New food-sector hiring app lands 100+ Montreal restaurants

A new locally made app called Waldo is disrupting how Montreal restaurants hire staff—and how workers find their next gig. Before its official public launch this summer, the platform has already signed more than 100 of the city's best-known restaurants.

Waldo works like a dating app for hospitality jobs. Job seekers browse open positions at restaurants, cafés, bars, and nightclubs, swipe on what interests them, and connect directly with hiring managers—all within the app. From first contact to first shift happens seamlessly. For restaurant owners, the service cuts down time spent sorting applications and gets them to the right candidate faster.

The app was created by the team behind local hotspots like NDG Luncheonette, Honey Martin, and Bar Loic. "Hospitality hiring has always been one of the most chaotic parts of running a restaurant," said co-founder Dillon Griffin. "We were tired of tools being designed by tech careerists for us. We thought it was time something was built by someone in this industry. Hospitality first, technology second."

The roster reads like a highlights reel of Montreal dining: Vin Mon Lapin, Joe Beef, Liverpool House, Vin Papillon, Elena, Le Violon, Garde-Manger, Nora Grey, Olive + Gourmando, Atwater Cocktail Club, Satay Brothers, and Café Olímpico are all on board, with dozens more. A handful have made it their exclusive hiring platform.

Users can browse jobs at favourite spots, follow particular restaurants to get notified when positions open, and apply with ease. Waldo is deliberately designed for independent, owner-operated restaurants instead of chains or large corporate groups. The app is available now on the App Store and Google Play.