The accounting software you choose for your restaurant should allow you to track revenue easily, as well as the three largest expenses for any restaurant: food, labor, and overhead. You should be able to track your business transactions in detail, so you can customize reports to tell you exactly what you need to know. Based on the typical accounting needs of most restaurants, we’ve compiled a list of the five best accounting software options.
Top 5 Restaurant Accounting Software 2020
Accounting Software | Best For |
|---|---|
(Best overall) Any restaurant that wants accounting, payroll, and operations all in one system | |
Restaurant owners looking for an accounting solution that will integrate with the tools they already use to run their business | |
Businesses looking for a system of products that work together seamlessly and allows you to choose which modules you need | |
Mobile restaurants looking to streamline their operation and increase their profit margins | |
Restaurant owners who want a financial solution that comes with a team of experts who provide advice and individualized training |
Restaurant365: Best Overall Restaurant Accounting Software
 | Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Easy integration with many applications | Cannot print checks from within the platform | |
Data collection automation for payroll | Difficult setup and navigation | |
Multiple location capabilities | Not very affordable for restaurants with a lean budget | |
Pricing
| ||
Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Easy integration with many applications | Cannot print checks from within the platform |
Data collection automation for payroll | Difficult setup and navigation |
Multiple location capabilities | Not very affordable for restaurants with a lean budget |
Pricing:
| |
Restaurant365 is ideal for a foodservice business looking for a solution to run its entire business. With Restaurant365, you can choose operations software, financial software, or a combination of both. Restaurant365 offers restaurant management tools like inventory, scheduling, and recipe costing to help keep the pulse of your business. The Accounting module includes tools like payroll automation, expense amortization, budgeting, reporting, and receivables and payables management to help you streamline your restaurant operations.
QuickBooks Online: Best Accounting Software for Restaurant-specific Integrations
 | Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Access from anywhere | No free version | |
User-friendly | Payroll is an add-on at an extra cost | |
Receipt capture and organization tools | No industry-specific tools | |
Pricing
| ||
| |
Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Access from anywhere | No free version |
User-friendly | Payroll is an add-on at an extra cost |
Receipt capture and organization tools | No industry-specific tools |
Pricing:
| |
QuickBooks Online is a powerful, cloud-based accounting solution that integrates with hundreds of restaurant-specific add-ons and applications like RestaurantOps, Cohesion for Restaurants, and QSROnlineSync. You can manage business mileage, employee time, and 1099 contractors easily. QuickBooks Online is the most widely used accounting software in the world, making it a familiar application to most accountants and bookkeepers. In addition, because it is so popular, many other software applications and apps integrate seamlessly with QuickBooks Online.
Compeat: Best Restaurant Accounting Software for Custom Tools
 | Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Customizable data views and reporting | You have to contact the vendor for pricing | |
User-friendly interface and easy navigation | Big learning curve for a robust system | |
Everything you need available in one set of systems | Sometimes difficult to share scheduling views | |
Pricing
| ||
| |
Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Customizable data views and reporting | You have to contact the vendor for pricing |
User-friendly interface and easy navigation | Big learning curve for a robust system |
Everything you need available in one set of systems | Sometimes difficult to share scheduling views |
Pricing:
| |
Compeat is unique because it lets you choose the modules you need so that you don’t have to pay for the tools you don’t. For example, if you need accounting software for your restaurant but don’t need scheduling capabilities yet you can choose to only subscribe to the solutions you need and add on other solutions when you’re ready. Compeat also has an impressive roster of partners like ADP, Aramark, and Challenge, making it easy to get the information you need from vendors and suppliers quickly and easily.
Food Service Ace: Best Restaurant Accounting Software for Mobile Restaurants
 | Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Responsive support available 24/7 | Interface with POS systems is not in real-time | |
Monitor capital projects and fixed assets | Budgets must be loaded from a formatted spreadsheet | |
Tools for supply chain, catering, and back office management | The apps must be installed on an Android or iOS device with Wi-Fi | |
Pricing
| ||
| |
Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Responsive support available 24/7 | Interface with POS systems is not in real-time |
Monitor capital projects and fixed assets | Budgets must be loaded from a formatted spreadsheet |
Tools for supply chain, catering, and back office management | The apps must be installed on an Android or iOS device with Wi-Fi |
Pricing:
| |
Food Service Ace is a set of mobile apps that works on any Wi-Fi-enabled Android or iOS device. The apps are designed to work with one another as well as other software applications, making managing your restaurant seamless. With the mobile restaurant in mind, Food Service Ace developers created a suite of apps that work perfectly on mobile devices. You can manage all aspects of your restaurant business from anywhere like a hot dog cart, coffee kiosk, or food truck.
Restaurant Solutions: Best for Restaurateurs Who Need Assistance From Experts
 | Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Earn rebates when purchasing through RSI | You have to contact the vendor for pricing | |
Employee management features | No POS | |
Menu management | Not available on mobile devices | |
Pricing
| ||
| |
Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Earn rebates when purchasing through RSI | You have to contact the vendor for pricing |
Employee management features | No POS |
Menu management | Not available on mobile devices |
Pricing:
| |
Restaurant Solutions is a good choice for restaurant owners who need restaurant bookkeeping software and guidance from industry experts. What makes Restaurant Solutions unique is its commitment to educating restaurant clients by providing access to a team of industry-specialized accountants, tax professionals, and operations trainers with in-depth knowledge and experience in the restaurant industry.
How We Evaluated Restaurant Accounting Software
Having access to up-to-date financial information on a daily or weekly basis is critical to restaurant owners. Food and beverage costs make up the highest expenses for a restaurant. It’s important to review these costs regularly so that you can make informed decisions like the number of ingredients to order, which suppliers offer the lowest costs, and how to price your food to make a profit. Your restaurant accounting solution should provide this information in an easy-to-use interface.
We considered the following features when evaluating small business accounting software for restaurants:
- Accessibility: Access to data 24/7/365 is critical for restaurateurs to review reports and update information at any time, from anywhere.
- Sales tracking: The most comprehensive software can track sales on a daily or weekly basis as well as by location or department like food, catering, or merchandise sales.
- Expense tracking: The best restaurant accounting software can track all of your ingredients and labor costs so you can understand the profitability of your restaurant.
- Payroll: Software should give you the ability to track payroll for your restaurant, including tips, open shifts, and the high turnover that is typical in the industry.
- Reporting: Comprehensive restaurant bookkeeping software includes detailed reporting of all revenue and expenses so restaurant owners can make informed business decisions.
- Point-of-sale (POS) systems integration: Accounting software should integrate with your POS system to ensure manual tasks are automated, saving you both time and money.
Bottom Line
Based on the criteria we used to evaluate restaurant accounting software, we recommend Restaurant365 as the best all-around accounting solution for restaurants. Restaurant365 is more expensive than other options, but it is a well-built system made specifically with the restaurant owner in mind. It integrates with many other commonly used applications and tools, is user-friendly, and offers everything you need to run the back and the front of your restaurant business.
