Prevent Ghosting in Hospitality Hiring

More than half of hospitality workers have ghosted a new employer with 60 percent doing so after receiving a formal job offer, according to a Click Boarding survey. 

Ghosting is often less about the individual being irresponsible and more a sign that disengagement set in before the employment relationship ever really began, explained Danielle Balow, Vice President, Customer Transformation at Click Boarding. When a candidate doesn't feel like a priority during the hiring process, silence becomes an easy exit.

In restaurant hiring specifically, the pace works against operators here, she added, because interviews happen fast, offers go out fast, and then candidates are often left waiting with no clear next step or contact. That gap is where ghosting takes root. 

Balow expects the trend to continue as long as high-volume, fast-turnaround hiring treats communication as optional rather than built into the process, while operators who invested in structured, consistent candidate communication are already seeing it become less of a problem.

The survey also revealed that:

• 46 percent think it’s become an accepted part of the hiring process

• 81 percent have ghosted more than once

• Reasons for ghosting include poor communication, unprofessional interview experiences and feeling unwelcome

Make a Good First Impression

Candidates remember how they were treated as much as what the job pays, Balow said. In an industry where turnover is already high, that first impression sets the tone for whether someone shows up and wants to stay more than a few weeks. Simple things matter like showing up on time to the interview, being transparent about scheduling expectations, and not rushing through a bunch of questions. 

“When I was evaluating job offers earlier in my career, a personal phone call and the words "we really want you here" were the deciding factor over an employer I struggled to even get a hold of. That kind of moment costs nothing, and it's remembered.”

Closing the Communication Gap

Over-hiring to offset no-shows treats the symptom, not the cause – and it's expensive, Balow said. 

“Numbers-game hiring slaps a bandage across a deep wound with the hope it’ll heal on its own; our research shows it’s only getting worse. If you close the communication gap between offer and day one, even with just a bit of structure around communications, it goes a long way.”

This is especially true for operators juggling multiple locations and high candidate volume, Balow noted. Confirm the offer personally, give a clear timeline of what happens next, and don't let more than a few days pass without some form of contact – even if it’s a text saying “we’re excited to have you join us!”

Take a Phased-In Approach

During that critical period between job offer and first day, Balow recommends engagement in phases so candidates aren't overwhelmed, but also never feel forgotten.

The first phase, immediately after offer acceptance, should focus on reassurance and excitement: confirming the decision was the right one and outlining clear next steps. The second phase is operational readiness, helping the new hire complete any onboarding paperwork or tasks and understand what to expect. 

And your final phase is human connection: introducing a manager or teammate, sharing what the first shift will look like, making the workplace feel familiar before they even arrive.

“The exact cadence matters less than consistency,” said Balow. “Even small touchpoints have an outsized impact when they feel intentional rather than automated and forgotten. If you're unsure how much is too much, err toward more communication, not less.”

Turn No-Shows into Feedback

If an operator is getting ghosted by applicants, she suggests sending a short, automated survey to candidates who don't show up because it can surface patterns you wouldn't catch otherwise; maybe it's a gap in your interview process, unclear expectations about scheduling, or a slow offer-to-start timeline that lost their interest elsewhere.

“Restaurant operators are in a strong position to do this well because turnover naturally creates a lot of data points. Treat every no-show as a small piece of feedback rather than a personal frustration, and you'll start to see the same one or two issues surfacing repeatedly. That's usually where the real fix lives.”