Struggling with hiring and turnover? This guide reveals 5 proven employer branding strategies restaurants use to attract top talent and cut recruitment costs.
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April 23, 2025
In 2025, the landscape of restaurant recruitment and hospitality talent acquisition is more challenging than ever.
According to the National Restaurant Association, 77% of restaurant operators report that recruiting and retaining employees is their most significant business challenge. With industry turnover maintaining a staggering average of 79.6% over the past decade, restaurant employer reputation has become a critical factor in hiring success.
But how can restaurant leaders win the battle for top talent without spending thousands on job boosts and recruiter fees?
Two words: Employer branding.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore:
If you take away just one insight from this article, let it be this: Successful employer branding may cause certain candidates to self-disqualify—and that's actually good for your business.
Before you close this tab in shock—after all, the ongoing hospitality staffing shortages mean you need more candidates, not fewer—hear us out.
When done correctly, candidates won't self-disqualify because your compensation isn't competitive or your response time was too slow. They'll opt out because they recognize they're not a good culture fit for your organization.
The specificity and brand voice that goes into employer branding should be as strategic and intentional as external branding.
And just like how not everyone is a burger fan or a ramen fan, your employer branding should only attract those who will succeed as a member of your team.
Ultimately, this will drive retention and help you build teams that last.
Don’t believe us? Just look at Torchy’s Tacos, who lowered turnover by 62% with Damn Good employer branding.
Think about your external restaurant branding: you've developed a brand personality expressed through logos, colors, fonts, and taglines. Certain language may be off-limits to craft a specific image. You likely have standards for how your food is photographed or how your service quality is emphasized.
All these elements shape consumer perception of your brand—even before they enter your establishment.
Hospitality employer branding works similarly.
We all know someone who constantly complains about their workplace. After hearing their grievances, what's our takeaway? Even knowing nothing else about their job, we conclude we would never want to work there.
A strong restaurant employer brand, on the other hand, transforms your workplace into somewhere genuinely desirable for top hospitality talent.
Ultimately, your job as a hospitality employer is to make working for your establishment the obvious choice for quality candidates. This not only helps you stand out in restaurant staff recruitment but also improves restaurant employee retention for the long term.
Elements of effective hospitality employer branding include:
These factors shape candidate perception of your workplace environment and determine whether top talent will choose your establishment over competitors.
While developing your restaurant employer brand may seem daunting, we'll start from the very beginning—the first impression.
In any relationship, first impressions matter and often determine whether either party wants to continue. That's why we'll focus on employer branding during the hiring process.
Here are five proven strategies to improve your employer branding during the talent acquisition process:
The job description is your first touchpoint with candidates—make it count.
Keep descriptions clear, concise, and written in a tone consistent with your brand identity. If you operate a fine dining establishment, communicate in an elevated tone. If your restaurant focuses on family-friendly fun, keep it light and engaging.
Transparency about compensation is crucial in hospitality recruitment. Highlight salary ranges, benefits, and unique perks that differentiate your restaurant from competitors.
For example, Another Broken Egg Cafe emphasizes their strict no-night-shift policy, appealing to candidates with evening responsibilities (childcare, night classes, etc.).
Showcasing community involvement and social responsibility initiatives is particularly effective for attracting Gen Z workers, who comprise 49% of food service staff. Research shows 51% of Gen Z candidates would accept lower salaries to work for socially responsible companies.
Did you know 70% of Gen Z candidates expect the hiring process to conclude within two weeks? With hourly candidates typically applying to 14+ jobs simultaneously, response speed is essential for securing top talent.
Since 38% of applications arrive "after hours"—increasing to 54% when including nights and weekends—implementing a 24/7 response system is vital for effective restaurant staff recruitment.
Generative AI hiring technologies are an excellent solution, protecting hiring managers' time while capturing qualified candidates. From customizable communication to preset screening questions and multilingual capabilities, AI tools benefit both employers and applicants.
Candidates can apply anytime and receive immediate responses, while AI systems can evaluate resumes, conduct preliminary screening, and even schedule interviews with promising candidates. This efficiency creates a positive candidate experience while filling your calendar with high-quality interviews.
Visual content speaks volumes about your workplace environment. Throughout the interview process, provide candidates with genuine examples of your restaurant's culture:
Nothing builds trust like hearing directly from current employees. Create opportunities for candidates to speak with team members who can provide authentic perspectives on the working environment.
This approach is particularly effective with Gen Z workers, 40% of whom cite mentorship as crucial for building skills and confidence. Since lack of career progression ranks among the top reasons for frontline employee turnover, encourage staff who have advanced through your organization to share their career journeys.
Today's hospitality talent conducts job searches primarily online. Ensure your restaurant maintains an engaging digital presence specifically for recruitment:
How do you know if your restaurant employer branding efforts are working? Track these key metrics:
Effective employer branding in the hospitality hiring process drives both recruitment success and long-term retention. Beyond attracting more candidates, strategic branding attracts the right candidates for your restaurant.
We hope these restaurant recruitment marketing strategies help you build lasting teams that uphold your brand standards and enhance guest experience.
If you need additional support, LANDED has helped industry leaders like Tao Group Hospitality, Torchy's Tacos, and Hopdoddy Burger Bar create employer brands with remarkable results:
Our Generative AI hiring assistant for restaurants and hospitality businesses is ready to help you develop the employer brand of your dreams and transform your hospitality talent acquisition strategy.
