Hospitality Staffing Benchmarks and Workforce Trends 2025

Hospitality staffing should be a leadership priority. The rules have changed, and so have the expectations. Operators who understand today’s labor trends are protecting their margins, building stronger teams, and outpacing competitors.

This report breaks down the essential 2025 staffing benchmarks, emerging workforce shifts, and practical actions operators can take to succeed in one of the most talent-volatile industries in the U.S.

Current Hospitality Staffing Benchmarks in the U.S.

Labor Shortage Snapshot

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the hospitality sector remains below 2019 staffing levels, with persistent shortages across hotels and restaurants despite steady job growth in 2025.

• National unemployment in hospitality sits at 5.2%, higher than the general workforce average of 3.8%

Role	Average Time to Fill	Vacancy Rate
Line Cooks	35–45 days	10–12%
Servers	25–30 days	8–10%
Front Desk Agents (Hotels)	30–35 days	9–11%
General Managers	50–60 days	7–9%

Estimates based on operator and vendor survey data collected across U.S. hospitality businesses in 2025. Actual hiring timelines and vacancy rates vary by market and concept type.

Wage Pressures Continue

• Hourly wages in hospitality rose an average of 6.4% year-over-year, with QSR wages averaging $17.10/hr and FSR at $19.85/hr (BLS, May 2025).

• In urban centers, wages are even higher: New York, LA, and Chicago all report average front-line pay exceeding $20/hr.

The Rise of Flexible Employment Models

What’s Changing:

• Flexible scheduling adoption has surged since 2019, with many hospitality operators offering hybrid part-time and shift-choice models to meet changing employee expectations.

• Operators are increasingly offering split shifts, weekend-only availability, and hybrid part-time roles to retain talent.

• Gig-based hospitality platforms like Qwick and Instawork now serve over 14,000 restaurants in the U.S. (Qwick 2025 Data Report).

Recommendations:

• Adopt “choose your shift” scheduling: Give hourly staff input into their schedules using tools like 7shifts or Workstream.

• Partner with on-demand platforms: Use flexible staffing tech for high-traffic days and reduce burnout for full-timers.

• Cross-train your flex team: Train part-time team members in at least 2 roles to build internal redundancy and reduce overtime.

Retention Metrics & What’s Working

2025 U.S. Retention Benchmarks:

Metric	Industry Average	Best-in-Class
Hourly Employee Turnover	82%	< 65%
Manager Turnover	46%	< 30%
Cost of Turnover (per hourly role)	$2000-5000	N/A

Estimates based on Gallup, Restaurant365, and Black Box Intelligence 2025 data. Actual costs vary by role, region, and tenure.

What’s Driving Retention in Top Brands:

• Career Pathing: Restaurants with internal growth plans saw 20–25% lower turnover (Gallup 2025).

• Daily Feedback & Recognition: Teams with structured recognition programs retained hourly workers 15% longer on average.

• Mental Health Benefits: Top hotel operators are adding mental wellness stipends, telehealth access, and PTO flexibility.

Shake Shack implemented a structured growth plan in early 2024 that included mentorship programs and skill certification bonuses. By Q1 2025, turnover had dropped by 21%, with internal promotion rates climbing by 18%.

What Operators Should Do:

• Implement a first-90-day retention plan: Pair new hires with peer mentors and set milestones to keep them engaged.

• Launch a “recognition calendar”: Shout-outs during pre-shift meetings, monthly awards, or staff-to-staff kudos build morale.

• Measure retention by location AND manager. If one unit’s bleeding talent, address it immediately.

Workforce Demographics Are Shifting

Key Trends:

• Gen Z now represents 32% of all hospitality new hires in 2025.

• Over 1 in 5 hospitality workers are now aged 50+, a rising trend due to delayed retirement and lifestyle shifts.

• Bilingual and immigrant workers continue to fill over 40% of back-of-house roles in major metro markets (Restaurant Opportunities Center, 2025).

Implications:

• Gen Z workers prioritize flexibility, mental health, and development. They are less likely to stay if onboarding is vague or outdated.

• Older workers seek reliability, consistency, and fair scheduling practices over "startup vibes" or perks.

  
  

Operator Actions:

• Customize training and orientation for different age groups.

• Offer “grow at your pace” tracks: not everyone wants to be a manager. Build tiered role mastery levels.

• Ensure your team culture and policies are language-accessible—both digital and in-person.

Hospitality Recruiting in 2025: What Works Now

Current Job Board Trends:

Platform	Application Volume (Hospitality Roles)
Indeed	45%
ZipRecruiter	22%
Craigslist	12%
Facebook & Instagram Ads	8%
Company Career Sites	5%

What’s Changed:

• "Spray and pray" listings don't work anymore. Listings without salary transparency get 38% fewer clicks.

• Candidates expect mobile-first, 3-click applications.

• Brand presence on social platforms matters—hospitality applicants are more likely to apply if the brand seems “people-first.”

Recruiting Best Practices:

• Write hyper-clear job descriptions with day-to-day expectations, pay, benefits, and growth pathways.

• Use short-form video ads; they outperform text listings by 60% in applicant engagement on social media (LinkedIn Talent Report, 2025).

• Don’t ignore passive candidates. Reach out directly via LinkedIn or ZipRecruiter messaging tools with personalized pitches.

Compensation & Benefits—The New Table Stakes

Top Employer Differentiators (2025):

• Early Wage Access: 68% of hourly workers prefer employers offering tools like DailyPay.

• Mental Health Days: PTO flexibility is a major attractor.

• Meal Discounts: Still one of the top non-monetary drivers of retention in QSR.

  
  

2025 National Averages:

Position	National Avg. Wage
Line Cook	$18.50/hr
Server (with tips)	$15.75/hr base + tips
FOH Supervisor	$22.40/hr
General Manager	$68,000/yr
Hotel Front Desk	$17.20/hr

The following represent approximate national averages for hospitality roles based on 2025 BLS and industry survey data. Actual wages vary by market and brand size.

Tech Tools That Improve Staffing & Retention

Operators are turning to technology to remove friction from staffing, training, and team communication.

Most Adopted Tools (2025):

• 7shifts – Predictive scheduling, labor cost tracking

• Harri – End-to-end HR + recruiting for hospitality

• Workstream – Text-to-apply and automated hiring flows

• Trainual – SOP & onboarding platform for hourly teams

• Bonusly – Peer recognition and micro-bonuses

Invest in one platform to own your hiring-to-onboarding-to-retention journey. Fragmented systems = drop-off = more turnover.

Staffing for Off-Premise, Ghost Kitchens & Hybrid Models

The shift toward digital ordering has permanently changed staffing models.

2025 Off-Premise Stats:

• 40% of restaurant sales are now off-premise

• Ghost kitchens employ 28% fewer front-of-house staff per revenue dollar compared to traditional models

• Cross-trained kitchen staff reduces staffing needs by 20%

Operator Takeaways:

• Design staffing roles around “multi-location, one-brand” logic

• Use AI for delivery forecasting—several third-party platforms offer demand modeling now

• Train “utility players” who can work online-only operations and traditional locations interchangeably

2025 U.S. Hospitality Staffing Benchmarks

Metric	2025 Benchmark	Operator Action
Avg. Turnover Rate	82% hourly / 46% manager	Reduce with recognition, wage audits, career paths
Avg. Time-to-Hire	31 days (hourly)	Optimize with mobile apps & fast interviews
Avg. Wage Increase	+6.4% YoY	Review quarterly vs. market
Flexible Scheduling	37% of workforce prefers flex	Adopt shift-pick systems & cross-training
Tech Usage	68% using digital HR/ops tools	Choose one unified platform
Mental Health Benefits	55% offer some form	Add stipends, wellness apps, or mental health days

Case Studies: Successful Staffing Innovations in 2025

How Marriott and Hilton are Adapting to New Workforce Models

Marriott International and Hilton Hotels are at the forefront of modern staffing. Both have invested heavily in AI recruitment tools, flexible scheduling systems, and sustainability-driven HR policies.

Marriott’s “Work Anywhere” initiative enables employees to choose hybrid or location-flexible roles, while Hilton has implemented predictive staffing algorithms to ensure optimal labor allocation across departments.

These initiatives have significantly reduced turnover and improved productivity.

Boutique Hotels Leading the Way in Employee Retention

Smaller boutique hotels are also innovating. Many focus on creating tight-knit workplace cultures that emphasize collaboration, recognition, and well-being. Some boutique brands now offer profit-sharing programs, allowing employees to directly benefit from business growth.

These personalized work environments are proving successful in attracting top-tier talent who value community, autonomy, and creativity over traditional corporate structures.

Future Outlook: The Next Decade of Hospitality Staffing

Predictions for 2030 and Beyond

Looking ahead to 2030, hospitality staffing is expected to become even more technology-integrated and employee-centric. AI will likely handle 60% of repetitive administrative tasks, allowing HR teams to focus on strategy and engagement.

Moreover, sustainability will become the foundation of employer branding, influencing both recruitment and retention. The workforce will be increasingly diverse, global, and digitally fluent — driven by a new generation of talent that prioritizes purpose, flexibility, and inclusion.

Robotics will also play a larger role in operational support, from housekeeping to food delivery, while human employees will concentrate on tasks requiring emotional intelligence and creative problem-solving; the true essence of hospitality.

Need help auditing your current staffing systems? 

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