Free template
A free restaurant deployment chart you can print tonight
The chart
Deployment chart
Lunch rush 11am - 2pm
Date ____________
Manager ____________
| Station | Name | In - out | Break | Covered by | Signed off | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front Counter | ||||||
| Drive-Thru Order Taking | ||||||
| Drive-Thru Window | Dana R. | 10:30 - 3 | 12:45 / 30m | Luis | ✓ | |
| Drinks | ||||||
| Bagging | ||||||
| Expo | ||||||
| Grill | ||||||
| Sandwich Assembly | ||||||
| Fries | Theo M. | 11 - 4 | 1:30 / 30m | Luis | Kim A. | |
| Dish | ||||||
Each printed page also has a box for coverage changes and blank task lines. The last page is blank, for a part of the day this one doesn't have.
That's the busiest part of the day, with two example lines filled in. The download has every part of the day. The stations and spot counts come from the setups we ship for quick service stores, so cross out what you don't run and add what you do.
Letter size, one page per part of the day. Choose Save as PDF to keep a copy.
Opens in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets. No email required.
Filling it in so it holds up at lunch
Start with the station that limits your rush
Every store has one. It might be order taking, the window, assembly, or getting finished orders out the door. Put your strongest people there first, then place everyone else around where you expect the volume: drive-thru, counter or pickup. Decide now who moves if one of them backs up.
Write who covers each break
A break time on its own doesn't put anyone on the headset. Write the time and how long next to the name, so the cover knows when they get their own station back. Put the cover in the next column, and check they're actually free before you send someone off.
Sort out the people leaving mid-rush
Anyone scheduled to leave before this part of the day ends goes in the coverage box, with the time and who takes over. It's easier to decide at 10:15 than at 12:55.
Tick against the record, then decide
Signed off means your training record says they've been signed off on that station. Then decide whether they need help for this particular rush. A trainee goes on the same line as their coach. If you can't spare a coach, put them on a station they can already work.
If you keep old sheets, keep the changes
A stack of last month's sheets is only useful if the changes made during the shift are on them. Otherwise you're filing the plan, not what happened.
Where software helps: finding the cover
The hard part of a deployment chart isn't writing names on it. It's the moment at 12:40 when someone has to go and you need to know who else can run that station, who's free, and who arrives in the next half hour.
That's what CrewSharp's setup sheet does. It has the same parts of the day and spots as this one. Tap a name and it lists who could take that spot: people signed off on the station first, with their hours and when they get in. Fill empty spots places people from the same sign-off record, and you change anything you like. It prints a page like this one.
Common questions
What is a deployment chart in a restaurant?
It's the page that says who is on which station for a part of the day: who's on window, who's on fries, who's on break at 12:30. Some stores call it a setup sheet, a position chart or a line-up. The schedule says who is working. The deployment chart says where they stand.
Who should fill out the deployment chart?
The manager running that part of the day should check it before service starts. Filling it in ahead of time is fine if that's how your week works. Just update it for who actually showed up and any schedule changes before the rush.
How many people should be on a lunch rush deployment chart?
It depends on your volume and your layout, so treat the template's counts as a starting point. The quick-service version has twelve spots at lunch across front and back of house. Count how many stations you actually open on a busy Friday and cross out the rest.
Should the crew see the deployment chart?
Yes. Post it where they clock in, so people can see where they're going and when their break is without hunting for a manager.
What does the Signed off column mean?
Tick it against your training record: has this person been signed off on this station? It's a reminder, not a promise they can carry a rush alone. No tick means a coach on the same line, or a station they can already work.
See who can cover a station before you need them
Import your schedule, mark who's signed off on what, and tap Fill. Keep the marks current as people train. $79 a month per store, with unlimited users.
30 days free. No card to start. Cancel in one click.
Keep reading
Setup sheet
The deployment chart on a screen, filled from who's signed off.
Training matrix template
The other free sheet: who is trained on what, with dates.
How to cross-train restaurant staff
Getting more ticks in that column without wrecking service.
Quick-service restaurants
Drive-thru, counter and a lunch rush that starts at 10:45.