1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1


                           Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
                            4 Park Plaza, Suite 1700
                            Irvine, Californis 92614





                                  July 8, 1996






Telephone                                                        Our File Number
(714) 451-3800                                                       75293-00027




RemedyTemp, Inc.
32122 Camino Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano, CA  92675

         Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-1
                  (Registration No. 333-4276)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the
"Registration Statement") filed by RemedyTemp, Inc., a California corporation
(the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 1, 1996
(Registration No. 333-4276), as amended to the date hereof, in connection with
the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of up to an
aggregate of 3,565,000 shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock, par value
$0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), to be sold in a proposed public offering
(the "Offering"), consisting of (i) up to 1,870,000 shares of Common Stock to be
issued and sold by the Company, and (ii) up to 1,695,000 shares of Common Stock
to be sold by selling shareholders (such shares, together with the shares to be
issued and sold by the Company, being referred to herein as the "Shares"), all
as set forth in the Registration Statement.

         As your counsel, we have examined the Company's Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, each as amended to
the date hereof, and the records of corporate proceedings and other actions
taken by the Company in connection with the
   2
RemedyTemp, Inc.
June 14, 1996
Page 2

authorization and issuance of the Common Stock being sold by the Company and
the sale of the Shares by the Company and the Selling Shareholders. Based upon
the foregoing and in reliance thereon, and subject to (i) compliance with
applicable state securities laws and (ii) receipt from the Securities and
Exchange Commission of an order declaring the Registration Statement effective,
it is our opinion that the Shares, when issued and paid for pursuant to the
Registration Statement (and pertinent exhibits thereto), will be validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, and we further consent to the use of our name under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus forming a part of said Registration
Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within
the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commissioner.

                                Very truly yours,



                                GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER



WLS/BWC/CNL