Which data point is most useful to project future staffing needs for a summer season in a restaurant?

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

Answer: (A)

The main idea is to use season-specific data to forecast staffing needs. Last summer’s revenues and staffing patterns are the most useful because they show how many staff were needed during the same peak period and how those needs aligned with actual demand. This creates a direct link between how busy the restaurant was and how many employees were required, making it possible to estimate staffing for this coming summer by scaling those past figures to projected revenue.

Last month’s data isn’t as helpful because it may reflect a different season, a short-term trend, or irregular events, so it doesn’t reliably represent the summer workload. History of turnover helps you anticipate hiring challenges, but it doesn’t tell you how many staff are needed to handle the anticipated customer volume. Industry-wide staffing patterns are too broad and may not capture the specific seasonal dynamics of this restaurant’s location, menu, hours, or guest patterns.