Preparing for fall's Seasonality

Preparing for seasonality in the restaurant business means anticipating shifts in guest traffic and staffing accordingly. In Florida, where the fall and winter months bring high season with an influx of tourists and snowbirds, restaurants often need to ramp up hiring, extend training, and secure reliable seasonal staff to meet the surge in demand. Conversely, in Northern states, colder weather typically slows foot traffic, prompting operators to scale back hours or labor, streamline menus, and cross-train employees to maximize efficiency during leaner months. The key is forecasting these opposite business cycles in advance, you really need to be forecasting for this NOW. Reviewing a 3-year look-back will help establish a labor baseline of how many new employees to hire or reduce. Building flexible schedules, hiring seasonal staff and maintaining a labor model that adapts to both growth and contraction without compromising service is the key.