How the staffing calculator works
For each open hour, the calculator takes that hour's share of the day's sales (or customers), divides it by what one person is expected to handle, and rounds up to a whole person. The result is never below your minimum staff, so a quiet hour still has a safe floor.
The formulas in plain words
- Expected in an hour = day's total x that hour's percent / 100.
- Exact staff = expected in the hour / target (sales per labor hour, or customers per staff per hour).
- Staff needed = exact staff rounded up, or the minimum if that is higher.
- Labor hours = the sum of staff needed over all open hours (one person for one hour is one labor hour).
- Labor cost = labor hours x average hourly wage. Labor cost % = labor cost / the day's sales x 100.
- Status: good when labor cost % is at or under your target, warn when it is within 3 points over, bad when it is further over.
A worked example
Open 10 hours, $5,000 expected, flat shape, target $100 per labor hour. Each hour is $500, which needs 5 people, so the day is 50 labor hours. At an $18 wage that is $900, or 18 percent of sales.
Shift blocks
The blocks are a starting point. The peak block covers the busiest hours (at least 4 hours), with an opening block before it and a closing block after it. Any leftover stretch shorter than 4 hours is folded into the peak block. Overnight schedules past midnight are not covered here. Wage, break and scheduling rules differ by state; check yours.
Frequently asked questions
How many staff do I need per hour?
Divide the expected sales (or customers) for that hour by what one person can handle, then round up. Never go below the minimum you need to keep the floor safe. For example, $500 of sales in an hour with a target of $100 per labor hour needs 5 people.
What is sales per labor hour?
Sales in an hour divided by the labor hours worked in that hour. If you sell $500 in an hour with 5 people working, sales per labor hour is $100. It is a simple way to compare hours and days.
How do I pick a target?
Start from your own history: look at a few days you felt well staffed and divide their sales by their labor hours. Many operators aim for a steady figure like that and adjust for their service style and wages. Try a few values here and watch the labor cost percentage.
How do I handle a rush?
Choose a peak shape such as lunch or evening, or type your own percentages from past busy days. The table rounds staff up in the busy hours, and the shift blocks give the peak its own block so extra people come in just for it.
How do I turn hours into shifts?
Cover the busiest stretch with a peak block, then fill the time before and after it. This page makes three blocks, each at least 4 hours, because very short shifts are hard to fill. Edit the blocks to fit your people and local rules.
How often should I revisit the plan?
Re-check it whenever sales, hours or wages change, and after any unusually slow or busy week. Compare the plan with what actually happened and adjust your hourly shape and target.