Scheduling software for restaurants and cafés
Kitchens and front-of-house run on shifts that change weekly, and labor has to be measured against sales. Homebase is free for up to 10 employees and its POS integrations pull in sales data. Past 10 staff you pay, per location, so Sling, free for up to 30 people, fits a larger crew.
Top picks for restaurants and cafés
1. Homebase SchedulingShift scheduling and a time clock, free for up to 10 employeesFree up to 10 usersFit 94
2. SlingFree shift scheduling for up to 30 staff, from the Toast teamFree up to 30 usersFit 92
3. PlandayShift scheduling and time tracking for hourly teams, from $2.99 a userFrom $2.99/personFit 92
All 16 scheduling tools, ranked for restaurants and cafés
| Tool | Fit for restaurant or café | Starts at | Pricing | Users | Integrations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homebase SchedulingHomebaseFit 94 | 94 | Free up to 10 users | Free tier | Up to 10 free; unlimited on paid plans | Gusto, Rippling +3 | View |
| SlingToastFit 92 | 92 | Free up to 30 users | Free tier | Up to 30 free | None in our catalog | View |
| PlandayXeroFit 92 | 92 | $2.99/person | Free trial | Per user; at least 5 on Starter, 10 on Plus | QuickBooks Payroll | View |
 ConnecteamConnecteamFit 88 | 88 | Free up to 10 users | Free tier | Up to 10 free; 30 per paid plan | Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll | View |
 When I WorkWhen I WorkFit 88 | 88 | $2.50/person | Free trial | Per user | Gusto, Rippling +3 | View |
 Buddy PunchBuddy PunchFit 78 | 78 | $19 + $4.99/person | Free trial | Per user | Gusto, Rippling +1 | View |
 SetmoreSetmoreFit 30 | 30 | $5/person | Free tier | Up to 4 free | None in our catalog40+ listed | View |
| 25 | $0 | Free tier | 1 provider on free | None in our catalog | View | |
 Square AppointmentsBlockFit 15 | 15 | $0 | Free tier | Unlimited staff calendars | None in our catalog | View |
 Acuity SchedulingSquarespaceFit 15 | 15 | $16 | Free trial | 1-36 calendars by plan | None in our catalog | View |
 CalendlyCalendlyFit 10 | 10 | $10/person | Free tier | Per seat | None in our catalog150+ listed | View |
 VagaroVagaroFit 10 | 10 | $30 + $10/extra person | Free trial | 1 calendar on base | Gusto | View |
 FreshaFreshaFit 10 | 10 | $14.95/person | Free trial | Per team member | None in our catalog | View |
 BooksyBooksyFit 10 | 10 | $29.99 + $20/extra person | Free trial | 1 included | None in our catalog | View |
 ModgeModge Inc.Fit 5 | 5 | $4/person | Free trial | Per tracked seat; viewers free | None in our catalog | View |
 JobberJobberFit 5 | 5 | $29 | Free trial | 1 on Core | Gusto | View |
Scheduling for restaurants and cafés: questions
Which ones have a free plan?
Of the 6 that fit restaurants and cafés best, Homebase Scheduling, Sling and Connecteam have a free plan. Check the limits on each tool page; most cap users, volume or features.
How are these ranked?
Each tool has a fit score from 0 to 100 for restaurants and cafés, based on what it is built for and who its features serve. We list tools scoring 70 or more as strong fits, then break ties by the monthly price for a team of six. Partner links never change the order. How we calculate prices.