On the coast, the season doesn’t wait. The venues that sail through July are the ones that started building their crew back in March – long before the first busy weekend forced the issue.
Every summer we watch the same pattern: kitchens that were fine in spring suddenly can’t cover a Saturday double, and management spends the whole shift on the phone instead of on the floor. The fix is almost never last-minute recruiting. It’s planning.
Build the pool before you need it
Line up more people than you think you need, early, and keep them warm with a few shifts through the shoulder season. A cook who already knows your pass in May is worth three strangers in July.
- Map your peak weeks and count the exact roles each one needs.
- Recruit to that number by spring, not when the gap opens.
- Give new hires real shifts early so they’re ready, not learning.
Protect the core team
Flexible cover only works if your permanent crew is steady. Publish the rota further ahead, keep shifts fair, and the people who hold your service together will still be there in August.
Do this and the summer stops being a scramble. You end every shift fully staffed – and management gets to run the business instead of filling gaps.