Restaurant Bookkeeping Services: Food Cost, Tips & Payroll

Running a restaurant isn’t just about great food. It’s about razor-thin margins, busy staff, surprise repairs, and staying ahead of the chaos.

That’s why you need Restaurant Bookkeeping that actually fits your world—fast-paced, detail-heavy, and always moving.

We help restaurants get control of their numbers, stay compliant, and make better financial decisions. Whether you run a full-service restaurant, café, bar, or food truck—we’ve got your back.

We Know the Industry

Restaurant bookkeeping is different. You’re not just dealing with income and expenses. You’ve got:

• Tips to track

• Vendor invoices coming in daily

• Inventory that moves fast (or goes bad)

• Payroll every week

• Sales tax that changes by city

• POS systems that don’t always play nice with your books

We’ve worked with restaurants of all sizes, from a tiny bakery to a high-volume bistro. We know where things go wrong—and how to keep it running clean.

What We Do

Here’s how we help restaurants stay financially healthy:

• Record and categorize daily sales and expenses

• Reconcile POS reports to actual deposits

• Track vendor bills and payments

• Manage payroll records (or handle payroll for you)

• Monitor food and labor costs

• File sales tax on time and correctly

• Provide monthly P&L and cash flow reports

• Help you understand your numbers so you can make better calls

You’ll get clean books every month and real support when you’ve got questions.

Make Better Decisions with Real Numbers

When your books are a mess, you end up guessing. That can lead to pricing mistakes, over-ordering, or missing signs that your food cost is creeping too high.

We help you:

• Stay on top of food and labor percentages

• Spot trends in slow days or menu performance

• Budget for seasonality

• Prepare for expansion (or handle the tough months)

One client in Portland realized they were losing money on their most popular menu item. We helped them adjust the recipe and the pricing—and they turned things around in two months.

Clean Books Mean Fewer Surprises

Whether you’re getting ready for tax season, applying for a loan, or just trying to pay your staff—knowing your numbers gives you peace of mind.

With us, your books stay clean. Your reports show what’s real. And you stop feeling like you’re always catching up.

Works With Your Systems

We connect with your existing tools, including:

• Toast, Square, Clover, and other POS systems

• QuickBooks Online or Desktop

• Gusto, ADP, or your payroll service

• Inventory tracking systems

We’ll help you streamline, reduce manual entry, and build a system that fits how your restaurant actually runs.

Local Support, Nationwide Service

We started in Seattle and support food businesses nationwide. Whether you need full-service bookkeeping or just help cleaning things up, we’re here for it.

Let’s Make the Numbers Easier

You’ve got enough going on. Let us handle the books, organize the chaos, and show you what’s really happening in your business—so you can stop guessing and start growing.

Flat monthly pricing. No hourly bills. Just reliable, restaurant-friendly bookkeeping that works.

Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Bookkeeping

What does restaurant bookkeeping include?

Restaurant bookkeeping covers daily sales and expense recording, POS reconciliation, vendor bill tracking, payroll management, food and labor cost monitoring, monthly P&L and cash flow reports, and sales tax filing. CentsIQ works with POS systems like Toast, Square, and Clover, and integrates with QuickBooks and Gusto.

Why do restaurants need specialized bookkeeping?

Restaurants have unique financial complexities including tip tracking, daily vendor invoices, rapidly moving inventory, weekly payroll, location-specific sales tax rules, and POS systems that do not automatically sync with accounting software. Specialized restaurant bookkeeping ensures accurate records and helps owners monitor key metrics like food cost percentage and labor cost percentage.

What is a good food cost percentage for a restaurant?

Most restaurants target a food cost percentage between 28% and 35% of revenue. Labor costs typically add another 30-35%, meaning combined prime cost should ideally stay below 65% of sales. CentsIQ helps restaurant owners track these percentages monthly so they can spot problems early and make data-driven decisions.

Does CentsIQ handle restaurant payroll?

Yes. CentsIQ can manage payroll records for restaurants or handle full payroll processing. They work with payroll services including Gusto and ADP, and can track tip reporting, direct deposit, and payroll tax compliance for restaurant staff.

Does CentsIQ offer bookkeeping for food trucks and cafes?

Yes. CentsIQ provides bookkeeping services for all types of food service businesses, including full-service restaurants, cafes, bars, food trucks, and catering companies. CentsIQ is based in Seattle and works with clients nationwide, remotely across the U.S.