Hiring and keeping restaurant staff in Massachusetts: a practical guide

Finding and keeping good staff is the problem most Massachusetts restaurant owners name first. The labor market is tight, housing costs are high and many workers can choose between restaurants, retail and health care. This guide, checked in October 2026, offers practical steps and points to the legal basics. It is general information and not legal advice, and several details should be confirmed with the state's labor agencies.

Where do you find staff?

Start with your own guests and your current team: referrals from existing staff are often the best source. Post openings in your window and on your own website, on local job boards and on community groups. Culinary schools and community colleges in the Boston area are a pipeline for cooks. College towns have a steady supply of part-time workers in the school year, with a gap in summer. Be clear in your posting about the pay range, shifts and tip arrangements, since that attracts serious applicants and avoids disputes.

What should you tell a new hire?

Tell them in writing the pay rate, whether they are a tipped service employee, how tips are pooled and who shares in them, the schedule, the uniform policy and the rules about meals. A short written offer avoids misunderstanding. New hires are also owed the state's required notices, including the earned sick time notice of rights and the paid family and medical leave notice; ask the Department of Family and Medical Leave and the Attorney General's Fair Labor Division which notices apply and when to give them. Collect the usual federal tax and work eligibility forms, and keep them as required.

What pay and benefits do you need to offer?

Payroll sources dated 2026 give the minimum wage as $15.00 an hour and the service rate for tipped employees as $6.75, with tips required to bring workers to the minimum. The Attorney General's summary says earned sick time accrues at one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year, and is paid if you have 11 or more employees. Beyond the legal minimum, competitive pay, regular raises, a staff meal and predictable schedules help you keep people.

How do you handle tips fairly?

The Tips Act allows tips and service charges to be shared among wait staff, service employees and service bartenders, and excludes owners, managers and supervisors. The Attorney General's advisory also says back-of-house workers may not be included in the pool. In June 2025 the Attorney General cited a Boston restaurant over a tip pool that included employees with managerial duties, which shows how closely the rule is enforced. Be transparent about the pool and the formula. If you add a service charge, it must be distributed under the Act and disclosed up front under the state's fee rules. Keep records, because tip disputes are among the most common wage claims.

How should you schedule?

Publish schedules at least a week ahead where you can, and keep a shared way to swap shifts. Ask the Attorney General's office whether any scheduling rules apply to your business, and remember that a consistent schedule is a strong reason people stay. Avoid last-minute cancellations, and offer full shifts rather than short ones that cost a worker a commute for little pay. Ask staff about availability during school terms and summer.

How do you train and develop people?

A proper first week matters: shadow shifts, a checklist, an allergen briefing and a named buddy. Cross-train staff so they can cover stations, and offer a path from dishwasher to prep cook to line cook, or from busser to server. Send promising staff to food safety courses, which you may pay for. People stay where they are learning.

What about turnover and exit?

Ask why people leave, and keep a simple record. Pay final wages on time, because the Wage Act sets strict timing rules; ask the Attorney General's Fair Labor Division what they are. Give departing staff a reference if they earned one. A good exit builds your reputation among workers, which helps your next hire.

A sample first-week plan

On day one, give a tour, introduce the team, explain the schedule, tips and uniform, and cover the allergen protocol and handwashing. On day two and three, have the new hire shadow a colleague at the station. On day four, let them work a section or station with a coach nearby. On day five, hold a short check-in to ask what is unclear and what they need. Provide a written list of menu items and prices, and a map of the kitchen. A structured week builds confidence, reduces mistakes and shows you value the person. Many new hires leave within the first month if they feel lost.

Retention ideas that cost little

Publish schedules early, honor requests for time off where you can, recognize good work in front of the team, offer a staff meal that people actually want, and hold a regular conversation about pay and goals. Share tips fairly and explain how. Give a raise on a stated timetable for people who meet clear standards. Consider cross-training so people can earn more by covering more stations. None of these cost much compared with recruiting and training a replacement.

If you rely on student workers, plan for the academic calendar by hiring extra in August and January, and by offering flexible hours during exams. If you hire minors, check the state's rules on hours and tasks for workers under 18, which limit late shifts and certain equipment. Ask your payroll provider to help you apply them.

More guides for your business:

• Massachusetts happy hour ban: what bars and restaurants can offer instead
• Massachusetts food allergen awareness rules for restaurants
• Massachusetts gift card law for restaurants: the seven-year rule

More in the US guides for food businesses.