HR & Ops

restaurant weekly shift schedule labor cost estimator

Weekly labor = Σ (shifts × hours per shift × wage × people). Labor % = weekly labor ÷ weekly sales.

Rolls a week of restaurant shifts into labor cost: roles, hours, wage rates, and a simple labor-to-sales check if you enter weekly sales.

Inputs

Plain-English guide

Terms & how it works

Confused by a field? Read the short definitions here while you use the tool.

  • inputs

    Your numbers

    Estimate restaurant weekly labor from shifts, wage, and headcount. Free online estimator, no sign up.

When to use this restaurant weekly shift schedule labor cost estimator

Common use cases

  • Estimate restaurant weekly labor from shifts, wage, and headcount. Free online estimator, no sign up.
  • Sanity-check with this case: FOH: 40 shifts × 6h × $18 = $4,320. BOH: 28 × 8h × $22 = $4,928. Weekly labor $9,248. On $32k sales that is 28.9%.
  • The relationship is: Weekly labor = Σ (shifts × hours per shift × wage × people). Labor % = weekly labor ÷ weekly sales.

Localized examples

  • HR & Ops: the example on this page uses the same formula as the widget.

What you get

  • Workspace controls for this exact question
  • Weekly labor = Σ (shifts × hours per shift × wage × people). Labor % = weekly labor ÷ weekly sales.
  • Example on the page: FOH: 40 shifts × 6h × $18 = $4,320. BOH: 28 × 8h × $22 = $4,928. Weekly labor $9,248. On $32k sales that is 28.9%.

What is it?

Rolls a week of restaurant shifts into labor cost: roles, hours, wage rates, and a simple labor-to-sales check if you enter weekly sales.

The Formula

Governing formula

Weekly labor = Σ (shifts × hours per shift × wage × people). Labor % = weekly labor ÷ weekly sales.

Real-World Example

FOH: 40 shifts × 6h × $18 = $4,320. BOH: 28 × 8h × $22 = $4,928. Weekly labor $9,248. On $32k sales that is 28.9%.

Why It Matters

Labor % is the ops lever restaurants watch weekly. Estimating it from the actual shift grid beats last month’s P&L.

Frequently Asked Questions

Many full-service rooms target roughly 25–35% of sales all-in; quick service can run lower. Use your concept, not a universal rule.

HR & Ops