When forecasting staff needs for the summer season, which of the following would a manager of a seaside restaurant likely examine first?

• A. Last summer's revenues and staffing patterns
• B. Last month's revenues and staffing patterns
• C. History of turnover for the establishment
• D. Staffing patterns for the restaurant industry

Answer: (A)

Seasonal staffing forecasting starts with grounding your plan in the period that best represents the upcoming peak: last summer’s actual demand and how many staff were needed to handle it. By examining last summer’s revenues and staffing patterns, the manager sees a concrete link between customer volume and the number and types of employees required during the busy season. This provides a realistic baseline to plan from, since it reflects the restaurant’s own experience, hours, and peak workload.

Last month’s data might reflect a different season or shoulder period and won’t accurately capture peak summer needs. Turnover history tells you about hiring stability, but not the specific staffing levels required during high demand. Industry-wide staffing patterns are too broad and may not fit this seaside restaurant’s unique customer flow, hours, or seasonal events.