Use this restaurant employment contract template as inspiration for your own employee contracts.
Employee contracts are a necessity for any business. However, drafting them can feel overwhelming if you’ve never done it before. That’s where our sample restaurant employment contract template comes in handy.
What is a Restaurant Employment Contract?
An employment contract is a legally binding document between an employee and an employer. These types of contracts formally spell out and describe the core employment terms, which often include important information such as job title, duties, salary, benefits (if applicable), duration of employment, and more.
Elements of an Employment Contract for Restaurants
Though every contract should be tailored to your specific business needs, most restaurant employment contracts are made up of the same common elements:
- The employee’s job title and responsibilities
- The employee’s compensation and benefits
- How they’re expected to conduct themselves while on the job
- Information about the probation period
- A confidentiality clause
- Causes for suspension, dismissal, or termination
All of these elements are outlined in our downloadable restaurant employment contract template.
Who Needs an Employment Contract?
In the restaurant industry, it’s uncommon for every employee to have an employment contract. Instead, restaurant employment contracts are usually extended to upper-level employees who are salaried, have authority to execute key business decisions, and are privy to sensitive information about how your restaurant is run. The restaurant positions that usually warrant this kind of employee contract are district or regional managers, general managers, executive chefs, kitchen managers, front-of-house managers, and bar managers.
For restaurant employees who are paid hourly, there is often no formal restaurant employment contract. Rather, hourly employees are usually given a verbal offer or, occasionally, a job offer letter when they are offered a position.
The Benefits of Restaurant Employment Contracts
Beyond simply spelling out a new hire’s terms of employment, a restaurant employment contract also helps to protect your business and your team. Since these documents are legally binding, they are enforceable in the court of law. This means that in the event that there is a breach in the employment contract, you have a written record of the terms of the employment agreement that you can bring to court.
Using This Sample Employment Contract for Restaurant Staff
With more context on the importance of a restaurant employee contract and who needs one, you can start drafting your own version by using our free restaurant employment contract template. This template is designed to act as a sample employment contract for restaurant staff so you can better understand what information and clauses to include.
Just keep in mind that since every restaurant is different, this template should only be used as a sample employment contract for restaurant staff. In fact, we’ve also included a handy checklist alongside the restaurant employee contract template to help you figure out what type of contract to use for your restaurant’s workers and what to include in each clause. The checklist also includes tips for how to prepare your own restaurant contracts.
And after drafting your own version of a restaurant contract, you should always have it approved by a lawyer who is familiar with the local employment laws and regulations. A lawyer will not only ensure that your restaurant employee contract covers all the key information, but they will also ensure that your business will be protected in the event of any disputes.
Disclaimer: All of the information contained in this Restaurant Employee Contract Template (“Template”) is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal, accounting, tax, career, or other professional advice. Depending on your size and location, you may be required by local, state, provincial, or federal laws to meet the requirements of the applicable privacy regulations, such as providing privacy notice to job applicants before collecting personal information. The above is not an exhaustive list of all your obligations under applicable laws in recruitment or as an employer. In addition, laws change and evolve and some jurisdictions have requirements not imposed by others. You should consult an attorney to ensure compliance with applicable laws, and TouchBistro assumes no liability for the use of, or reference to, the Template. By accessing this Template, you acknowledge that: (a) you may have obligations under applicable law, including but not limited to, providing privacy notice, that are not addressed in this Template; (b) the Template may not address all your needs and you have the option to customize the Template; (c) the content should not be used as a substitute for professional legal advice, (d) you should not perform any act or make any omission on the basis of the Template without first seeking appropriate legal or professional advice, (e) you are solely responsible for your compliance with all applicable laws. If you do not agree with these terms, you must not access or use the Template. This Template does not, nor is it intended to, constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon or construed as legal advice or a legal opinion regarding any specific issue or factual circumstance, and receipt or use of this Template does not create a contractual relationship between you and TouchBistro All information in this Template is provided “as is” without representations, warranties or conditions of any kind, whether express or implied, for general informational purposes only.
