Key takeaways
- Use three groups: front of house, back of house, and a shared shift group for both.
- Pin the day's specials, the 86 list and reservation notes before service.
- Post a closing handover every night: sales notes, issues, prep and stock for tomorrow.
- Photos of plated specials help servers describe dishes the same way.
- Owners and admins can audit and export group chats; staff direct messages stay private.
A restaurant shift has two halves that run at different speeds. The kitchen works from tickets and prep lists; the floor works from tables and guests. Most service problems come from the gap between them: a dish that ran out but is still being sold, an allergy note that didn’t reach the line, a closing manager who didn’t tell the morning crew the walk-in was acting up.
Why restaurant shift communication breaks down without a system
- Pre-shift is verbal. Staff who arrive late or start on a split shift miss the specials and the 86 list.
- Personal groups get noisy. Schedule swaps, jokes and supplier issues share one thread with critical updates.
- The closing handover lives on a notepad. The opening manager may never see it.
- Turnover is high. People who left months ago are still in the staff group.
For the wider picture, see restaurant staff communication.
The workflow in C Chat
- Before service, the manager posts the pre-shift note in the shared shift group: specials with a photo, reservations to watch, staffing, and the starting 86 list. The note is pinned.
- During service, the kitchen edits the pinned 86 list or posts a short update when something runs out. Servers check the pin instead of walking to the pass.
- Issues like a broken dish machine or a guest complaint go to the manager in the right group, with a photo if useful.
- At close, the closing manager posts the handover (template below) for the opening team.
- The opening manager replies to confirm they read it and picks up open items.
If a guest collapses or a fire starts, use the one-tap 🚨 alert to notify the staff group at once, and call the local emergency number.
Group setup and message template
| Group | Members | Use |
|---|---|---|
| [Restaurant] – Shift | Everyone working that location | Pre-shift, 86 list, closing handover |
| [Restaurant] – Kitchen | Chefs, cooks, dishwashers | Prep lists, orders, equipment |
| [Restaurant] – Floor | Servers, hosts, bartenders | Sections, reservations, guest notes |
| Managers | Managers and owner | Staffing, cash, escalations |
Pin this closing handover in the shift group:
Close – [date] Service: covers, notable guests or complaints 86 / low stock: … Prep for tomorrow: … Equipment: issues, who was called Cash & safety: drawer, alarms set, doors checked Open items: [what, owner]
Kitchens with many languages benefit from the 8-language interface and from short, predictable messages; voice notes help when typing with gloves isn’t practical. Multi-unit operators can reuse the same groups in each location.
Roles, oversight and records
The owner or general manager owns the team; shift managers are admins and handle invitations and removals. Invite new hires by QR code on their first day, and remove them on their last.
Messages travel over TLS and are stored encrypted with AES-256, with keys specific to your organization. With auditable encryption, owners and admins can audit and export group conversations, useful when a guest complaint or a safety incident needs to be reconstructed. Direct messages between staff stay private. See the security overview for the details.
Other shift-based operations use the same skeleton with different blocks: plants follow the format in manufacturing shift handover, and security companies on CGuard Pro rely on on-duty access so guards only see a site while working it, as shown in guard shift handover. For a printable checklist, see the shift handover checklist, and for general handover principles, shift handover communication.
Common mistakes to avoid
- One group for everything. Split kitchen and floor detail from the shared shift updates.
- An 86 list that’s posted, not pinned. Pin and edit it so it stays current.
- Allergy notes only spoken. Write them in the floor and kitchen groups when relevant to a reservation.
- Leaving former staff inside. Remove people the day they leave.
- Messaging staff on days off. Mute is available, but respect time off by keeping non-urgent messages for the next shift.
Getting started
Create a team for your restaurant, add the shift, kitchen and floor groups, pin the pre-shift and closing templates, and invite staff by QR code at the next pre-shift meeting. C Chat is free for now with up to 50 members per team; check pricing and limits and open the web app at getcchat.com/c.
Frequently asked questions
What is an 86 list and how do you share it by chat?
An 86 list is the set of dishes or ingredients that have run out during service. Post it as a pinned message in the shared shift group and edit it as items run out, so servers check one place instead of asking the kitchen each time.
Should servers use their phones during service?
Most restaurants limit phone use on the floor. A common approach is to read the shift group at pre-shift and on breaks, with managers posting only urgent changes during service. Set the rule that fits your house.
How do we handle staff who work for several restaurants or quit without notice?
Each person signs up with their own phone number or email and joins your team by invitation. When someone leaves, an admin removes them from the team and they lose access to its groups, including schedules and supplier notes.
Can managers review what was communicated during a shift?
Yes. Owners and admins can audit and export the team's group conversations, which helps when reviewing a complaint or an incident. Direct messages between staff are private and are not included.