Restaurant Accounting Questions
Straight answers to the questions restaurant owners actually ask, each one tied to the service that handles it. No thin articles, no filler. If a question is worth searching, it is worth answering properly.
Sales and deposits
How do I reconcile DoorDash deposits?
Match each payout to the platform statement, split out commissions, promotions and adjustments, and record gross sales. The deposit is the last step, not the sale.
Read the answer →Why doesn't my restaurant POS match my bank?
Timing, card settlement batches, processing fees, refunds and tips all sit between the POS total and the deposit. Every one of them is reconcilable.
Read the answer →How should gift cards be accounted for?
A gift card sale is a liability, not income. It becomes revenue when the card is redeemed, and breakage is handled by rule, not by guess.
Read the answer →Food, labour and tips
What is restaurant prime cost?
Cost of goods sold plus total labour. It is the single number that tells you whether the menu and the schedule are working together.
Read the answer →What is a good food cost percentage for a restaurant?
It depends on your concept and menu. What matters is measuring it the same way every period, against a theoretical cost built from your own recipes.
Read the answer →How should restaurant tips be accounted for?
Tips are not revenue. They are collected, pooled or paid out directly, and reported through payroll with the correct tax treatment for your jurisdiction.
Read the answer →Running the business
Should every restaurant location have its own P&L?
Yes. Without location-level P&Ls you cannot see which room is carrying the business, and shared costs will hide the answer.
Read the answer →Why is my restaurant profitable on paper but short on cash?
Timing. Payroll, rent, sales tax and vendor terms do not follow your P&L. Profit is an opinion about a period. Cash is a schedule.
Read the answer →Don't see your question?
Ask it. If it's worth asking, it's probably worth answering here too.
Know where your money is going.
Seven quick questions, and a Savoury restaurant accounting specialist will come back with where your numbers stand.