The Secret to Summer Staffing

Summer hiring can be an operational beast for restaurants. It’s faster, higher-volume, and holds higher-stakes than typical hiring cycles because operators are often bringing on multiple people at the same time, sometimes with little notice, and those employees need to be ready to hit the ground running on day one.

Rather than prioritizing restaurant experience, operators and owners should be looking for skills like adaptability, a willingness to learn quickly, and comfort working within a structured environment, said Evan Welch, VP of Implementation at HungerRush. Hiring managers should also think about cultural fit and energy, especially during high-traffic summer moments when the guest experience lives and dies by the attitude of the person behind the counter, he added.

“Summer staffing pools are often younger, with a higher concentration of high school and college students looking for seasonal work. Scheduling flexibility has to be built into the plan from day one. That's…