How to Hire the Right Staff for HoReCa
Recruitment best practices for restaurants.
Bad hires cost you money, time, and team morale. One wrong person disrupts service, drives away customers, and makes good staff want to quit. Smart hiring in restaurant management means finding people who fit your needs and culture. Here's how to get it right the first time.
The Cost of Hiring Wrong
Every bad hire costs 1.5x their annual salary when you factor in training, lost productivity, and rehiring. In HoReCa where margins are thin, hiring mistakes hurt fast.
Hiring Reality
Replacing a server or line cook costs $3,000-$5,000. Replacing a manager costs $10,000+. Rush hiring to fill gaps often leads to bad choices that cost even more down the line.
Write Honest Job Descriptions
Don't sugarcoat the job. Be upfront about what working at your cafe or restaurant really means. Honest descriptions attract right people and filter out wrong ones:
What to Include in Job Postings
Be Real
Better to scare off wrong candidates early than waste time interviewing people who'll quit after first shift. Honesty attracts serious applicants who know what they're signing up for.
Where to Find Good Candidates
Post everywhere good people look for jobs in the restaurant business. Don't rely on just one channel:
Your best hires often come from referrals. Current staff know your vibe and only recommend people who'll fit.
Screen for Attitude First
Skills you can teach. Attitude you can't. In HoReCa operations, hire for personality and train for skills:
Green Flag Attitudes
Red Flag Attitudes
Trust Your Gut
If something feels off in the interview, it usually is. Don't ignore red flags just because you're desperate to fill a position. Desperation leads to bad hires.
Conduct Effective Interviews
Ask questions that reveal how people actually work, not rehearsed answers they think you want to hear in restaurant management:
Better Interview Questions
Listen more than you talk. Pay attention to body language, energy level, and how they answer. Enthusiasm can't be faked for long.
Use Working Interviews or Trials
Talking is one thing. Seeing them work is another. Trial shifts reveal who can actually handle the job in your cafe or restaurant:
Trial Shift Process
1Set Clear Expectations
Explain it's a paid trial (2-4 hours). They'll shadow staff, try basic tasks, see if they fit. No pressure, just observation.
2Pick Right Time
Schedule during moderate busy period - not dead slow, not Friday dinner rush. You want realistic view of demands.
3Watch How They Move
Do they hustle or drag? Ask questions or stand around? Help without being asked? These show work ethic.
4Get Team Feedback
Ask staff who worked with them. 'Would you want to work with this person?' Team input matters.
Legal Note
Always pay for trial shifts. Unpaid trials are illegal in most places. 2-4 hours at regular wage is worth it to avoid a bad hire. Check local labor laws.
Check References Properly
Actually call references. Don't skip this step. Ask specific questions that reveal truth about the candidate in HoReCa:
- •Would you hire them again? (If they hesitate, that's your answer)
- •How was their attendance and punctuality? (Patterns repeat)
- •How did they handle rushes and pressure? (Critical for restaurant work)
- •Any issues with attitude or teamwork? (Listen for what they don't say)
- •Why did they leave? (Compare to what candidate told you)
- •On scale 1-10, how would you rate them overall? (Anything below 8 is a concern)
If references don't answer or candidate can't provide any, that's a red flag. Good employees have managers who'll vouch for them.
Look for Specific Skills
Different positions need different abilities. Test for role-specific skills during interview or trial:
Position-Specific Requirements
Hire for Culture Fit
Skills matter. But if someone doesn't match your restaurant culture, they won't last or will poison the team:
Culture Fit Signs
Culture Mismatch
Have candidates meet potential coworkers. Get team input. They'll work together daily - their opinion matters.
Move Fast on Good Candidates
Great restaurant workers get multiple offers. Don't lose them to slow hiring process:
Speed Matters
Top candidates are off the market in 3-5 days. Your hiring process should take 1 week max from application to offer. Any longer and you'll lose good people to faster restaurants.
Set Clear Expectations From Start
Once you hire someone, be crystal clear about what you expect. No surprises on day one in the restaurant business:
First Day Clarity
"We implemented trial shifts and culture fit interviews. Our 90-day retention jumped from 60% to 85%. We're hiring the right people now, not just warm bodies. Turnover costs dropped by half."
Key Takeaway
Hiring right saves money, time, and headaches. Write honest job descriptions, screen for attitude over just skills, use trial shifts, check references, and move fast on good candidates. One great hire is worth ten mediocre ones. Take the time to find the right people.