restaurant Management System
A restaurant management system (RMS) is a comprehensive software solution tailored to the food service industry. It serves as a digital hub where various aspects of restaurant operations converge and are efficiently managed. With an RMS in place, restaurants can oversee crucial functions such as restaurant order management, inventory management, menu engineering, order processing, table reservations, employee scheduling, and customer relationship management.
These scheduling apps for small businesses are designed to streamline workflows, minimize manual tasks, and optimize resource allocation. They provide restaurant owners and managers with real-time insights into their business performance, enabling data-driven decision-making. Additionally, RMS often offers features like integration with point-of-sale (POS) systems, online ordering platforms, and accounting software, creating a cohesive ecosystem that enhances operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
10 Best Restaurant Software
Everhour
Everhour, a time tracker known for its versatility in time tracking and project management, can also serve as a robust tool for restaurant management. Its flexible features offer several benefits for restaurant owners and managers.
Pros
- Time tracking: As one of the best timesheet software for small businesses, Everhour’s precise time tracking capabilities allow restaurants to monitor employee hours accurately via its timesheet app, facilitating payroll management and ensuring compliance with labor regulations.
- Budget management: Restaurants can set budgets for various tasks and projects, helping to control costs and optimize resource allocation effectively.
- Integration: Everhour seamlessly integrates with popular project management platforms like Trello, Asana, and ClickUp, enabling streamlined workflows and enhanced collaboration.
- Customizable reports: The software offers customizable reporting tools, allowing restaurants to analyze performance metrics, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to improve operational efficiency.
- Extra tools: Besides being a great work hours tracker and a time clock app, Everhour allows managers to use its attendance tracker for better employee management and payroll.
Cons
- Learning curve: Mastering all of Everhour’s features and functionalities may require time and effort, potentially impacting initial productivity during the onboarding process.
Pricing
- Free.
- Team: $8.50 per user/month.
Shifts by Everhour
Shifts by Everhour offers an intuitive platform tailored for restaurant scheduling and management needs. It helps to facilitate shift scheduling, employee management, and task tracking.
Pros
- Simplified employee scheduling and shift management: Shifts streamlines the process of organizing employee schedules and managing shifts, making it easier for managers to coordinate staffing.
- Easy-to-use interface: It offers a user-friendly interface that is accessible to both managers and staff members, ensuring smooth navigation and efficient task management.
- Real-time visibility: With Shifts, restaurant managers gain real-time insights into labor costs and staff availability, allowing for better decision-making and resource allocation.
- Customizable settings: Shifts provides customizable settings that can be tailored to meet the unique workflow needs of different types of restaurants, enhancing flexibility and adaptability.
Cons
- Limited advanced features compared to other premium solutions.
Pricing
Free
7shifts
7shifts is a complimentary scheduling application tailored to empower restaurant management. It specializes in optimizing employee scheduling and labor management for restaurants and hospitality enterprises. With its array of specialized features, 7shifts is dedicated to streamlining restaurant operations and enhancing overall efficiency.
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Pros
- Streamlined employee scheduling with drag-and-drop functionality.
- Real-time labor cost tracking and compliance management.
- Integration with popular POS and payroll systems for seamless operations.
- Effective communication tools to keep staff informed and engaged.
- Robust reporting and analytics for informed decision-making.
Cons
- Steeper learning curve for mastering advanced features.
- Pricing plans may be relatively expensive for smaller establishments.
- Customization options are limited compared to some competitors.
Pricing
- Comp Plan: Free.
- Entrée Plan: $29.99 per month per location.
- The Works Plan: $69.99 per month per location.
- Gourmet Plan: $135 per month per location.
Jolt
Jolt stands out as a comprehensive restaurant management software solution designed to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. With its robust features tailored to the food service industry, Jolt offers a versatile platform for managing various aspects of restaurant operations.
Pros
- Wide range of features including task management, employee scheduling, time tracking, and food safety compliance, consolidating various management tasks into a single platform.
- The intuitive interface makes it easy for restaurant staff to navigate and utilize the software effectively.
- Customizable features that allow restaurants to adapt the software to their specific needs, ensuring flexibility and scalability as businesses grow and evolve.
- Real-time data and analytics, enabling restaurant managers to make informed decisions, identify areas for improvement, and optimize operations for better performance.
Cons
- While Jolt offers a robust set of features, the pricing plans may be relatively higher compared to some other restaurant management software options, potentially posing a challenge for smaller businesses with limited budgets.
- Some users may find Jolt’s extensive features overwhelming, especially if they only require basic functionality.
Pricing
- Basic Plan: Starting at $99 per month.
- Pro Plan: Starting at $199 per month.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing available for larger businesses with specific requirements.
HotSchedules
HotSchedules stands out as a premier solution for restaurant management, offering specialized tools designed to optimize scheduling, labor forecasting, compliance management, and team communication within the hospitality industry.
Pros
- Tailored specifically for restaurants and hospitality shift scheduling, ensuring relevance and effectiveness in addressing industry-specific needs.
- Robust labor forecasting features enable businesses to manage staffing levels efficiently, minimizing labor costs while maintaining compliance with regulations.
- With a mobile app available, staff can easily access schedules and communicate on the go, enhancing operational efficiency.
Cons
- No free trial.
Pricing
Custom.
Zenefits
Zenefits offers a comprehensive employee management solution renowned for its user-friendly interface, Zenefits empowers restaurants to efficiently handle HR tasks, allowing them to focus on delivering exceptional dining experiences.
Pros
- Zenefits provides a unified platform for various HR functions, including payroll, benefits administration, time tracking, and compliance.
- Reduced complexity of payroll management by automating tax calculations, deductions, and compliance tasks, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
- Benefits administration, enabling restaurants to effortlessly manage health insurance, retirement plans, and other benefits.
- Integrated with various timekeeping systems to provide insights into employee work hours, overtime, and attendance patterns.
Cons
- Some users may find Zenefits’ customization options limited compared to more specialized HR software solutions.
- While user-friendly, new users may require some time to familiarize themselves with the platform’s features and functionalities.
Pricing
Starting at $8 per employee per month for the Essentials plan.
UpMenu
UpMenu stands out as a premier system for restaurant management tailored specifically for the restaurant industry. Serving as an online ordering system, UpMenu facilitates seamless management of online orders while offering mobile ordering capabilities for restaurant patrons.
Pros
- User-friendly interface that simplifies navigation and usage for restaurant staff.
- With built-in marketing tools, UpMenu empowers restaurants to enhance their brand visibility and customer engagement, facilitating the conversion of one-time customers into loyal patrons.
- UpMenu adopts a commission-free pricing model, allowing restaurants to maximize their profits without worrying about additional fees.
Cons
- The basic and standard subscriptions of UpMenu come with a restricted number of orders, potentially limiting scalability for high-volume restaurants.
- While UpMenu offers unbranding options to remove its logo from the ordering system, this feature is exclusively available in the premium plan, potentially limiting branding customization for lower-tier subscribers.
Pricing
- Basic: $49 monthly per restaurant
- Standard: $89 monthly per restaurant
- Premium: $169 monthly per restaurant
Restaurant365
Restaurant365 offers comprehensive accounting, operations, and staffing solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of restaurants. With scalable features, Restaurant365 empowers businesses of all sizes to optimize their operations efficiently.
Pros
- Centralized platform to streamline essential HR tasks, facilitating seamless management of staffing operations.
- Valuable insights into employee performance, production efficiency, and sales metrics, empowering informed decision-making to drive business growth.
- An integrated accounting solution includes robust inventory and prime cost management features, enhancing operational efficiency and cost control.
- A comprehensive database of resources to support partners’ success, offering valuable tools and insights to optimize restaurant management strategies.
Cons
- While Restaurant365 excels in operations management, it lacks direct integration with point-of-sale or payment systems, requiring additional solutions for transaction processing.
- Restaurant365 does not offer built-in integrations for delivery or online ordering services, potentially limiting convenience for businesses seeking comprehensive restaurant management solutions.
Pricing
- Restaurant365 Essential: Starts at $399/month, offering essential features for restaurant management.
- Restaurant365 Professional: Priced at $489/month, includes advanced analytics and additional features to optimize restaurant operations.
Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed Restaurant is a versatile point-of-sale solution crafted to meet the needs of various food service businesses. With a focus on efficiency and seamless operations, Lightspeed Restaurant offers a comprehensive suite of features to optimize restaurant management.
Pros
- Lightspeed Restaurant facilitates contactless ordering and payment, enhancing guest experience and safety.
- Front-of-house and back-of-house operations management are available, including inventory, staffing, and sales tracking.
- Valuable data and analytics to make informed decisions for your business, driving growth and profitability.
- Integrated order management.
- Floor plan and seating solution to optimize table management and enhance guest satisfaction.
Cons
- Lightspeed Restaurant does not provide features for managing delivery drivers or an app marketplace, potentially limiting functionality for businesses offering delivery services.
- Reports on employee performance are somewhat limited, hindering in-depth analysis and optimization of staffing strategies.
Pricing
- Starter package: $39/month, offering essential features for small businesses.
- Plus package: $119/month, providing a full range of solutions for mid-sized restaurants.
- Pro package: $289/month, offering advanced reporting and analytics for larger establishments.
- Lightspeed also offers custom pricing for enterprise solutions, catering to the unique needs of larger restaurant chains and franchises.
HungerRush
HungerRush is a comprehensive restaurant management solution designed to enhance the guest experience while streamlining operations. With a focus on efficiency and user-friendly features, HungerRush offers a range of tools to optimize restaurant management.
Pros
- Front-of-house and back-of-house operations are available on the same platform, promoting efficiency and coordination.
- HungerRush delivers intuitive POS hardware and software, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience for both staff and guests.
- HungerRush offers Customer Relations Management (CRM) and loyalty solutions to foster customer engagement and loyalty, enhancing long-term relationships.
- Online ordering solutions are integrated into the platform, catering to the growing demand for convenient ordering options.
Cons
- In some instances, HungerRush may offer limited customization options for POS menus and interfaces, potentially restricting flexibility for businesses with specific branding or operational requirements.
- The back-office software of HungerRush may have a steep learning curve, requiring time and effort for staff training and proficiency.
Pricing
Custom.
Best Restaurant Management Software: Conclusion
In the dynamic landscape of restaurant software solutions, finding the right fit for your business is crucial. Whether you’re seeking restaurant staff management software or a comprehensive solution for your establishment, the market offers diverse options to meet your needs.
Everhour and Shifts by Everhour emerge as standout solutions in this domain, providing intuitive tools for efficient staff management and scheduling. These platforms are well-equipped to handle the complexities of restaurant operations, offering features tailored to streamline workflows and enhance the guest experience.
By harnessing the power of innovative solutions like Everhour and Shifts by Everhour, restaurant owners can elevate their management practices, optimize resource allocation, and drive success in today’s competitive market.
