How Texas BBQ Spot Smoky Rose Saved Hours of Admin Time with Fourth Payroll

Challenge

Running a successful, high-volume restaurant like Smoky Rose in Dallas is no small feat. With over 2,500 covers on busy weekends, the team is always on their toes, balancing exceptional service with the complexities of managing staff, payroll, and HR issues. Oscar, Smoky Rose’s Operations Director, enjoys the fast-paced environment but needed to outsource the administrative side of things to focus on what matters most in any restaurant – providing a great guest and staff experience. 

“I love the challenge of working in this industry,” Oscar explained, “but when staff members are spinning so many plates, handling HR and payroll on top of operations can take a lot of time.” 

“But,” says Oscar, “that’s one of the greatest tools you’ve given us—we don’t have to handle all of that.” 

Solution

Smoky Rose has used Fourth PEO for as long as both Oscar and Isabelle can remember. This system allows the restaurant to streamline its HR and payroll processes, making life easier for Oscar and his team.  

One of the standout features for Oscar was the response time from his Fourth representative. “Whenever I have questions about payroll, my rep responds quickly with the information I need right away,” eliminating the need to dig up papers or sift through documents.  

Oscar highlighted how Fourth’s system saved him countless hours dealing with HR tasks. 

“I don’t have to be on the phone with multiple people to get the information I need. I just send Fourth documentation and the  team takes care of it.”

-Oscar, Operations Director

The ease of accessing important documents, such as I-9s and W-2s, also made a significant impact. Isabella, who used Fourth’s system during her tenure as a server, noted how helpful it was. “For tax season, I can just log in and pull up all the records. In other restaurants, I’d have to call and request the information, but with Fourth, it’s right there,” says Isabella.

Result

• 10 hours saved per month: By outsourcing HR and payroll tasks, including employee terminations and disputes, Smoky Rose was able to save approximately 10 hours a month. This allowed Oscar and his team to focus on critical operations and customer service.
• Faster response times: Fourth’s PEO system ensured that questions and issues related to payroll were addressed quickly. This rapid support reduced delays and minimized disruptions in daily operations.
• Seamless employee access: Employees at Smoky Rose were able to easily access important documents like I-9s and W-2s through Fourth’s system, streamlining tax preparation and reducing the need for back-and-forth communication.