The lunch shift is the time of day when restaurants, cafes and other food service businesses get busy. This is usually between 11:30am – 2:30pm but can vary depending on the venue and location. During the lunch shift, hospitality staff focus on serving quick and efficient meals to customers who have limited time due to work or other commitments.
The lunch shift is a big part of many hospitality businesses’ daily routine. It can be one of the busiest and most profitable times of the day, especially for restaurants in the CBD or cafes near offices. Managing the lunch shift requires planning, efficiency and the ability to handle high volume. A good lunch service can make or break a venue’s reputation and bottom line as it’s often regular customers who can become loyal patrons.
Let’s say you’re a chef at a busy bistro in the CBD. As 11:00am hits, you start prepping for the lunch shift. You know within the next 30 minutes the restaurant will be swarming with office workers, shoppers and tourists looking for a quick and delicious meal. You’ve streamlined your menu to have dishes that can be made quickly without compromising on quality. As the orders start coming in, you and your team are like a well-oiled machine, churning out plate after plate. By 2:00pm you’ve served over 100 customers and as the rush dies down you start prepping for the afternoon lull before dinner service starts. This is what the lunch shift is all about; it’s a big part of your day that requires skill, prep and teamwork to get right.