Your hybrid restaurant-delivery operation can increase revenue by 40% while keeping labor costs under control through smart scheduling. Different peak times and service requirements mean you'll need to forecast delivery surges, assign specialized roles, and balance both dining room guests and delivery orders. The key lies in understanding overlap periods and deploying flexible staffing strategies.
Understand the different peak times
Restaurant and delivery often have different peak hours. Restaurants typically run between 18:00-21:00, while delivery can start at 17:00 and run until 22:30. This means you have overlap, but also unique moments.
💡 Example peak pattern:
- 17:00-18:00: Delivery only (20 orders)
- 18:00-20:00: Restaurant + delivery (40 covers + 35 orders)
- 20:00-21:30: Mostly restaurant (50 covers + 15 orders)
- 21:30-22:30: Delivery only (25 orders)
Divide tasks and responsibilities
Not everyone needs to do everything. Create clear roles per shift and train your team specifically for their tasks. This prevents chaos during peak hours.
- Restaurant kitchen: Focus on presentation, timing for tables
- Delivery kitchen: Focus on speed, packaging, keeping food warm
- Restaurant service: Host/hostess, table service
- Delivery coordinator: Check platforms, distribute orders, pack
Plan your staffing per time slot
Calculate how much staff you need per hour. For restaurants, typically 1 chef per 15-20 covers per hour. For delivery it's 1 chef per 25-30 orders per hour, depending on your menu. After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've found these ratios hold true across most concepts.
💡 Example calculation 19:00 hours:
- Restaurant: 30 covers expected = 2 chefs
- Delivery: 40 orders expected = 2 chefs
- Overlap possible: 1 chef can do both = 3 chefs total
- Service: 30 covers = 2 service staff + 1 delivery coordinator
Use flexible contracts smartly
On-call staff and part-time contracts give you flexibility for varying busy periods. Schedule your permanent staff during guaranteed peak hours and supplement with flexible staff.
⚠️ Note:
On-call staff must receive a minimum of 3 hours per call according to the collective labor agreement. So don't plan for just 1-2 hours of extra help.
Monitor and adjust based on data
Keep track of how many orders and covers you actually have per time slot. Platforms like Thuisbezorgd give you historical data. Use this to optimize your schedule weekly.
- Check your delivery data from last week same day
- Compare restaurant reservations with walk-ins
- Watch for seasonal patterns (more terrace in summer, more delivery in winter)
- Adjust your schedule after holidays or events nearby
Calculate costs per service
Restaurant and delivery have different profit margins. Delivery has platform fees (15-30%) but less service staff. Restaurant has higher labor costs but better margins. Make sure your schedule reflects this.
💡 Cost example per €1000 revenue:
- Restaurant: €280 staff (28%)
- Delivery: €200 staff + €200 platform = €400 (40%)
- Hybrid hour: €320 staff for both services
How do you create a hybrid staff schedule? (step by step)
Analyze your historical data
Collect data from the past 4 weeks: number of covers per hour, number of delivery orders per hour, and which days/times are busiest. This becomes your planning foundation.
Calculate your minimum staffing
Determine how much staff you need at minimum: 1 chef per 15-20 restaurant covers, 1 chef per 25-30 delivery orders, plus service and delivery coordinator during overlapping hours.
Create a flexible base schedule
Schedule your permanent staff during guaranteed peak hours (18:00-21:00). Add on-call staff for uncertain time slots like early delivery (17:00-18:00) and late delivery (21:30-22:30).
Test and optimize weekly
Monitor your actual busy periods versus planned staffing. Adjust your schedule based on new data and seasonal patterns. Keep track of labor costs per service to monitor profitability.
✨ Pro tip
Block your most experienced cooks for the 18:30-20:30 window when both services peak simultaneously. Having skilled hands during this 2-hour crunch prevents quality drops and keeps ticket times under 12 minutes.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I use the same kitchen staff for restaurant and delivery?
Yes, but train them specifically. Restaurant chefs focus on presentation and timing, delivery chefs on speed and proper packaging. During quiet hours one chef can do both.
How much extra staff does a delivery service cost?
At least 1 extra person as delivery coordinator during peak hours. In the kitchen you can often use the same chefs, but expect 20-30% more hours due to longer opening times.
How do I forecast delivery peaks if I'm just starting?
Start with general patterns: weekdays 17:00-22:00, weekends 16:00-23:00. Check your platform data after 2-3 weeks and adjust. Bad weather usually means more delivery orders.
What if restaurant and delivery get in each other's way?
Create clear workstations: separate pick-up spot for delivery, separate packing station. Train your team on priorities: restaurant guests first, unless delivery order has been waiting too long.
Are labor costs higher with a hybrid model?
Often yes, due to longer opening hours and extra coordination. But delivery compensates with extra revenue. Keep track of your labor percentage per service to monitor this.
Should I hire dedicated delivery-only staff or cross-train everyone?
Cross-training works better for smaller operations under 100 daily orders. Above that volume, consider dedicated delivery staff during peak hours. Cross-trained staff provides more scheduling flexibility during slower periods.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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