How to Manage Restaurant Staffing During the Holidays in the UK

This guide walks you through practical, real-world ways to staff your restaurant during the holidays, covering everything from recruitment and scheduling to onboarding, team culture, and the technology that can help lighten the load.

Start Recruitment Early and Cast a Wide Net

Holiday staffing is competitive. Students, hospitality workers, and part-timers often juggle multiple roles, so starting early gives you first pick.

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, hospitality workers have clear priorities when choosing an employer. Salary and benefits matter most, with 41% citing this as their top consideration.

Post roles on social media, college job boards, and staff referral channels — the places seasonal workers actually look. The UK Hospitality trade association provides useful resources on recruitment best practices and industry standards that can help guide your approach.

Streamline the Interview and Offer Process

Being open about hours, expectations, and pay not only builds trust, it also helps you stand out when you’re competing for holiday staff.

Our research shows that 46% of hospitality workers say receiving a formal job offer letter is extremely important, and 47% say the ideal interview process is just two rounds.

Keep interviews short and sweet, as well as focused on what really matters. Be upfront about shift patterns and expectations, and follow up with offers quickly. It shows candidates you respect their time and helps you lock in great people before other restaurants snap them up.

Build a Holiday Schedule That Actually Works

Holiday rotas change constantly. Staff travel, student exams, childcare, and illness are common disruptions that can derail even the most carefully planned schedule.

Our survey revealed that restaurant managers face significant scheduling pressures during peak periods. Last-minute changes are the biggest scheduling challenge for 32% of managers, whilst understaffing is the top issue for 27%.

Use scheduling software over spreadsheets — 48% of UK managers already do, and it helps prevent gaps. Share rotas earlier than usual so staff can plan around family commitments. Encourage early time-off requests and set clear deadlines. Build in a buffer of trained seasonal staff to avoid burnout amongst core team members. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) offers guidance on flexible working arrangements and scheduling practices that comply with UK employment law.

Create a Fast, Supportive Onboarding Experience

Great onboarding is one of the strongest predictors of holiday performance. According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 52.5% say structured onboarding is extremely valuable. Peer mentoring and job shadowing are the two most helpful onboarding tools.

Your holiday-friendly onboarding should include one short orientation session, a peer buddy system, short training videos or printed cheat sheets, a quick allergen and safety briefing, and a tech walkthrough covering your POS, handhelds, and payment systems. Toast handhelds make onboarding even faster. Ye Olde Reine Deer Inn reported being able to train staff through a 45-minute video call and still deliver excellent service.

The Food Standards Agency provides comprehensive resources on food safety training and allergen information requirements that should be incorporated into your onboarding process.

Use Technology to Reduce Pressure on Your Team

With holiday volume spiking, even experienced teams can feel stretched. 

The Voice of the UK Restaurant Industry 2025 report found that 69% of UK restaurants plan to increase tech spend, especially on tools that reduce labour strain. Handheld order and payment devices help cut walkouts by up to 50%, as demonstrated in the Urban Leisure Group case study. 

Technology helps most during the holidays by enabling faster table turns, more accurate ordering, less time walking back and forth to the till, easier tracking of upsells and menu performance, and real-time insights on staff productivity and kitchen times. These improvements free up your team to focus on what matters most — creating memorable guest experiences.

Keep Morale High and Protect Staff Wellbeing

This section is for general information only and isn’t legal advice. The UK has clear employment regulations you’ll need to follow during the holiday season, and it’s important to keep them in mind while planning your staffing.

Under the Working Time Regulations, staff can work a maximum 48-hour average week unless they formally opt out. Workers are also entitled to proper rest breaks, daily rest periods, and protections around night work.

Holiday pay must be calculated based on average earnings, which includes service charges and any guaranteed tips. Even casual or zero-hours staff are entitled to paid holiday.

You must also check right-to-work documents for all seasonal employees and store records securely in line with UK Home Office rules.

For a full overview, the UK Government’s guidance on employment and wages provides clear explanations of these requirements. If you need tailored advice for your situation, it’s best to speak with an employment lawyer or HR professional.

Use Data to Staff Smarter (Not Harder)

Your holiday POS data can tell you when your peak hours occur, which menu items are most popular, what your table turn times look like, which team members upsell consistently, and when front-of-house or back-of-house bottlenecks occur. Restaurants like Le Bab use Toast reporting to track kitchen times, productivity, and performance across locations — helping them allocate staff precisely where needed.

This data-driven approach helps you make smart, confident scheduling decisions instead of relying on guesswork. You’ll know when you need extra hands and where your strongest team members can make the biggest difference.

Understand UK Holiday Staffing Regulations

Holiday shifts can be full-on, and the teams that keep everything running smoothly are the ones who feel genuinely supported. 

Small, consistent rituals make a big difference, like a quick pre-shift huddle to go over specials, 86’d items, big bookings, and a few shout-outs helps everyone start the shift aligned and confident. And warm staff meals — especially on freezing winter nights — show your team that you care about their comfort, not just their productivity.

Creating a culture where people feel safe to say, “I’m struggling” can prevent burnout and last-minute service issues. And small gestures of appreciation go further than you’d think. A handwritten thank-you note, a team toast, or a small surprise treat can reset the mood during a hectic week. Celebrating the wins like a brilliant review, a flawless double-turn, a sold-out New Year’s Eve service reminds everyone that their hard work matters.

For extra support, Hospitality Action offers confidential advice, mental health resources, and financial assistance for people working in hospitality. It’s a valuable safety net to share with your team alongside your internal wellbeing efforts.

Make This Holiday Season Your Smoothest Yet

The holidays can feel like a whirlwind, but with solid planning, the right people, and the right tools, they can also become some of your most rewarding weeks of the year. When your team feels supported, everything runs more smoothly and guests feel the difference. Investing in your people and giving them what they need to do their jobs well isn’t just good management — it’s what makes the whole season come together.