Time Tracking for Hospitality: Employee Clock-In App for Restaurants and Hotels

A labour inspector can walk into your restaurant or hotel today and ask for four years of employee time records.

If you don't have them in digital format, the fine can reach €10,000 per employee.

And if you're still using paper, Excel or a sign-in sheet in the kitchen, you don't have them.

This guide explains exactly what you need, which methods are no longer valid, and how hotels, restaurants and hospitality chains are solving time tracking with JornAda.

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What the Law Requires in Hospitality in 2026

Since 2019, recording working hours for every employee has been mandatory in Spain. No exceptions. Waiters, chefs, receptionists, cleaning staff. Everyone.

With the new mandatory digital time tracking regulation coming into force in 2026, records must also be:

• Digital. Paper and Excel are no longer valid.
• Real-time. You can't fill them in at the end of the day.
• Immutable. Any correction must log who changed it and when.
• Remotely accessible to Labour Inspectors. No need for them to visit in person.
• Stored for 4 years on secure servers within the EU.

Want to understand all the details of the new law? Read our complete guide to the new working hours regulation in Spain.

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Why Generic Time Tracking Software Doesn't Work in Hospitality

Hospitality has specific challenges that generic systems simply don't handle well.

Split shifts across morning and night. Staff rotating between venues. Waiters with no desk or computer. Constant hiring and turnover. Contracts with public holidays, night-shift premiums and compensatory rest rules.

A system built for a 9-to-5 office doesn't cut it here.

You need a hospitality time tracking app that understands how your sector actually works. That's exactly what JornAda does.

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How Your Team Clocks In with JornAda: Three Options, All Under Two Seconds

🟡 Tablet Kiosk Mode

Place a tablet at the kitchen entrance or behind the bar. Screen always on, always ready.

The employee enters their four-digit PIN. Clocked in. Two seconds. Back to work.

Works with any Android tablet or iPad. No installation, no cables, no IT support. Your whole team clocking in within five minutes.

🟠 WiFi RFID Reader

For venues with high staff turnover, this is the fastest option.

The reader connects to your venue's WiFi — no cables, no servers. Each employee has their own RFID card or key fob. They tap it and they're clocked in instantly.

You can add as many readers as you need: one at the kitchen entrance, one in the dining room, one at reception. No extra cost per device.

And if the WiFi drops, clock-ins are saved locally and sync automatically when the connection comes back.

🟢 Mobile App

For remote workers, off-site staff or anyone who prefers to use their own phone.

Available on iOS and Android. One-tap clock-in. Optional geolocation to verify the employee is physically at the right location when they clock in.

Want to see it live? Book a free 20-minute demo and we'll show you how it works with your actual data.

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Shift Management in Hospitality: The Schedule Your Team Sees on Their Phone

Building the weekly rota by hand can take hours. With JornAda, minutes.

From a single screen you manage:

• Morning, afternoon, night and split shifts
• Public holidays under the hospitality collective agreement
• Holidays and days off for each employee
• Last-minute sick leave and cover
• Real-time availability for every team member

Publish the schedule with one click and every employee gets their shifts on their phone instantly. No WhatsApp groups, no phone calls, no confusion.

And if something changes last minute, update it in the schedule and the affected employee gets an automatic notification.

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Multi-Site: Manage All Your Venues from One Single Dashboard

You have three restaurants, a hotel and a catering operation. Until now you managed each one separately.

With JornAda, all your venues in one dashboard. See in real time who is clocked in at each site, which shifts are covered and which incidents are open. An employee working across two venues has their clock-ins automatically separated by location.

For groups with more than 50 employees, contact us for a tailored quote.

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Payslips, Contracts and Documents: No Paper, No Printers

At the end of the month, your payroll manager uploads all payslips to JornAda in one go.

Each employee receives theirs in their personal portal and signs it digitally from their phone. No printers, no envelopes, no chasing people down.

The same goes for contracts, internal communications or any document that needs a signature. Everything is logged with date, time and full legal validity.

Explore all JornAda features for hospitality.

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How Much Does JornAda Cost for Your Restaurant or Hotel?

Less than you think. And far less than a fine.

• 5 employees → €10/month (€2.00/user)
• 10 employees → €19/month (€1.90/user)
• 20 employees → €34/month (€1.70/user)
• 30 employees → €48/month (€1.60/user)
• 50 employees → €70/month (€1.40/user)

No lock-in. No setup fees. No hidden costs. Cancel any time.

See all plans at jorn-ada.com/prices.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Time Tracking in Hospitality

Do temporary or weekend employees also need to clock in?
Yes, without exception. The law applies to all contract types. With JornAda, adding a temporary employee takes less than two minutes.

Can I restrict where an employee can clock in from?
Yes. With geolocation enabled, employees can only clock in when they are physically at the venue. Prevents remote clock-ins from home or from the car.

What happens if an employee forgets to clock out?
JornAda sends them an automatic notification to their phone. The employee corrects it via the app, and the manager validates the change with one click. The log records who made the correction and when.

Does it work for franchises and multi-location chains?
Yes. You can manage all your venues under one account, with site-level admins and global access for group management. No limit on the number of venues.

Is the data secure and GDPR-compliant?
Yes. All data is stored encrypted on servers within the European Union. JornAda does not use biometrics of any kind — no fingerprints, no facial recognition.

More questions? Check our FAQ section or get in touch directly.

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Get Started Today. Your Team Clocking In Within 5 Minutes.

Nothing to install. No contracts. No IT team needed.

Create your account, add your team and choose how they clock in: tablet, RFID or mobile.

• → Start your free trial now — no credit card required.
• → Book a free 20-minute demo — we'll show you how JornAda works with your real data.
• → Talk to our team — call us on +34 971 14 38 36 or reach us on WhatsApp.

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Last updated: March 2026. This article is regularly updated to reflect regulatory changes in the hospitality sector.