Restaurants run on tight shifts, last-minute changes and a mix of servers, cooks, bartenders and shift leads. EZTime puts the schedule and the time clock in one place. You set staffing needs for each shift and role, collect availability from your team and build the week manually or with AI automatic scheduling. Staff see their shifts in the mobile app, request swaps and clock in by tapping an NFC tag or scanning a QR code at the entrance. Reminders catch forgotten clock-outs, managers fix missing punches with an approval trail, and at the end of the pay period you export payroll-ready hours instead of rebuilding them from paper.
She requests a swap in the app and a coworker accepts. The manager approves, and the updated schedule is visible to everyone right away.
He taps the NFC tag at the back door and the punch is recorded with the actual time. How early punches are handled follows the clock-in and rounding policy you set up, applied the same way for everyone.
The manager creates a one-time shift for Saturday afternoon, sees who is available and assigns staff. Assigned employees get the shift in the app.
A bartender forgot to clock out, so EZTime sends a reminder. Before payroll, managers review hours and approve corrections.
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AI scheduling, recurring shifts, availability and approved swaps.
Tap a tag at the entrance to clock in and out.
Shifts, requests and punches on iPhone and Android.
How to plan restaurant shifts without the spreadsheet.
These settings cover most restaurants in the first week.
Create roles such as server, cook, bartender and shift lead so the schedule and the hours reports break down by role.
Define how many people each role needs for lunch, dinner and weekend shifts so gaps show up before the week starts.
Ask staff to enter availability and turn on shift swapping with manager approval.
Place a tag by the staff entrance and limit clock-in to your approved location.
Send an automatic reminder when someone is still clocked in after their shift ends.
Decide how early punches are treated and configure it consistently; see our guide to time clock rounding rules.
Mark youth employees so the scheduler accounts for their shift limits.
Want to see these settings in your own account? Start a 14-day free trial or explore all features.
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, an employer may take a tip credit toward minimum wage for tipped employees if the requirements are met, and tip pools are allowed under specific conditions; managers and supervisors may not keep employees' tips. Many states set their own tipped-wage rules, so check your state as well. EZTime records hours by role, which helps when a tipped employee also works non-tipped duties, but it does not calculate or distribute tips. Overtime under the FLSA applies to hours over 40 in a workweek (see our FLSA overtime guide). Some cities also require large restaurant chains to post schedules in advance and pay for late changes; read our overview of predictive scheduling laws. Hiring teenagers? Federal and state youth employment rules limit their hours, and EZTime's youth employee shift support helps you plan around them.
Yes. An employee requests a swap in the app, a coworker accepts, and the manager approves it. The schedule updates for everyone once it is approved.
A common setup is an NFC tag or QR code at the staff entrance. Employees can also use a tablet kiosk or the mobile app with GPS, limited to your approved location.
No. EZTime tracks hours, roles and schedules, and exports them for payroll. Tip calculation and distribution are handled in your POS or payroll system.
EZTime sends an automatic reminder. If the punch is still missing, the employee submits a correction and the manager approves it, with every change saved in the audit trail.
EZTime records hours by role, publishes schedules in advance and keeps a record of changes, which supports your compliance work. Rules vary by state and city. This is general information, not legal advice.
Yes. You get a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. Plans start at $2 per employee per month, or $1.60 billed yearly.