HotSchedules Reviews

Pros

Having a restaurant job means cheotic schedule. It's never the same. Impossible to keep up with and memorize. My last job had hot schedules but my new job doesn't:/ it's a nightmare without it. I miss it so much. It is so convenient to pick up and realise shifts whenever I please. No need to call or txt my co workers. Everything is done thru the app. App is not free but cheap and worth every single penny. I love that I can request days off and my ability. Super convenient. You have to wait for manager to approve or not of your request. I can see who my co workers will be for the shift. I can see all phone numbers and emails of my co workers. Every restaurant should have this app. It's very easy as well so even my 70 year old co worker knows how to use it. Very well done .

Cons

Sometimes I get loged out and have trouble logging back in. It froze few times. Could use more color and some fun options like emoji me lol make work schedule more fun

Pros

RELIABILITY!!!It never goes down, support is always helpfulBest scheduler features in the gameTemplates for quick entry are great weekly startersColor coding makes my life so much easierTransparency, every stroke documented

Cons

Takes getting used to and learning as it is complex software but get hot keys down and you've got it! Make sure you have a fairly beastly computer...it's a lot of real time processing.

Pros

Requests off, availability, blackout dates, staff communication sections. The app works great for everyone.

Cons

No ease of use when making the schedule - autocorrecting number entries constantly, schedule templates aren't what I need, schedule report is difficult to read.

Pros

I come from working in restaurants in late 90s & 2000s, so this app is a dream come true! It’s so awesome to be able to view schedule, swap shifts, & send messages to staff all in one place!

Cons

I dislike not being able to request off past a certain point (less than 3wks before the shift, I think?). But that’s likely a restaurant decision vs the app.

Pros

hot schedules is used by all restaurant jobs i have had and is extremely easy to use and navigate. switching shifts or putting in for time off is very easy, and messages can be sent to management directly from the app which is extremely helpful!

Cons

while the messaging is extremely helpful it sometimes will not send notifications when one is received, however you can find alternate contact info within the app so they can still be contacted outside of the app if necessary!

Pros

What I liked most about hot schedules is always being organized and being able to see my schedule ahead of time, eliminating the need to write it down or call/go in person to see when I was working next.

Cons

What I liked least is that not enough companies are using it! It’s a great platform, so I have nothing negative to say.

Pros

Great for scheduling and staff communication. Makes handling a large staff easy. Logbook is great for communication on all issues with mangers and staff, even starting to use it to track our hr.

Cons

Want to see the inventory system improve as well as better ease of use across multiple venues other than that continue to grow and develop

Pros

Being able to see when you work, the ability to request time off, the ability to message coworkers/managers, switching shifts with someone else is awesome to me too. It's a very simplistic layout too, very easy to navigate the website/app.

Cons

I wish that the app didn't have a paywall behind it. That's the only complaint I have.

Pros

It makes getting your schedule out to all of your staff so much easier. I've written schedules and posted on a wall, I've texted screen captures to everyone individually, I've created email groups and submitted to everyone and this is much more simple. You can also track sales and it helps estimate labor against your predicted sales for the day and the week. But the very best part is that the staff can manage all of their shift trades via HotSchedules. No more calling, forgetting to tell the manager, or having neither shift member show and then denying that they knew they were working the shift.

Cons

Honestly, just that it's a program that costs money. If you have a small staff it's not worth the investment potentially. But a staff of greater than 20, particularly in the retail or restaurant world, it's a burden lifted.

Pros

I like that i can copy and paste schedules from week to week

Cons

I did not like how difficult it was to take old employees off the store roster

Alternatives Considered

Pros

The logbook feature, the advanced floor maps (which are an additional cost..), and the messaging feature.

Cons

Again the scheduling software is not very user friendly. Clearly there were some adjustments made that helped with writing a schedule, but not being able to view it as easily is frustrating.

Pros

Hotschedules is simple, I simply log onto the app and view what I need to look at! For me this is all I need. A great majority of apps will make you jump through irritating loops just to see a schedule or request time off Hotschedules doesn't. Please, if you are a manager who does any type of scheduling for a small or big business. I recommend Hotschedules you will not be disappointed!

Cons

Sense I've been using Ho schedules my only complaint has is being signed out randomly. I think that is due too having an apple iPhone. I'm not sure if android or other devices have the same issues.

Pros

This software is extremely user friendly. I love that my staff is able to put all of their availability changes, requests for time off and switch shifts through the software. It makes it extremely easy to create the schedule each week. Tracking of overtime is a huge help as a manager as well. This is a must have tool for anyone in the hospitality industry. It will save your scheduling sanity!

Cons

The only downside to this software is the cost for the app. While it is minimal and you can still log in for free through any web browser, a free app would be ideal for the hourly employees. I honestly have no other bad things to say about this software. I highly recommend it!

Pros

The mobile app is very user friendly, with it being easy to navigate for all individuals that are tech savvy AND those who are not. The quick access of information, ability to contact employees, and daily use in operations allow for high volume and fast paced environments to continue to be productive without the day being hindered in time and productivity.

Cons

The updates on occasion can result in removal of features that can sometimes be very helpful after being regularly used. Would like to see a communication piece from Hotschedules asking about latest updates and whether they are well liked by users.

Pros

Hot schedules makes scheduling different departments and coordinating everybody extremely easy. The platforms are easy to understand and can be accessed by anyone given authority to use the system.

Cons

The system allows for people to request for time off and to make comments. One of the only downsides of this product was that employees talked last to management about scheduling and tried to do literally all of it through hot schedules which sometimes lead to some conflict Over all hot schedules is a solid platform that is definitely beneficial to a smooth running operation as far as scheduling and management communication goes

Pros

HotSchedules allows employees to trade shifts, pick up shifts, and see their schedules very easily. It makes managing personnel and schedules so much easier for managers, and it's great for the team to have added flexibility. Without HotSchedules, trading shifts can be a nightmare for both employee and manager alike.

Cons

The only con we've seen is that HotSchedules has built-in rejections for some requests. In theory, this is a great tool - if you don't meet the criteria to make the request, then it's automatically rejected. However, there are some manual workarounds, which means employees still make requests to the manager rather than via HotSchedules since they know there can be adjustments made. This really isn't a complaint of HotSchedules since it works as it's supposed to, but just a head's up that there will still be manual adjustments.

Pros

I like that you can see your schedule for the week laid out in one spreadsheet. I also like that it gives you the option to do group messages with all of your coworkers and swap shifts if needed. This software offers a lot for your work scheduling and helps you stay organized and be flexible when you need to be.

Cons

I do not like that you have to pay for the app. I also do not like how hard it is to find someone's contact on the app and then be able to copy something like an email address or phone number. I wish HotSchedules also had a better notifications system in place.

Pros

I liked how much easier it made my job. No longer was I receiving phones calls from employees wanting to switch shifts and then having the other employee call and verify that they were picking up the shift. The request was made online and all I had to do was approve. It also helped greatly with accountability since it recorded who was working what shift and when.

Cons

It wasn't an easy program to learn how to use. I struggled with learning all of its functionalities which made schedule writing very stressful until I figured it out.

Pros

I enjoy using HotSchedules from both an employee and a management perspective. As an employee, the app makes it super easy to double-check my schedule or swap a shift with a coworker. As a manager, logging in from my computer and using "scheduling" truly makes the world of a difference when it comes to writing schedules. It helps me keep track of employee availability, requests off, and labor costs. I also enjoy the "logbook", as communication is key for my team!

Cons

I wish there was a way to use one username and be able to view multiple restaurants under one user. I sometimes have more than one job at a time and they typically all use HotSchedules. It would just be convenient to log in under me and be able to view all of my schedules, messages, etc. without having to remember multiple usernames/passwords and log in and out repeatedly.

Pros

easy to use, keeps your organized, accessible from anywhere

Cons

the new scheduler takes longer to enter, and they took away the option to hover over a request off and see the reason and date requested. please bring back!

Pros

Software makes scheduling easy for me and for my staff. Staff can request off time which managers have to approve. Our rep was able to customize some things for us, which is great! We spent a LOT of time trying to customize things for how we operated.

Cons

Pricey, for what you get. Staff have the option to "Request time off" and "Request unpaid time off"...one sends me a notification, one does not. Not sure why?

Pros

I had to have this software when I worked at a restaurant. It was pretty simple and easy to use. Once the manager had posted the schedule, you could see who was working and what shift it was. If there was an open shift, you could grab it and see if it would get approved. You could also switch shifts with someone, if the managers approved it. Message came in and were easy to read.

Cons

I did not really have any issues with this software. I had to have it and it worked fine with my phone. I was a bit mad that I had to pay for it, but I understood why.

Pros

Online scheduling is a must for an operation of our size. The HotSchedules messaging makes communicating clearly to large groups of employees consistent. The reporting and data is a must. We use HotSchedules multiple times a day.

Cons

Some of the updates/when the software times out can get frustrating but I understand that they are necessary to make improvements.

Pros

Ability to not only schedule/message in-house full time staff, but keep a running log of single event staffing as well. As a catering company you have many bodies you must manage, especially when an individual only works one event for you and that's it. With HotSchedules we're able to tabulate this into our weekly labor costs and it gives the functionality to forecast.

Cons

It's sometimes very complicated to use. You don't always know where to go for what you need and the customer service can be a little tricky to navigate- you don't always hear back from them or they're tough to reach. That being said when you do get a human- they're very knowledgeable and can help you out 100%.

Pros

I like the functionality of the software

Cons

I am so disappointed in the customer care. hotschedules continues to charge me after I request to suspend services. I have contacted them 8 times over this and my account was drafted numerous times after cancelation. Everyone I speak to says they do not have the authority or ability to refund me or suspend or cancel my account.