Guides
Straight answers for people who run pubs, restaurants and cafés.
Rotas, working-time rules, temperatures, allergens, EHO visits and the everyday jobs that keep a venue running. Written by the ShiftComplete team, checked against gov.uk and the Food Standards Agency.
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Calculators and printable sheets you can use today, no sign-up needed.
Free toolsFridge temperature log sheet: free and printableFree printable fridge and freezer temperature log sheet for pubs, restaurants and cafés. Print it, pin it up, or log temps on your phone instead.Free toolsHoliday entitlement calculator for hospitality staffFree UK holiday calculator for pubs, restaurants and cafés: work out statutory holiday for fixed-day staff, and 12.07% accrual for irregular-hours staff.Free toolsLabour cost calculator for pubs, restaurants and cafésFree labour cost calculator for hospitality. Enter your wages, on-costs and sales to see your labour cost percentage for the week, in seconds.
Rotas & staffing
Writing rotas, working-time rules, holiday pay and keeping labour costs in check.
Rotas & staffingA café staff rota app built for small teamsA cafe staff rota app for small teams: staff add availability on their phones, you get a fair draft rota in seconds. £1.49 per person. Try it free.Rotas & staffingA chef rota app for kitchens that run on split shifts, prep days and too few KPsA chef rota app for head chefs: build the kitchen rota from availability, cover split shifts and prep, and see labour cost live. Free for 60 days, no card.Rotas & staffingA rota app for bars that copes with late closes, match nights and student availabilityA rota app for bars that builds a fair draft rota from staff availability, copes with late closes and match nights, and shows labour cost. Free 60 days.Rotas & staffingA rota app for pubs that does the Sunday-night rota for youA rota app for pubs that builds a fair draft from staff availability, handles split shifts and match days, and shows labour cost. Free for 60 days.Rotas & staffingBakery staff rota: one app for the bakehouse, the shop and the early startsA bakery staff rota app for 4am bakes, shop counters and Saturday juniors. Build a fair rota from availability and see labour cost live. Free for 60 days.Rotas & staffingCoffee shop staff rota: an app for early opens, part-timers and Saturday juniorsA coffee shop staff rota app for 7am opens, students and Saturday juniors. Staff set availability on their phones; you publish in minutes. Free 60 days.Rotas & staffingFree bar staff rota template (with a cover planner and closers built in)Free bar staff rota template: an hourly cover planner, a weekly rota with closers and cellar duty, and an availability sheet. Copy it into Excel or Sheets.Rotas & staffingFree kitchen rota template: sections, split shifts and an hours tracker for your brigadeFree kitchen rota template: section cover by service, a weekly brigade rota with split shifts and a 17-week hours tracker. Copy it into Excel or Sheets.Rotas & staffingFree weekly staff rota template for pubs, restaurants and cafésFree staff rota template for pubs, restaurants and cafés: a copyable weekly table with areas, split shifts, hours and cost, plus how to fill it in right.Rotas & staffingHoliday pay for hospitality staff: entitlement, the 12.07% rule and rolled-up payHoliday pay for hospitality staff explained: 5.6 weeks, the 12.07% method for casual workers, rolled-up holiday pay and the 2026 record-keeping rules.Rotas & staffingHotel staff rota software for reception, housekeeping, kitchen and barHotel staff rota software that puts reception, housekeeping, kitchen and restaurant on one rota, plans for weddings and events, and shows labour cost.Rotas & staffingHow much notice do you have to give for a rota in the UK?How much notice for a rota UK: what the law says today, good practice for hospitality, and the notice and cancellation pay rules planned for 2027.Rotas & staffingHow to write a pub rota (without it eating your Sunday night)How to write a pub rota that covers busy nights without overspending: trading patterns, availability, key holders, rest rules and a checklist to finish.Rotas & staffingLabour cost percentage for pubs and restaurants: how to calculate and control itHow to work out labour cost percentage for a restaurant or pub, what to include (NI, pension, holiday pay), sensible targets and how the rota controls it.Rotas & staffingManaging staff sickness in hospitality: SSP, return to work and the 48-hour ruleManaging staff sickness in hospitality: day-one SSP since April 2026, fit notes, return-to-work chats and the 48-hour rule for food handlers.Rotas & staffingMinimum wage from April 2026: what hospitality employers need to payMinimum wage April 2026 for hospitality: £12.71 at 21+, £10.85 at 18-20, £8.00 under 18 and apprentices, plus the uniform, tips and accommodation traps.Rotas & staffingNightclub staff rota: bar, door, glass collectors and cloakroom, built around the nightA nightclub staff rota app for bar, door, floor and cloakroom teams. Rota by event night, handle 3am finishes and see labour cost. Free 60 days, no card.Rotas & staffingRestaurant staff rota software for kitchen and front of houseRestaurant staff rota software that puts kitchen and front of house on one rota, handles lunch and dinner splits, and shows labour cost. Try it free.Rotas & staffingSplit shifts in hospitality: the rules, the pay and how to rota them fairlySplit shifts in hospitality explained: what counts, the rest break and 11-hour rules, whether the gap is paid, and how to rota split shifts fairly.Rotas & staffingSports club bar staff rota: a simple app for golf, cricket, rugby and tennis clubsA sports club bar staff rota app for golf, cricket and rugby clubs: rota seasonal casuals around fixtures and functions. Free for 60 days, no card.Rotas & staffingStaff no-shows in hospitality: how to prevent them and what to do when they happenStaff no-shows in hospitality: why they happen, how a better rota prevents most of them, what to do on the day, and how to handle repeat no-shows fairly.Rotas & staffingStaff scheduling for event and wedding venues: rota your casual team around the bookingsEvent staff scheduling software for UK wedding and event venues: rota casuals around bookings and see labour cost per day. Free for 60 days, no card.Rotas & staffingTakeaway staff rota: cover the kitchen, counter and drivers without the Friday panicA takeaway staff rota app for the Friday rush: rota kitchen, counter and drivers from their availability and see labour cost live. Free 60 days, no card.Rotas & staffingThe Employment Rights Act 2025 and hospitality: what's changed, what's comingEmployment Rights Act 2025 for hospitality: what's in force, what starts in late 2026 and 2027, and what pubs, restaurants and cafés should do now.Rotas & staffingUK tips law for hospitality: the Allocation of Tips Act, the code of practice and tronc rulesUK tips law for hospitality: the Allocation of Tips Act 2023, the code of practice, written tipping policies, tronc basics and what changes in 2027.Rotas & staffingUnder-18s working in pubs and bars: hours, breaks and serving alcoholUnder 18 working in a pub UK: hours limits, breaks, night work and serving alcohol under the Licensing Act 2003, plus how Scotland and NI differ.Rotas & staffingWorking time rules in UK hospitality: breaks, rest, the 48-hour week and young workersWorking time rules for UK hospitality in plain English: rest breaks, 11 hours between shifts, the 48-hour week and opt-out, night workers and under-18s.Rotas & staffingZero hours contracts in hospitality: the rules now and the changes comingZero hours contracts hospitality rules for UK pubs, restaurants and cafés: the law today, the 2027 guaranteed-hours reforms, and how to rota fairly now.
Food safety & allergens
Temperatures, allergens, EHO visits and the records that get you a 5.
Food safety & allergensAllergen app for restaurants, pubs and cafésAn allergen app for restaurants: every dish mapped to the 14 UK allergens, searchable by floor staff on their phones, editable by managers. Free 60 days.Food safety & allergensAllergen matrix template for UK restaurants, pubs and cafésFree allergen matrix template for UK pubs, cafés and restaurants: all 14 allergens, a worked example and how to keep it accurate when recipes change.Food safety & allergensDigital temperature log app for pubs, restaurants and cafésA digital temperature log app for UK pubs, restaurants and cafés: fridge, freezer and hot-hold checks on any phone, breaches flagged. Free for 60 days.Food safety & allergensDo food handlers need Level 2 food hygiene? What the law saysDo food handlers need Level 2 food hygiene? What UK law actually requires, what's common practice, Scotland's guidance and how to record training.Food safety & allergensFood delivery checks: a goods-in routine that stands up to an EHOFood delivery checks for UK kitchens: what to check at goods-in, chilled and frozen temperatures, when to reject a delivery and what records to keep.Food safety & allergensFridge temperature rules for UK food businessesFridge temperature UK law for food businesses: the 8°C legal limit, why 5°C is advised, Scotland's rules, freezers, how often to check and what to do.Food safety & allergensHACCP for small restaurants: a plain-English guideHACCP plan for a small restaurant, explained: the 7 principles with real kitchen examples, how SFBB and CookSafe fit, and what records you actually need.Food safety & allergensHot holding, cooling and reheating temperatures in the UKHot holding temperature UK rules explained: 63°C, the two-hour rule, cooling, reheating (82°C in Scotland), cooking combinations and checking your probe.Food safety & allergensHow to calibrate a food probe thermometer (the FSA method)How to calibrate a food probe: the FSA's iced water (-1°C to 1°C) and boiling water (99°C to 101°C) checks, how often, and what to do if it fails.Food safety & allergensHow to get a 5-star food hygiene ratingHow to get a 5 star food hygiene rating: how the three scores work, why records matter most, Scotland's FHIS, display rules in Wales and NI, and re-rating.Food safety & allergensHow to prepare for an EHO inspection: a checklist for UK kitchensEHO inspection checklist for UK pubs, cafés and restaurants: what the officer looks at, the records to have ready, and a walk-round you can do today.Food safety & allergensKitchen cleaning schedule template for commercial kitchensFree kitchen cleaning schedule template for UK pubs, cafés and restaurants: daily, weekly and monthly tasks, two-stage cleaning and the disinfectant rule.Food safety & allergensNatasha's Law explained: PPDS allergen labelling for pubs, cafés and restaurantsNatasha's Law explained for UK pubs and cafés: what counts as prepacked for direct sale (PPDS), what the label needs, what's exempt, and real examples.Food safety & allergensPest control log template for food businessesFree pest control log template for UK food businesses: weekly pest checks, signs of each pest, contractor visit records and what to do if you find pests.Food safety & allergensSafer Food, Better Business digital: keeping your SFBB diary and checks on a phoneSafer Food Better Business digital: what SFBB is, what the daily diary asks for, and how to keep SFBB checks on a phone alongside your pack. Free trial.Food safety & allergensThe 48-hour rule: when food handlers must stay off workThe 48 hour rule for food handlers explained: who must report what, when staff with diarrhoea or vomiting can return, and what to do on the shift.Food safety & allergensUse by vs best before, and day dot labelling in commercial kitchensUse by vs best before explained for UK kitchens, plus day dot labelling: what to write on prep labels, the 3-day rule for ready-to-eat food and freezing.
Opening a venue
Registering a food business, opening checklists and getting the paperwork right from day one.
Opening a venueHow to open a café: the UK checklist (free template)How to open a café in the UK: a copyable checklist covering food business registration, food safety, allergen labels, licences, staff and your first week.Opening a venueHow to open a restaurant in the UK: the legal and practical stepsHow to open a restaurant in the UK: registering, food safety, allergens, alcohol and music licences in each nation, staff, fire safety and day-one systems.Opening a venueHow to register a food business in the UK (and what happens next)How to register a food business in the UK: do it 28 days before you open, it's free and can't be refused. What happens next and when the EHO visits.
Running the venue
Checklists, incidents, maintenance, risk assessments and team comms.
Running the venueAccident Book and Incident Log for Hospitality: What to Record and When to ReportAccident book rules for UK pubs, restaurants and hotels: what to record, when RIDDOR applies to staff and customers, deadlines and keeping records private.Running the venueCellar management checklist for pubsPub cellar management checklist: 11-13°C cellar temperature, weekly line cleaning, cask stock rotation, opening and closing routines and CO2 safety.Running the venueCOSHH in commercial kitchens: a practical guideCOSHH in commercial kitchens: what the law requires, which chemicals count, how to do the assessment, storage, PPE, dermatitis and a register template.Running the venueFire safety checklist for pubs and restaurantsFire safety checklist for pubs and restaurants: the fire risk assessment duty, daily to annual checks, fire drills and how Scotland and NI differ.Running the venueHospitality Team Communication: Getting the Rota and Updates Out of WhatsAppHow UK pubs and restaurants can move rotas and team updates out of WhatsApp groups: what to move, out-of-hours etiquette, data basics and a weekly routine.Running the venuePub group operations software: run every site's rotas and checks from one dashboardPub group operations software: rotas, temperature logs, checks and incidents for every site on one group dashboard, with no per-site fee. Free 60 days.Running the venuePub Maintenance Log: What to Track, How Often, and Who Signs It OffWhat a pub maintenance log should cover: cellar, gas, electrics, fire alarms, extinguishers and legionella, with UK check intervals and a free template.Running the venuePub Opening and Closing Checklist: Bar, Cellar, Kitchen and CashA free pub opening and closing checklist for bar, cellar, kitchen, front of house and cash. Copy it, adapt it by weekday and make it stick with your team.Running the venueRestaurant Checklist App: Daily Checks Your Team Will Actually DoA restaurant checklist app your team will use: opening, closing and cleaning checks by weekday, named ticks, photo proof. £1.49 per staff, 60 days free.Running the venueRight to work checks in hospitality: how to do them properlyRight to work checks hospitality guide: the three legal ways to check, share codes, what changed on 1 October 2026 and fines of up to £60,000.Running the venueRisk Assessment for Pubs and Restaurants: HSE's 5 Steps with Worked ExamplesHow to do a risk assessment for pubs and restaurants: HSE's 5 steps, when it must be written down, worked hazard examples, and how fire risk differs.Running the venueStaff induction checklist for pubs, restaurants and cafésFree staff induction checklist for hospitality: pre-start checks, a first shift plan and first-week sign-offs. Copy it for your next starter.Running the venueStaff training records in hospitality: what to keep and howStaff training records hospitality guide: food hygiene, allergens, alcohol, fire and manual handling. What the law asks for, plus a free template.Running the venueThe hospitality staff app: what your team should be able to do from their phoneWhat a good hospitality staff app does: rota on the phone, availability, checks, allergens and team updates, with nothing to install. Free for 60 days.Running the venueWhat Is ShiftComplete? A Plain-English GuideShiftComplete explained: the rota, clock-in, temperature log, allergen and checklist app for UK pubs, restaurants, cafés and hotels. Features and pricing.
Comparisons
How ShiftComplete compares with other rota and operations apps.
Comparisons7shifts Alternatives for UK Restaurants and PubsLooking for a 7shifts alternative in the UK? A fair comparison of 7shifts with ShiftComplete, Deputy, Planday and RotaCloud on price, UK fit and features.ComparisonsBizimply alternative: a fair comparison for UK pubs, restaurants and cafésComparing Bizimply alternatives? A fair, dated look at features and pricing, and when a simpler rota and food-safety app at £1.49 per staff fits better.ComparisonsDeputy Alternatives for UK Hospitality: A Fair ComparisonLooking for a Deputy alternative in the UK? A fair, dated comparison of Deputy with ShiftComplete, Planday, RotaCloud and Bizimply for pubs and cafés.ComparisonsFree rota apps in the UK: what you actually get for nothingLooking for a free rota app in the UK? An honest round-up of free plans and their limits, spreadsheets and WhatsApp, and when a free trial makes sense.ComparisonsPlanday Alternatives for UK Hospitality: Prices, Features and FitLooking for a Planday alternative? Planday's pricing and features compared with ShiftComplete, Deputy, RotaCloud and Bizimply, with worked monthly costs.ComparisonsRestaurant management software for UK small businesses: what you actually needRestaurant management software for UK small businesses explained: EPOS, bookings, rotas, food safety and stock, what each costs and what you really need.ComparisonsRotaCloud alternative: a fair comparison for UK hospitalityLooking for a RotaCloud alternative? A fair, dated comparison of features and prices, and when rotas plus food-safety records in one app suits you better.ComparisonsRotaready Alternatives for UK Pubs, Restaurants and HotelsConsidering a Rotaready alternative? A fair, dated comparison with ShiftComplete, Planday, Deputy, Bizimply and RotaCloud for UK pubs and restaurants.ComparisonsSling alternative for UK hospitality: a fair comparisonLooking for a Sling alternative in the UK? A fair comparison of Sling's free and paid plans with a UK-built app that adds temps, allergens and checklists.ComparisonsThe best food safety apps in the UK, and what each is best forComparing the best food safety apps in the UK? A fair, dated round-up of Trail, Navitas, Kafoodle, FoodDocs, Checkit and more, and what each suits best.ComparisonsThe Best Rota Apps for UK Hospitality in 2026: An Honest ComparisonThe best rota apps for UK hospitality in 2026: ShiftComplete, Deputy, Planday, Rotaready, RotaCloud, Bizimply and 7shifts compared on price and fit.ComparisonsTrail app alternative: checklists, temperatures, allergens and the rota in one placeLooking for a Trail app alternative? Compare checklists, temperature logs and allergens fairly, plus an option that runs your staff rota in the same app.ComparisonsWhen I Work alternative for UK pubs, restaurants and cafésNeed a When I Work alternative in the UK? A fair, dated comparison of features and pricing, and a UK-built option with rotas and food-safety records.