A family-owned fast food franchise with 10 restaurants from Atlanta to Blue Ridge faced ongoing workforce management complexity across diverse locations. The team needed a flexible way to staff multiple roles without disrupting fast-paced operations. They also wanted a reliable option for remote restaurants where staffing was harder to secure. The franchise implemented an on-demand staffing platform after an internal recommendation and early success at more remote locations. A supervisor overseeing four restaurants helped roll it out more broadly across the group. They used it to post and fill maintenance, front-of-house, and line cook shifts, including dishwashing duties, while aligning with food safety requirements. Pros fulfilled over 2,500 labor hours across multiple locations for the franchise. The team built a Favorited pool of 30 or more Pros and used Direct Offers to quickly cover needed shifts. They reported that shifts posted with adequate lead time were guaranteed to be fulfilled and that the solution helped them secure supplemental staff that could learn and train to corporate standards.

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A private residential golf resort faced fluctuating staffing needs driven by seasonal changes and event schedules. This unpredictability made it difficult to maintain enough staff for larger events. To fill gaps, the resort relied on local temporary staffing services that increased labor costs through higher markups. The resort implemented a gig economy staffing platform to source gig workers for peak periods, especially for event preparation and food service. It streamlined onboarding so workers received essential training in just 15 minutes. The approach also created a way to evaluate workers as potential longer-term team members. The resort moved away from local temporary services that typically charged 10–15% higher markups on finder’s fees and hourly rates. It accelerated staffing readiness through 15-minute onboarding and training. It also transitioned many gig workers into full-time employees, strengthening its long-term talent pipeline while supporting peak event execution.

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Enmarket Arena opened in February 2022 and initially relied on a temp agency to staff hospitality shifts. With COVID-related closures reducing the number of local agencies, limited competition drove higher labor costs. The venue paid a premium to cover events, with costs running $15,000 to $18,000 per event. Leadership needed a more sustainable approach without sacrificing service and culture. In May 2022, the team implemented an on-demand event staffing platform to fill hospitality roles. The arena used it to staff a range of positions, including dishwashers, line cooks, and bartenders. The new approach provided workers the team felt confident had represented the arena’s brand and image. Some workers returned across multiple shifts and took on additional responsibilities. The arena reduced event staffing spend from over $54,000 for four events to under $27,000 for more than 14 events across four months. The team completed 838+ gigs over the period. They also made 25+ hires without buyout fees for converting workers. Overall, the venue sustained staffing coverage while maintaining service standards and culture.

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SEARCH Foundation needed talented, reliable staff for its annual signature fundraising event, which drew over 500 attendees. When planning its first event back after the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, the team did not know how to secure the 30+ staff required for one night. Hiring full-time for an annual event was not practical, and finding qualified talent through temp agencies was not guaranteed. The foundation implemented an official staffing partnership to source event professionals on demand. In 2021, a board member who had previously used the talent network introduced SEARCH leadership to the staffing team. Within hours, the required staff for the fundraising event was secured. The partnership then supported recurring needs, providing roles such as bartenders, servers, catering support, and event setup. The event was staffed successfully for a 500+ attendee fundraiser, and the organization gained confidence it could rely on qualified professionals year after year. The partnership also supported the foundation’s mission beyond event staffing through ongoing donations that helped fund grants. SEARCH continued assisting qualified applicants, maintaining its record of helping 100% of qualified requests. Since 1997, the foundation had provided over $1 million in crisis grants to special events professionals.

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Sharonville Convention Center needed to staff the NAACP’s annual gala, a high-profile event with over 1,000 guests. With the gala only 2 days away, the team had to find 35 event servers on an urgent timeline. Traditional hiring steps like posting ads, sourcing candidates, and interviewing would have taken weeks. The convention center also faced ongoing staffing swings tied to seasonal event volume. The operations team worked with a staffing platform and coordinated details for the event through their account support. After connecting, they received rapid confirmations from qualified, verified professionals who were available to work the gala. The approach helped them cover roles quickly without relying on lengthy recruiting cycles. Over time, the convention center built a dependable roster of returning professionals who already knew the venue, reducing the need for repeat training. The team filled all 35 event server positions within hours and the gala ran smoothly. Across ongoing operations, the convention center staffed more than 1,800 shifts through the platform. Those shifts maintained an average pro rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. The venue also developed a roster of over 66 verified professionals it could rely on for future events.

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The DeSoto Hotel, a historic 245-room boutique property in Savannah, faced heightened competition and a lack of nearby affordable housing for workers. The team struggled to find quality staff who could meet service standards as new hotels and restaurants entered the market. Prior staffing agency efforts delivered inconsistent skill levels, high labor rates, and insufficient coverage during service. The hotel implemented an on-demand staffing platform to improve control and flexibility in hiring across outlets. Leaders used transparency into worker profiles and built a list of trusted “favorite” Pros to reliably staff shifts. The solution supported shorter-term postings and helped multiple managers coordinate staffing across four departments. It also enabled the hotel to observe workers on shifts before making long-term hiring decisions. The hotel saved $7,000 on labor costs after adopting the platform’s workers. It posted positions almost daily to maintain a steady pipeline of staffing options. The approach supported workforce development by allowing trials before full-time offers. The DeSoto Hotel transitioned 3+ workers into full-time employment.

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A hurricane forced Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent, Virginia to reschedule a weekend race series on short notice. General manager Thomas Brantley needed to completely re-staff for three major races expected to draw over 7,000 people. He had only days to rebuild the schedule and ensure the weekend ran smoothly. The racetrack also faced seasonal staffing swings and a smaller labor pool due to its location. Brantley reached out to his account executive to explain the urgent staffing situation. The team worked closely with him to source the hospitality professionals required for the rescheduled race weekend. They confirmed workers quickly and aligned staffing to match fluctuating demand. Brantley also relied on returning professionals he had worked with before, reducing the need for on-site training. Within two days, 35 professionals were confirmed to cover the busy weekend. The three major races proceeded without a hitch despite the emergency reschedule. The approach helped Colonial Downs staff up for peak needs across its short season while avoiding unnecessary overhead during the off season. Overall, the racetrack maintained operations for a high-attendance weekend under tight time constraints.

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Arizona Culinary Institute struggled to staff dishwashing shifts across busy day and night classes and its student-run restaurant. The school faced a frustratingly low 20% fill rate for dish shifts. Prior staffing agencies delivered inconsistent results, with workers arriving late, unprepared, or leaving mid-shift. These gaps forced staff to step away from their duties to provide unexpected on-the-job training. The institute created a free account and gained access to a large local network of vetted hospitality professionals. The implemented approach used a multi-step vetting process that required a minimum of one year of hospitality experience. The school also built a custom talent pool so strong performers could be invited back for future shifts. Over time, leadership identified several dishwashers worth offering full-time roles. After the transition, dishwashing shift fill rates rose to 99%, helping operations run more smoothly. The institute filled over 70 dishwashing shifts through the platform. Professionals earned an average rating of 4.8/5 stars from the school. With a more dependable pipeline for this critical role, classes and restaurant service experienced improved reliability.

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Miralea Lifestyles Retirement Community at Masonic Homes Kentucky faced severe staffing shortages during the post-COVID recovery period. Finding reliable, skilled hospitality staff to operate their full-service restaurants became a major obstacle. Traditional staffing approaches contributed to turnover and made it difficult to keep committed workers. Leadership indicated they might have needed to temporarily shut down one restaurant without additional staffing support. Miralea implemented a shift-based labor marketplace to fill staffing gaps and stabilize operations. They expanded beyond occasional coverage to regularly post front-of-house and back-of-house roles, including servers, line cooks, prep cooks, and dishwashers. They also posted utility-type roles to support maintenance. The shift-based model functioned as a working interview process so they could identify strong fits and build longer-term relationships. Miralea maintained full restaurant operations during the recovery period. Professionals completed over 2,300 shift hours while Miralea posted shifts at an average rate of $17 per hour. The team created continuity by favoriting and bringing back repeat professionals, which helped residents see consistent faces. Leaders credited the approach with helping keep restaurants open and meals consistently served.

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QSR Executive Enterprises, a top burger franchise with 24 locations across Northern Ohio, faced significant staffing issues across stores. Increased area competition, seasonality, and low application volume made it difficult to keep restaurants properly staffed. Managers worked 16-hour shifts, and the team frequently pulled staff from one location to cover another, creating strain. The Director of Operations piloted an on-demand staffing platform in one location after a recommendation from another operator. After the trial succeeded, the solution was rolled out across all 24 stores. The team used features like Direct Offer to bring back trusted Professionals and improve consistency. The company staffed both front-of-house and back-of-house roles and improved the ability to plan ahead for high-demand periods. In the first month, the franchise attributed over $60,000 in total employee hours paid to Professionals sourced through the platform. Over less than six months, the company filled 10,000+ shift hours across locations. Two Professionals were hired into full-time management roles. Manager schedules became more manageable compared with the prior 16-hour shifts, while the business avoided sacrificing staffing at one store to meet the needs of another.

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