A restaurant schedule changes fast: someone updates their availability, a dinner shift opens, or the person covering it needs to swap. ClockOut keeps restaurant employee scheduling, attendance, and approved hours in the same workflow so managers can spend less time reconciling separate tools.
Restaurant scheduling that connects the plan to the punch
A schedule is only useful when employees can see it and managers can compare it with what actually happened. ClockOut combines the weekly schedule with a restaurant time clock, so late arrivals, no-shows, missed breaks, and unapproved overtime can appear in the Exception Inbox for review.
Build repeatable schedules
Start from recurring shift templates for the parts of the week that rarely change. The scheduler detects conflicts and respects the availability and approved PTO already recorded for each employee.
Fill gaps without starting over
Broadcast an open shift when coverage changes. Employees can pick up open work or use the shift-swap workflow, keeping the change in the same schedule managers already use.
Give every employee a practical way to clock in
Employees can clock in from the ClockOut web app with GPS captured on the punch. On Starter and Pro, a shared tablet can run kiosk mode so employees use a four-digit PIN instead of a personal phone. Read more about the GPS time clock or the tablet kiosk setup.
From availability to approved hours
- 01
Add the restaurant team
Add employees, assign roles and locations, or share an invite link so employees can join.
- 02
Collect availability and PTO
Keep weekly availability and approved time off available to the scheduler before shifts are assigned.
- 03
Build and publish the schedule
Reuse recurring templates, resolve conflicts, and publish the week for employees to view.
- 04
Handle open shifts and swaps
Broadcast uncovered shifts and keep employee swaps inside the scheduling workflow.
- 05
Review time and export
Clear attendance exceptions, approve timesheets, and on Pro export payroll-ready CSV files in supported formats.
Which plan fits a restaurant team?
| Free | Starter | Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active employees | Up to 2 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Basic scheduling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recurring schedules | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Open shifts and swaps | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Availability and PTO | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tablet kiosk | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Exception Inbox | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Payroll-ready export formats | Generic CSV | Generic CSV | ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks + CSV |
Free is useful for testing ClockOut with two employees. Starter is $3 per active employee per month and adds the scheduling workflows most restaurant teams need. Pro is $5 per employee per month and adds payroll runs, formatted payroll exports, reporting, and the configurable compliance engine. See the complete pricing page for the current plan details.
Restaurant scheduling and time-clock guides
- Time tracking for small restaurants: setup guide
- ClockOut vs 7shifts for restaurant teams
- Homebase alternatives for restaurants
- What the free time clock includes
Restaurant scheduling software FAQ
Can employees swap restaurant shifts in ClockOut?
Yes. Starter and Pro include open shifts and shift swaps, so coverage changes stay attached to the employee schedule.
Does ClockOut work as a restaurant time clock?
Yes. Employees can clock in from the web app with GPS captured on every punch, or use a shared tablet kiosk with a four-digit PIN on Starter and Pro.
Does ClockOut schedule tables or customer reservations?
No. ClockOut is restaurant employee scheduling software. It manages staff shifts, availability, PTO, time punches, and approved hours, not tables or guest reservations.
How does restaurant payroll export work?
Managers review and approve hours, then export a file for payroll. Pro includes formatted CSV exports for ADP, Gusto, and QuickBooks, plus a generic CSV option.
How much does ClockOut cost for a restaurant?
Free covers up to 2 employees. Starter is $3 per active employee per month, and Pro is $5 per active employee per month. No credit card is required for Free.