HotSchedules

4.4 (455)
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Overall rating

4.4 /5
(455)
Value for Money
4.1/5
Features
4.3/5
Ease of Use
4.3/5
Customer Support Software
4.2/5

88%
recommended this app
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455 Reviews

Michael
Michael
Overall rating
  • Industry: Food & Beverages
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

So awesome!!

Reviewed on 2018-11-11

Overall experience is amazing! This company does amazing work!

Overall experience is amazing! This company does amazing work!

Pros

Love Hotschedules!! They are amazing at what they do and make my life so easy when it comes to scheduling my staff and letting them switch and pick up work shifts. This is definitely something that employers with many employees need to use to make their schedule!

Cons

Non at all. This software does exactly what it says and it is amazing!

Michael
Michael
Overall rating
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

Good software, they are continually developing and improving. Definitely great for scheduling

Reviewed on 2018-01-25

Allowed me to spend less time scheduling and communicating with staff. More organization on notes...

Allowed me to spend less time scheduling and communicating with staff. More organization on notes and employee files

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

Alainna
Alainna
Overall rating
  • Industry: Education Management
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 7.0 /10

HotSchedules eliminates any excuse for missing shifts!

Reviewed on 2019-03-26

HotSchedules is the only scheduling software I've seen that meets the needs of the many workplaces...

HotSchedules is the only scheduling software I've seen that meets the needs of the many workplaces I've been a part of!

Pros

I have found that HotSchedules solves the ever-present problem in any workplace: "I didn't know I was scheduled!" Even when employees swap shifts or take another employee's shift, the software shows them that they maintain ownership of their originally assigned shifts until manager approval.

Cons

The fact that users have to pay to download the app on their smartphones is challenging. Although the workplace pays for the software, employees have to pay to get the software on their cellphones. This problem is compounded by the fact that the website doesn't have a very interactive design, much unlike the app, so employees often have to get the app to have a decent experience using HotSchedules.

Response from Fourth

Thank you for the review Alainna, really appreciate you taking the time. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Customer Care with any questions or issues you may have down the road.

Ayaz
Ayaz
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Company size: 5,001–10,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

One of best Scheduling Systems on the Market

Reviewed on 2018-10-25

Worked with it for several years. They are constantly evolving to meet the industry needs. Love the...

Worked with it for several years. They are constantly evolving to meet the industry needs. Love the fact that I do not have to have several calls just to approve a shift change. It's all done on line and just a click away. A real time saver.

Pros

The variety of options available and the ease of multiple users accessibility. Also very user friendly for the staff.

Cons

A bit complicated for entry level managers

Sarah
Sarah
Overall rating
  • Industry: Hospitality
  • Company size: 10,000+ Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

HotSchedules is great for those in hospitality!

Reviewed on 2019-03-22

I have used HotSchedules while working for Red Lobster for 3 years, it has made my life so much...

I have used HotSchedules while working for Red Lobster for 3 years, it has made my life so much easier!

Pros

This product easily allows me to pick up or post shifts for work so that other employees can pick up, release, or trade shifts.

Cons

The only thing that is a little tricky with this software, is setting up availability requests/schedules.

Bethany
Bethany
Overall rating
  • Industry: Hospital & Health Care
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

Easy to use scheduling app

Reviewed on 2018-07-27

Pros

This app allows you to easily see your schedule, communicate with staff, and request time off. You can see who else is working as well which is good.

Cons

The notifications can be obnoxious and frequent whenever there is a change. Overall it was a good program

Grayson
Grayson
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Used Weekly for 6-12 months
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

The more staff you have, the more you need HotSchedules.

Reviewed on 2018-07-24

Less time spent managing staffing concerns and more time managing staff.

Less time spent managing staffing concerns and more time managing staff.

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.

MARY
MARY
Overall rating
  • Industry: Defense & Space
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 6.0 /10

A great scheduling program needs to be free

Reviewed on 2019-03-22

Pros

I like this because it was easy to communicate the schedule through all of the employees

Cons

I didn't like that you had to pay for it should be a free program because the people using HotSchedules are mostly waitresses and Cooks

Amber
Amber
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

HotSchedules

Reviewed on 2018-08-16

Pros

This program was super easy to use and I enjoyed the level of communication

Cons

The only thing that was no fun was when I would be half way though a schedule and something would go wrong and I would loose my work

Jeff
Jeff
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

Good program.

Reviewed on 2018-06-15

Easy access to schedules and daily notes. The forecasting is amazing with everything it considers.

Easy access to schedules and daily notes. The forecasting is amazing with everything it considers.

Pros

Easy use for employees, the web page navigation on a cell phone works well. The app is definitely a plus.

Cons

Negation is hard to understand for upper management. Would like to be able to add daily notes on the schedule for events happening that day for the employees.

Greg
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

This software is easy to use and a great way to communicate.

Reviewed on 2017-08-08

The largest benefit was time management. I have a lot more time to do other things that improve...

The largest benefit was time management. I have a lot more time to do other things that improve our guest's experience, which is the bottom line of my job.

Pros

The communication side of it is great. I have less meetings now that I can send out mass messages. The scheduler itself is top notch. I can move shifts around quickly using the quick keys and copying schedules is a snap. Having the freedom to do my schedule anywhere and being able to approve or deny schedule changes from my phone makes those decisions more informed. We use it to document all incidents good and bad on employees, so when an evaluation comes around you have all that information at your fingertips. It makes a great reservation scheduler. The roster report is the first thing I print out in the mornings to make sure everyone is here and where they are supposed to be and if they are not I have all the phone numbers on that sheet. The fact that it gives you the number of hours for everyone helps with creating budgets for the week.

Cons

My biggest complaint is that part of the expense for the is put on the employee. I know it's very little but some employees don't have a bank account or credit card and have trouble making the purchase. It seems to me that the revenue generated by that could be built into the cost of the software on the employer side.

Darius
Overall rating
  • Industry: Food Production
  • Company size: 201–500 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

The Best App In Its Category

Reviewed on 2022-04-24

I enjoy using Hotschedules, its very beneficial especially to businesses with with more than a...

I enjoy using Hotschedules, its very beneficial especially to businesses with with more than a couple employees.

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.

Katherine
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Company size: 201–500 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 5.0 /10

Hotschedules for restaurants

Reviewed on 2022-07-21

Great software. Not sure about the business model, we eventually paid more for a different software...

Great software. Not sure about the business model, we eventually paid more for a different software that has better customer service for issues.

Pros

Hotschedules was our go-to scheduling software for years in multiple restaurants, even as many more options came on the market. It was easy to use as a manager/scheduler & also for our staff

Cons

Hotschedules customer service was not quick to address issues but The price kept going up even as fixes weren’t betting put in place.

Alternatives Considered

7shifts

Reasons for Switching to HotSchedules

I didn’t
Rachel
Overall rating
  • Industry: Food & Beverages
  • Company size: 201–500 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

The Ease of Hotschedules

Reviewed on 2021-06-15

Overall has been a wonderful scheduling format for a large staff. It is used every day, regularly,...

Overall has been a wonderful scheduling format for a large staff. It is used every day, regularly, by all staff members from executive to employee. Would recommend to any business owner, as it saves time with many different features provided.

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.

Anastasia
Overall rating
  • Industry: Food & Beverages
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Best restaurant scheduling software HANDS DOWN

Reviewed on 2022-07-01

Pros

I loved this ease of hot schedules compared to other software. Much better ease-of-use and staff LOVES IT. Swapping shifts, requesting off, and keeping track of shifts is streamlined!

Cons

I LOVE hotschedules. It is the preferred software for restaurant scheduling! No drawbacks!

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Industry: Design
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Daily for 6-12 months
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Very convenient tool

Reviewed on 2019-03-06

Overall, our business couldn't function without HotSchedules. It makes scheduling easy for managers...

Overall, our business couldn't function without HotSchedules. It makes scheduling easy for managers and provides vital flexibility for employees. It might be overkill for small teams, but if you frequently schedule several people for many shifts each week, it's well worth the cost.

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.

Jeanne
Overall rating
  • Industry: Hospitality
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Easy to use

Reviewed on 2017-01-31

I am not quick to learn anything regarding computer programs, but hotschedules is very easy to use....

I am not quick to learn anything regarding computer programs, but hotschedules is very easy to use. Makes putting your schedule together stress free. At times website itself has issues that can be frustrating.

Pros

Makes schedule making quick.

Cons

The website goes down or kicks you off for extended periods of time. I will say this happens less frequently than it used to. I have used hotschedules for almost six years.

Response from Fourth

Jeanne,

Thank you for taking time out of your day to provide feedback for us, we really appreciate it! We are happy to help make your business more efficient. We apologize for the complications you've been experiencing with our site at times, we have have a status page that shows when we have brief latency issues that might be of use. Thank you for being a part of our community for so long!

https://status.hotschedules.com/

Alden
Overall rating
  • Industry: Food & Beverages
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 0.0 /10

Not worth it

Reviewed on 2020-12-07

Pros

It was clunky and difficult to use. Did not work for mamy staff members

Cons

It waant intuitive to use. Felt that i needed a special certification just to get started.

Alternatives Considered

ClockShark

Reasons for Choosing HotSchedules

[SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] choice

Switched From

Humanity

Reasons for Switching to HotSchedules

[SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] choice
Anthony
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

Hotschedules Implimentation

Reviewed on 2017-02-04

I recently signed up for hotschedules for my business that opens up in March. The support staff...

I recently signed up for hotschedules for my business that opens up in March. The support staff was great and very knowledgable in questions I had for hotschedules.

Pros

I love that this software is more comman than it use to be. Most employees hired have heard or used hotschedules which makes the transition alot easier. Communication threw hotschedules makes this program a must for any business that has a decent sized staff

Cons

Software is great however it is a little pricey for what it does. Dont get me wrong its great but just a hair high

Response from Fourth

Anthony,

We know you're very busy, so thank you for taking time out of your day to provide us feedback. We appreciate your role in our community.

If you have any specific suggestions for product enhancements, please do not hesitate to voice your thoughts on our community forum page!

https://help.hotschedules.com/hc/en-us/community/topics/200388757-Feature-Requests

Happy Scheduling!

Carrie
Overall rating
  • Industry: Hospitality
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

HotSchedules

Reviewed on 2019-06-06

I would recommend Hot Schedules to any employer that has a lot of employees they are writing...

I would recommend Hot Schedules to any employer that has a lot of employees they are writing schedules for.

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.

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Industry: Entertainment
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

Very convenient

Reviewed on 2018-10-28

I really like HotSchedules because it’s so convenient. The program is fairly easy to use but could...

I really like HotSchedules because it’s so convenient. The program is fairly easy to use but could use improvements like more schedule layout options.

Pros

HotSchedules is very convenient to use for the business and employees. I love that I can message everyone as a group, a specific job title, or individuals. I love that the employees can view their schedule in real time from anywhere.

Cons

HotSchedules is time consuming to use. The functionality of the scheduling area could be improved to save time. When it comes to syncing employees with our Micros system it takes too much time and has gotten “hung up” multiple times. Customer service gives great direction but takes too long to get an answer. The layout of the roster is hard to read and offering different layout options would be a huge improvement.

Lisa
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Easy, a word usually not used in the Restaurant Biz.

Reviewed on 2017-02-11

I have been using Hot Schedules for several years now, and I have to say it always pleases! In the...

I have been using Hot Schedules for several years now, and I have to say it always pleases! In the service industry, the word "easy" is not usually thrown around. As a FOH manager, and a former FOH staff member Hot Schedules has always been super easy to use and super helpful! Also, implementing it into the restaurant was quick, easy, and the most affordable. The Hot Schedules team is always around to provide great customer service as well! If you are in the market for a new scheduling, labor tracking, (among many other things) service. I would for sure go with Hot Schedules!

Response from Fourth

Lisa,

Thank you so much for the great review! We love to serve those who serve and are happy to help your business run more efficiently. Thank you for being a part of our community.

Happy Scheduling!

Mike
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Great service

Reviewed on 2017-02-03

Hot Schedules has been a great tool for our managers and staff. It's easy to use, customer service...

Hot Schedules has been a great tool for our managers and staff. It's easy to use, customer service has been great to deal with.

Pros

We like to reports it's nice to get a good picture of our overhead.

Cons

The latest updates to building a schedule are a bit confusing.

Response from Fourth

Mike,

We know you're very busy, so thank you for taking time out of your day to provide us feedback. We love to serve those who serve and are happy to help your business run more efficiently.

If you have any specific suggestions for product enhancements, please do not hesitate to voice your thoughts on our community forum page!

https://help.hotschedules.com/hc/en-us/community/topics/200388757-Feature-Requests

Happy Scheduling!

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Industry: Restaurants
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Hot for HotSchedules

Reviewed on 2019-04-04

I love HotSchedules as a server, this app is a dream. I am able to see how many people are...

I love HotSchedules as a server, this app is a dream. I am able to see how many people are scheduled ahead of work, who I'm working with, what section or what my in and out times are and have a clear idea of my responsibilities going into work. I am also able to negotiate shift swaps and adjusting my schedule within the app with coworkers that makes it easy to find coverage or pick up some extra work!

Pros

HotSchedules is a user friendly interface that makes scheduling, adjusting schedules, swapping shifts, or viewing staff rosters, sending messages with coworkers incredibly accessible and easy to use.

Cons

No cons, this app is a dream for people with a dynamic and hectic schedule and good management running the app for their staff.

Response from Fourth

Thank you for the great review - we really appreciate it.

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support Software
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

This program was easy to learn and very user friendly.

Reviewed on 2018-01-18

The benefits that I get from this software are being able to put out a schedule in real time and...

The benefits that I get from this software are being able to put out a schedule in real time and get it to my employees in an effective way. It also benefits my employees because they are able to use it and make changes to their schedule if needed. The alerts are great!

Pros

What I like most about this software is that you can send your employees messages and post schedules that will go directly to their e-mail and/or text.

Cons

What I like least about this software is that it sometimes will glitch when I'm in the middle of a schedule and then I will have to go back and redo the entire thing.