Hospitality Scheduling

Overview

This example demonstrates restaurant scheduling where diverse staff roles must be coordinated across kitchen, floor, and bar positions. The solution balances skill requirements, prevents fatigue-inducing shift sequences, and ensures fair distribution of premium shifts.

This example showcases multi-skill employees, role-based shift requirements, pattern prohibitions for work-life balance, and tip-shift fairness.

Business Scenario

A restaurant manages:

20 employees across kitchen, floor, and bar roles
Split shifts for lunch and dinner service
Multi-skilled staff who can work multiple positions
Premium evening/weekend shifts with fair distribution
No close-then-open (clopening) sequences
Minimum rest between late nights and early mornings

Quick Example

A minimal hospitality request with multi-skilled staff and split shifts:

{
  "employees": [
    { "name": "Chef-Marco", "skills": [{ "name": "kitchen", "level": 5 }], "wage": 28 },
    { "name": "Server-James", "skills": [{ "name": "floor", "level": 5 }, { "name": "bar", "level": 3 }], "wage": 12 }
  ],
  "shifts": [
    { "name": "mon-lunch-kitchen", "from": "2024-04-01T10:00:00", "to": "2024-04-01T15:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "kitchen" }], "min": 2 },
    { "name": "mon-dinner-floor", "from": "2024-04-01T17:00:00", "to": "2024-04-01T23:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "floor" }], "min": 3 }
  ],
  "patterns": [
    { "type": "MULTI_DAY", "satisfy": "PROHIBITED", "elements": [{ "type": "ON", "tags": ["EVENING"] }, { "type": "ON", "tags": ["MORNING"] }] }
  ]
}

Complete Implementation

Full Request

{
  "employees": [
    {
      "name": "Chef-Marco",
      "skills": [
        { "name": "kitchen", "level": 5 },
        { "name": "head-chef", "level": 5 },
        { "name": "prep", "level": 4 }
      ],
      "availability": ["2024-04-01T00:00:00/2024-04-07T23:59:59"],
      "wage": 28
    },
    {
      "name": "Cook-Lisa",
      "skills": [
        { "name": "kitchen", "level": 4 },
        { "name": "prep", "level": 5 },
        { "name": "pastry", "level": 3 }
      ],
      "availability": ["2024-04-01T00:00:00/2024-04-07T23:59:59"],
      "wage": 20
    },
    {
      "name": "Server-James",
      "skills": [
        { "name": "floor", "level": 5 },
        { "name": "bar", "level": 3 },
        { "name": "sommelier", "level": 2 }
      ],
      "availability": ["2024-04-01T00:00:00/2024-04-07T23:59:59"],
      "preference": ["fri-dinner-floor", "sat-dinner-floor"],
      "wage": 12
    },
    {
      "name": "Server-Emma",
      "skills": [{ "name": "floor", "level": 4 }, { "name": "host", "level": 5 }],
      "availability": [
        "2024-04-01T10:00:00/2024-04-01T22:00:00",
        "2024-04-02T10:00:00/2024-04-02T22:00:00",
        "2024-04-03T10:00:00/2024-04-03T22:00:00",
        "2024-04-04T10:00:00/2024-04-04T22:00:00",
        "2024-04-05T16:00:00/2024-04-05T24:00:00",
        "2024-04-06T16:00:00/2024-04-06T24:00:00"
      ],
      "wage": 12
    },
    {
      "name": "Bartender-Mike",
      "skills": [
        { "name": "bar", "level": 5 },
        { "name": "floor", "level": 2 },
        { "name": "mixology", "level": 5 }
      ],
      "availability": ["2024-04-01T00:00:00/2024-04-07T23:59:59"],
      "preference": ["fri-bar", "sat-bar"],
      "wage": 15
    },
    {
      "name": "Flex-Alex",
      "skills": [
        { "name": "kitchen", "level": 2 },
        { "name": "floor", "level": 3 },
        { "name": "bar", "level": 2 },
        { "name": "host", "level": 3 }
      ],
      "availability": ["2024-04-01T00:00:00/2024-04-07T23:59:59"],
      "wage": 14
    }
  ],
  "shifts": [
    { "name": "mon-lunch-kitchen", "from": "2024-04-01T10:00:00", "to": "2024-04-01T15:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "kitchen" }], "min": 2, "max": 3, "tags": [{ "name": "LUNCH" }, { "name": "KITCHEN" }], "priority": 2 },
    { "name": "mon-dinner-kitchen", "from": "2024-04-01T17:00:00", "to": "2024-04-01T23:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "kitchen" }], "min": 3, "max": 4, "tags": [{ "name": "DINNER" }, { "name": "KITCHEN" }], "priority": 1 },
    { "name": "mon-lunch-floor", "from": "2024-04-01T11:00:00", "to": "2024-04-01T15:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "floor" }], "min": 2, "max": 3, "tags": [{ "name": "LUNCH" }, { "name": "FLOOR" }], "priority": 2 },
    { "name": "mon-dinner-floor", "from": "2024-04-01T17:00:00", "to": "2024-04-01T23:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "floor" }], "min": 4, "max": 5, "tags": [{ "name": "DINNER" }, { "name": "FLOOR" }], "priority": 1 },
    { "name": "mon-bar", "from": "2024-04-01T17:00:00", "to": "2024-04-01T24:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "bar" }], "min": 1, "max": 2, "tags": [{ "name": "EVENING" }, { "name": "BAR" }], "priority": 1 },
    { "name": "fri-dinner-floor", "from": "2024-04-05T17:00:00", "to": "2024-04-06T00:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "floor" }], "min": 5, "max": 6, "tags": [{ "name": "DINNER" }, { "name": "FLOOR" }, { "name": "PREMIUM" }], "priority": 1 },
    { "name": "fri-bar", "from": "2024-04-05T18:00:00", "to": "2024-04-06T01:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "bar" }], "min": 2, "max": 3, "tags": [{ "name": "EVENING" }, { "name": "BAR" }, { "name": "PREMIUM" }], "priority": 1 },
    { "name": "sat-dinner-floor", "from": "2024-04-06T17:00:00", "to": "2024-04-07T00:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "floor" }], "min": 6, "max": 7, "tags": [{ "name": "DINNER" }, { "name": "FLOOR" }, { "name": "PREMIUM" }], "priority": 1 },
    { "name": "sat-bar", "from": "2024-04-06T18:00:00", "to": "2024-04-07T01:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "bar" }], "min": 2, "max": 3, "tags": [{ "name": "EVENING" }, { "name": "BAR" }, { "name": "PREMIUM" }], "priority": 1 },
    { "name": "sat-lunch-prep", "from": "2024-04-06T08:00:00", "to": "2024-04-06T12:00:00", "skills": [{ "name": "prep" }], "min": 1, "max": 2, "tags": [{ "name": "MORNING" }, { "name": "PREP" }], "priority": 2 }
  ],
  "rules": [
    { "constraint": "COUNTER", "type": "HOURS_WORKED", "max": 45, "period": { "duration": "P7D" } },
    { "constraint": "SEQUENCE", "type": "WORKING_DAYS", "max": 6 },
    { "constraint": "COUNTER", "type": "WORKING_SHIFT_TYPE", "shifts": ["PREMIUM"], "min": 1, "max": 3, "period": { "duration": "P7D" } }
  ],
  "rests": [{ "tags": ["EVENING"], "sequence": "AFTER", "min": "PT10H" }],
  "patterns": [
    { "type": "MULTI_DAY", "satisfy": "PROHIBITED", "elements": [{ "type": "ON", "tags": ["EVENING"] }, { "type": "ON", "tags": ["MORNING"] }], "weight": 100 },
    { "type": "SINGLE_DAY", "satisfy": "PREFERRED", "elements": [{ "type": "ON", "tags": ["LUNCH"] }, { "type": "OFF" }, { "type": "ON", "tags": ["DINNER"] }], "weight": 10 }
  ],
  "requirements": [
    { "shifts": ["mon-dinner-kitchen", "fri-dinner-kitchen", "sat-dinner-kitchen"], "skill": "head-chef", "value": 1 },
    { "shifts": ["fri-dinner-floor", "sat-dinner-floor"], "skill": "host", "value": 1 }
  ],
  "fairnessBuckets": [
    { "employees": ["Server-James", "Server-Emma", "Flex-Alex"], "shifts": ["fri-dinner-floor", "sat-dinner-floor", "fri-bar", "sat-bar"], "period": { "from": "2024-04-01", "to": "2024-04-30" }, "target": "PT20H" }
  ],
  "options": { "hardAvailability": true, "hardSkill": true },
  "weights": { "skills": "100hard", "minRest": "50hard", "pref": "15medium", "wages": "2soft" }
}

Full Solution

{
  "id": "restaurant-schedule-001",
  "status": "SOLVED",
  "score": { "hardScore": 0, "mediumScore": -1, "softScore": -650, "feasible": true },
  "assignments": [
    { "shift": "mon-lunch-kitchen", "employee": "Chef-Marco" },
    { "shift": "mon-lunch-kitchen", "employee": "Cook-Lisa" },
    { "shift": "mon-dinner-kitchen", "employee": "Chef-Marco" },
    { "shift": "mon-dinner-kitchen", "employee": "Cook-Lisa" },
    { "shift": "mon-dinner-kitchen", "employee": "Flex-Alex" },
    { "shift": "mon-lunch-floor", "employee": "Server-James" },
    { "shift": "mon-lunch-floor", "employee": "Server-Emma" },
    { "shift": "mon-dinner-floor", "employee": "Server-James" },
    { "shift": "mon-dinner-floor", "employee": "Server-Emma" },
    { "shift": "mon-bar", "employee": "Bartender-Mike" },
    { "shift": "fri-dinner-floor", "employee": "Server-James" },
    { "shift": "fri-bar", "employee": "Bartender-Mike" },
    { "shift": "sat-dinner-floor", "employee": "Server-Emma" },
    { "shift": "sat-dinner-floor", "employee": "Flex-Alex" },
    { "shift": "sat-bar", "employee": "Bartender-Mike" },
    { "shift": "sat-lunch-prep", "employee": "Cook-Lisa" }
  ],
  "unassigned": [],
  "violations": [
    { "name": "Shift Preference", "value": 1, "level": "MEDIUM" },
    { "name": "Wage Costs", "value": 650, "level": "SOFT" }
  ]
}

Solution Analysis

The solution addresses key hospitality scheduling challenges:

Role Coverage: Head chef present for all dinner services
No Clopening: Evening→morning pattern prohibited
Premium Fair Distribution: Weekend shifts distributed across servers
Multi-Skill Usage: Flex-Alex assigned based on need (kitchen or floor)
Split Shift Support: Same employees can work lunch and dinner with break

All service periods covered with appropriate skill levels while respecting rest requirements.

Key Hospitality Features

Multi-Skill Employees

Leverage cross-trained staff:

{
  "employees": [{
    "name": "Flex-Worker",
    "skills": [
      { "name": "kitchen", "level": 2 },
      { "name": "floor", "level": 3 },
      { "name": "bar", "level": 2 }
    ]
  }]
}

Clopening Prevention

Prohibit close-then-open sequences:

{
  "patterns": [
    {
      "type": "MULTI_DAY",
      "satisfy": "PROHIBITED",
      "elements": [
        { "type": "ON", "tags": ["EVENING"] },
        { "type": "ON", "tags": ["MORNING"] }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

“Clopening” (closing then opening) shifts are a major cause of employee burnout. Always prohibit these patterns.

Premium Shift Limits

Ensure fair access to high-tip shifts:

{
  "rules": [
    {
      "constraint": "COUNTER",
      "type": "WORKING_SHIFT_TYPE",
      "shifts": ["PREMIUM"],
      "min": 1,
      "max": 3,
      "period": { "duration": "P7D" }
    }
  ]
}

Role Requirements by Service

Ensure key roles during busy periods:

{
  "requirements": [
    {
      "shifts": ["fri-dinner", "sat-dinner"],
      "skill": "head-chef",
      "value": 1
    },
    {
      "shifts": ["fri-dinner-floor", "sat-dinner-floor"],
      "skill": "host",
      "value": 1
    }
  ]
}

Common Hospitality Patterns

Split shift with break

{
  "shifts": [
    {
      "name": "lunch-service",
      "from": "11:00",
      "to": "15:00",
      "tags": [{ "name": "LUNCH" }]
    },
    {
      "name": "dinner-service",
      "from": "17:00",
      "to": "23:00",
      "tags": [{ "name": "DINNER" }]
    }
  ],
  "patterns": [{
    "type": "SINGLE_DAY",
    "satisfy": "PREFERRED",
    "elements": [
      { "type": "ON", "tags": ["LUNCH"] },
      { "type": "OFF" },
      { "type": "ON", "tags": ["DINNER"] }
    ]
  }]
}

Event staffing surge

{
  "shifts": [{
    "name": "private-event",
    "from": "2024-04-15T18:00:00",
    "to": "2024-04-16T02:00:00",
    "skills": [{ "name": "floor" }],
    "min": 8,
    "max": 10,
    "tags": [{ "name": "EVENT" }, { "name": "PREMIUM" }],
    "cost": 200
  }]
}

Kitchen brigade hierarchy

{
  "requirements": [
    { "shifts": ["dinner-kitchen"], "skill": "head-chef", "value": 1 },
    { "shifts": ["dinner-kitchen"], "skill": "sous-chef", "value": 1 },
    { "shifts": ["dinner-kitchen"], "skill": "line-cook", "value": 2 }
  ]
}

Bar certification requirements

{
  "shifts": [{
    "name": "bar-shift",
    "skills": [
      { "name": "bar" },
      { "name": "alcohol-license" }
    ]
  }],
  "options": { "hardSkill": true }
}

Hospitality-Specific Constraints

Late Night Rest

Enforce rest after late closes:

{
  "rests": [
    {
      "tags": ["LATE"],
      "sequence": "AFTER",
      "min": "PT11H"
    }
  ]
}

Weekend Rotation

Ensure staff get some weekends off:

{
  "rules": [
    {
      "constraint": "COUNTER",
      "type": "WEEKENDS_IDLE",
      "min": 1,
      "period": { "from": "2024-04-01", "to": "2024-04-30" }
    }
  ],
  "options": {
    "idleWeekend": {
      "fromDayOfWeek": "FRIDAY",
      "fromTime": "17:00:00",
      "toDayOfWeek": "SUNDAY",
      "toTime": "23:59:00"
    }
  }
}

Tip Pool Fairness

Balance access to high-earning shifts:

{
  "fairnessBuckets": [
    {
      "employees": ["Server-1", "Server-2", "Server-3", "Server-4"],
      "shifts": ["fri-dinner", "sat-dinner", "sun-brunch"],
      "period": { "from": "2024-04-01", "to": "2024-04-30" },
      "target": "PT24H"
    }
  ]
}

Shift Patterns

Prevent undesirable shift sequences

Rest Requirements

Configure rest periods between shifts

Fairness Buckets

Balance premium shifts fairly

Weekend Definition

Configure weekend boundaries

Platform

VRP API

Fill API

Overview

Business Scenario

Quick Example

Complete Implementation

Key Hospitality Features

Multi-Skill Employees

Clopening Prevention

Premium Shift Limits

Role Requirements by Service

Common Hospitality Patterns

Hospitality-Specific Constraints

Late Night Rest

Weekend Rotation

Tip Pool Fairness

Shift Patterns

Rest Requirements

Fairness Buckets

Weekend Definition

​Overview

​Business Scenario

​Quick Example

​Complete Implementation

​Key Hospitality Features

​Multi-Skill Employees

​Clopening Prevention

​Premium Shift Limits

​Role Requirements by Service

​Common Hospitality Patterns

​Hospitality-Specific Constraints

​Late Night Rest

​Weekend Rotation

​Tip Pool Fairness

​Related Examples

Shift Patterns

Rest Requirements

Fairness Buckets

Weekend Definition

Overview

Business Scenario

Quick Example

Complete Implementation

Key Hospitality Features

Multi-Skill Employees

Clopening Prevention

Premium Shift Limits

Role Requirements by Service

Common Hospitality Patterns

Hospitality-Specific Constraints

Late Night Rest

Weekend Rotation

Tip Pool Fairness

Related Examples