As the peak season approaches, restaurateurs must adopt best practices to recruit and retain their staff.
The end of year race is often synonymous with high attendance for French restaurateurs. This period, crucial for the turnoverputs a strain on teams and a lack of staff can quickly turn into a major obstacle to growth. While the labor shortage remains a constant concern, how can restaurateurs prepare for this increase in activity, by attracting and retaining the best talent?
The challenge of recruitment in French catering: a quantified reality
The catering sector in France is in constant tension on the job market. According to one study led by the UMIH (Union of Hotel Trades and Industries) and the Groupement National des Chaînes (GNC) in 2024, 200,000 jobs are to be filled in the catering sector, which constitutes a major obstacle to the development of the sector.
For peak periods, such as summer or the holiday season, these figures worsen, with increased demand for fixed-term contracts and a need forintegration fast. A France Travail survey reveals that more than 300,000 hiring projects are planned for the whole of 2026 in France, more than half of which (56%) concern seasonal workers. This data highlights the urgency for restaurateurs to rethink their marketing strategies. recruitment and loyalty.
The art of anticipation: planning and diversifying recruitment sources
The key to success during peak season is anticipation. Waiting until the last moment to recruit means finding yourself in competition with a multitude of establishments and having to make concessions on the quality of the profiles.
The most savvy restaurateurs begin planning their staffing needs at least 3 to 4 months in advance. Thanks to technological solutions such as personnel planning software like Skello integrated with cash register software, it is now easier to predict peaks of activity, model schedules and avoid understaffing. This reduces stress related to unforeseen events and allows the right resources to be allocated at the right time.
THE social networks professionals, such as LinkedIn, have become essential tools. It is not uncommon to see restaurants launch recruitment campaigns on Instagramtargeting young people and students.
Likewise, specialized platforms like Extracadabra or Brigad make it possible to find qualified extras in a few clicks to meet occasional needs, allowing French restaurateurs to use “on-demand” recruitment solutions for their periods of rush.
In addition, organizing open days or “job dating” within the establishment itself is an excellent practice. This allows candidates to discover the work environment, meet their potential future colleagues and get a concrete idea of the atmosphere. Word of mouth also remains a powerful lever: encouraging existing staff to recommend new talent can be rewarded with bonuses.profit-sharingan increasingly common practice in French establishments.
Make the job offer attractive: beyond the salary
In a context of shortage, candidates are no longer satisfied with a simple competitive salary. They are looking for recognition, good working conditions and quality of life.
Restaurateurs who succeed in attracting and retaining their staff during the high season have understood that it is necessary to act on several levers. First of all, the remuneration must be fair, but it can be supplemented by target bonuses or tips shared equitably.
Working hours are also a major point of friction, with work on breaks, evenings, weekends and public holidays. However, restaurateurs can offer more flexible schedules: consecutive days off, flexible schedules for students, or continuous schedules for certain teams, thus reducing travel time and staff stress. Here again, personnel planning software coupled with cash register software facilitates the implementation of more flexible schedules, visible in real time to teams, thus reducing friction and misunderstandings.
Finally, the working environment must be pleasant. This requires good management, mutual assistance between colleagues, but also the provision of high-performance equipment and suitable premises. Investing in modern equipment, such as all-in-one checkout solutions, order management software or reservation management solutions, helps streamline work and reduce the mental burden on staff.
Building team loyalty: investing in human capital
Recruiting is one thing, but retaining is even more so. Turnover costs companies dearly, in time and money, particularly in training new arrivals. This is why French restaurateurs, aware of this issue, are focusing more and more on training, recognition and prospects for advancement.
Continuing training is a powerful lever for loyalty. A waiter trained in sommellerie or a commis who learns new cooking techniques feels valued and gains skills. Setting up mentoring programs, where more experienced employees mentor newer ones, also helps create a sense of belonging and strengthen team cohesion. Here again, technology plays a key role. An intelligent cash register system offers a clear vision of individual and collective performance, making it possible to promote the best elements and identify training needs.
Recognition is also a key element. Good communication, constructive feedback and moments of conviviality, such as team meals or end-of-season evenings, help to create a climate of trust and well-being. For example, setting up a “challenge of the week” for servers, with a prize for the best seller or the one who received the most compliments from customers, can boost team engagement.
Finally, offering prospects for development, even for seasonal contracts, is a major asset. Asking an employee to come back the following year, or even offering them a permanent contract, shows them that their work is appreciated and that they have a future within the establishment. For young people in particular, this can be the springboard for a career in the sector.
People at the heart of performance
The high season is a demanding period, but it is also an opportunity for restaurateurs to demonstrate their ability to innovate and enhance their human capital.
In a tight job market, the establishments that stand out are not those that pay the best, but those that offer a respectful working environment, prospects for advancement and caring management.
The recruitment and retention strategy for busy periods must be approached globally, integrating anticipation, the diversification of recruitment channels, the attractiveness of the offer and investment in the well-being of the teams. Modern cash register software is not limited to cashing customers: it becomes a central management tool, facilitating planning, performance monitoring and fluidity of exchanges.
The result? Teams that are calmer, better organized, and therefore more inclined to stay for the long term.
