Wednesday 16 Kitchen
Kofi swaps his close.
By hand. Dev takes it. The swap is checked for the Chef role, rest and time off before you approve it, so the kitchen is never a chef short.
Or just say“Approve Kofi’s swap with Dev.”
Shift swap appIndustriesRestaurant rota software
Restaurant rota software without spreadsheet chaos.
Restaurant rota software for small teams. Front of house and kitchen on one live rota, planned around lunch, the split and dinner, and when you’re short on the pass, just tell Weekola.
14-day trial No payment details required
Nothing changes until you confirm. Saturday dinner covered · Sol and Jon notified
Why restaurant rotas break in spreadsheets.
- The pass
Front-of-house and kitchen cover need different planning
A full floor means nothing if the kitchen is a chef short. Each side needs its own count.
- 15:00
Two services and a split
Lunch and dinner need different people in different numbers, with a quiet lull between them.
- Friday
Shift trades can affect payroll
An informal swap leaves nobody sure who worked the close, or who should be paid for it.
- 17:00
Late changes get missed
A message in the group chat an hour before service isn’t a rota change. It’s a hope.
- Holidays
Leave clashes leave gaps
Two people off the same Saturday shows up on the night, not when you’re planning the week.
- Month end
Timesheets take too long
Late finishes and missed clock-outs get pieced together weeks after anyone remembers them.
Sample week · The Olive Room
A restaurant week, in Weekola.
Three days at The Olive Room. Each change done by hand in a couple of taps, or said in a sentence. Either way, you confirm it and the rota changes.
Friday 18 Front of house
Leah wants Friday night off.
By hand. Her dinner shift is covered first, then her holiday is approved, so the floor stays at three for the busiest service of the week.
Or just say“Approve Leah’s Friday off and cover her dinner shift.”
Leave managementSaturday 19 After close
Marco forgot to clock out.
By hand. It shows up that night, not at month end. Correct it once and his hours are ready for payroll, with the original clock record kept.
Or just say“Marco forgot to clock out. He left at 23:10.”
Timesheet software
Said or tapped, Weekola Brain checks the same rules and nothing changes until you confirm. See everything you can ask
Everything a service week needs. Nothing it doesn’t.
Start with the rota. Add the rest when the restaurant needs it; each part picks up where the last one left off.
- RotaFront of house and kitchen, by role and area, on one live week.£11/month
- Shift swapsTrades checked for role, rest and time off before you approve them.£5/monthWorks with Rota
- AttendanceClock-ins beside the plan, with late finishes and missed clock-outs flagged.£7/month
- TimesheetsService hours reviewed, approved and exported for payroll.£9/monthWorks with Attendance
- LeaveHolidays on the rota before you plan the week, not on the night.IncludedEvery workspace
- Weekola BrainSay what’s changed. It checks your rules and prepares the change for you to confirm.IncludedEvery workspace
Is Weekola right for your restaurant?
A good fit
- An independent restaurant or small group with roughly 5 to 30 staff
- Front of house and kitchen on hourly shifts
- A rota rebuilt every week in a spreadsheet or group chat
- Hours pieced together by hand at month end
Probably not the right tool
- A large chain with a central workforce-planning team
- Running payroll itself: Weekola prepares hours, not pay, tax or NI
- HR advice or compliance consultancy
- Forecasting covers or staff from bookings and sales
Restaurant rota questions.
Short answers for restaurant owners about the rota, the team and the hours.
What is the best rota software for restaurants?
Good restaurant rota software gives one live rota, clear front-of-house and kitchen cover, approved swaps, attendance tracking, leave visibility and timesheet prep.
Can Weekola manage front-of-house and kitchen shifts?
Yes. Shifts carry a role and an area, such as Chef in the kitchen, and coverage rules can ask for a number of people in each for lunch and dinner.
Can Weekola replace my restaurant rota spreadsheet?
Yes. Weekola helps small restaurants replace spreadsheet rota versions with one live workflow for shifts, swaps, attendance, timesheets and leave.
Can restaurant staff view shifts on their phone?
Yes. Staff can view published shifts from a phone or browser instead of relying on WhatsApp screenshots.
Can staff request shift swaps?
Yes. Staff can request swaps and managers can approve them before the rota changes.
Can I just tell Weekola what’s changed?
Yes. Weekola Brain is included with every workspace. Type or say “We’re two short in the kitchen Saturday night”, and it finds the open shifts, checks who holds the role and prepares the change. Nothing changes until you confirm.
Can Weekola help with restaurant attendance tracking?
Yes. Weekola can track clock-ins and clock-outs so managers can review attendance against planned restaurant shifts.
Can Weekola prepare restaurant timesheets for payroll?
Weekola helps prepare reviewed timesheets from attendance records. It does not process final payroll or provide payroll advice.
Can Weekola help with leave and holiday clashes?
Yes. Leave visibility helps managers spot holiday clashes before publishing the rota.
Is Weekola a full restaurant HR system?
No. Weekola focuses on rota, attendance, shift swaps, timesheets and leave for small teams, not full HR advice or compliance consultancy.
Front of house and kitchen. One live rota.
Rota is £11/month for your whole team, with Leave and Weekola Brain included. Add Attendance and Timesheets and every service’s hours are ready for payroll: £16/month together.
14-day trial No payment details required