Running a restaurant means juggling a million little details, from prepping ingredients and training staff to keeping diners happy. Because of that, bookkeeping often ends up on the back burner. Yet staying on top of sales, inventory, payroll, and bills is key to keeping food costs in check and profits healthy.
Finding the right restaurant bookkeeping software lets you avoid managing multiple spreadsheets and the headache that goes with them. Let’s explore six solutions to find the best fit for your café, food truck, or multi-location restaurant.
| Software | Price | G2 User Rating |
 Visit Restaurant365 | $435 per monthAdditional tiers: $635 monthly and custom quote | ★★★★ 4.5 out of 5 (based on 260+ reviews) |
| Verdict: Best all-in-one restaurant management suite | ||
 Visit QuickBooks Online | $35 monthlyAdditional tiers: $65, $99 and $235 monthly | ★★★★ 4.0 out of 5 (based on 3,000+ reviews) |
| Verdict: Best for flexible, scalable restaurant accounting | ||
 Visit Xero | $20 monthlyAdditional tiers: $47 and $80 monthly | ★★★★ 4.3 out of 5 (based on 700+ reviews) |
| Verdict: Best for real-time insights and multi-location tracking | ||
 Visit FreshBooks | $21 monthlyAdditional tiers: $38 and $65 monthly, custom quote | ★★★★ 4.5 out of 5 (based on 900+ reviews) |
| Verdict: Best for mobile invoicing and event time tracking | ||
 Visit Wave | $0 monthlyAdditional tiers: $50 monthly and add-ons | ★★★★ 4.3 out of 5 (based on 290+ reviews) |
| Verdict: Best free solution for small restaurants and food trucks | ||
 Visit Zoho Books | $0 monthlyAdditional tiers: $20, $50 and $70 monthly | ★★★★ 4.5 out of 5 (based on 300+ reviews) |
| Verdict: Best free plan with scalable features for growing restaurants | ||
Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Restaurant Bookkeeping Software
Before you choose restaurant bookkeeping software, you should know what to look for. Here are key factors to consider for a smooth setup and better results:
- POS and banking integrations: The bookkeeping software should link directly to your POS system and bank accounts to monitor sales, tips, and taxes easily.
- Inventory and recipe costing: These tools must help you track ingredient usage and compare it against your forecasted budget. This way, you know your true food cost and stop waste before it hurts your margins.
- Multi-location and class tagging: If you run more than one outlet or offer catering, the software must let you tag transactions by location or service (bar, delivery, dine-in) and run combined or per-location P&L reports.
- Payroll and labor management: A good tool can help manage employee scheduling, time-clock syncing, tip-pool distribution, overtime, and tax withholding.
- Dashboards and reporting: Software with live P&L views can display food cost and labor percentage, so you can make decisions properly.
- Security and compliance: Look for tools that offer PCI-compliant payments, role-based permissions, and audit trails to keep your data safe and help you pass audits without stress.
- Pricing and ROI: Compare flat-fee subscriptions vs. per-transaction fees, and consider how much time you’ll save on manual tasks.
Considering these factors helps you narrow down the options and find the software that fits your restaurant’s needs. The right tool can save you hours of manual work and reduce errors.
Best Restaurant Accounting Software
When you run a restaurant, keeping your books in order can feel like juggling too many plates at once. The right bookkeeping software brings together sales from your POS, inventory counts, payroll hours, and vendor bills into one central spot. That saves you hours each week and cuts down on costly mistakes. It also gives you the clear financial picture you need to keep food costs low and profits high.
1. Restaurant365
| Summary | |
| Restaurant365 brings bookkeeping, inventory, payroll, and financial reporting into one app. Small business owners get real-time dashboards for food cost, labor cost, and prime cost metrics. | |
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ End-to-end POS and vendor integrations ✔️ Automated inventory and recipe costing ✔️ Built-in AP automation and invoice capture ✔️ Real-time P&L and labor reporting | ❌ Higher monthly cost per location ❌ Steeper learning curve for new users ❌ Custom module pricing can add up |
Basic Features
- General ledger, bank reconciliation, and budgeting
- Auto-capture invoices and track payables
- Inventory management and recipe cost control
- Workforce scheduling, time-clock sync, and payroll
- Real-time financial reporting and dashboards
Pricing Plans
| Essential | Professional | Custom |
| $435 per month | $635 per month | Custom quote |
| Core accountingInventoryRecipe costingP&L | All Essential featuresFixed assetsAnalytics | Tailored modules for AR, payroll, or HR |
Overview
Restaurant365 brings every back-office task into one easy platform, so you spend less time on paperwork and more time running your restaurant. Its AP automation auto-captures and codes invoices, routes them for approval, and applies vendor credits, so you never miss a discount or pay late fees.
The real-time financial reporting hooks directly into your POS, giving you live P&L, labor cost, and cash flow numbers. This helps you spot a dip in sales or a spike in food cost before it hurts your bottom line.
Bank reconciliation happens automatically when you connect your bank feeds. With inventory and recipe costing, you see exactly how much you spend on ingredients versus what you planned, so you can stop waste and protect your margins.
The built-in payroll module syncs schedules, time clocks, and tip-pools for accurate pay and tax withholding. All these features work together to simplify bookkeeping, keep your data secure, and give you the insights you need to grow profitably.
2. QuickBooks Online
| Summary | |
| QuickBooks simplifies accounting for restaurants by matching receipt data and categorizing transactions without manual entry. You can tag transactions by location or class (dine-in, bar, delivery) for clear P&Ls on each service. The mobile app captures receipts on the fly and turns them into bills or expense entries. | |
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ Integrates with 50+ restaurant POS and payment apps ✔️ Automates bank feeds and receipt capture to cut bookkeeping errors ✔️ Class and location tracking deliver outlet-level performance | ❌ No built-in recipe costing or advanced inventory management ❌ Lower-tier plans limit users and classes ❌ Deeper reporting features require the higher-cost Advanced plan |
Basic Features
- Income and expense tracking with automatic bank and credit-card feeds
- Custom invoice templates and online invoicing for clients
- Class/location tags for detailed restaurant P&Ls
- Mobile receipt capture for fast bookkeeping on the go
- Vendor billing and bill-pay from one dashboard
- Basic inventory counts in Plus and Advanced plans
Pricing Plans
| SimpleStart | Essentials | Plus | Advanced |
| $35 per month | $65 per month | $99 per month | $235 per month |
| 1 userIncome/expenseInvoicesBasic reporting | Up to 3 usersBill payTime tracking | Up to 5 usersInventory trackingBudget management | Up to 25 usersCustom accessWorkflow automation |
Overview
QuickBooks Online connects your POS and bank accounts so sales, fees, and expenses flow in automatically. Class and location tags let you run separate profit-and-loss reports for your dining room, bar, or delivery service.
The mobile app lets you snap photos of receipts as you go and turn them into expense records instantly. You can send professional invoices, pay bills, and track inventory counts as you grow. And because QuickBooks Online scales from one user to 25, you can add managers or accountants without having to learn new software.
3. Xero
| Summary | |
| Xero is cloud-based and connects your bank and credit-card feeds. It imports receipts and turns them into invoices or expense entries automatically. You can tag transactions by location or menu item, so you see exactly how each outlet or shift performs. Xero also links to popular inventory management apps, giving you real-time stock counts. | |
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ Syncs bank feeds, receipts, and invoices with zero data entry ✔️ Unlimited users and tracking categories for multi-location restaurants ✔️ Integrates with inventory apps for real-time stock control ✔️ Mobile app for on-the-go bookkeeping and invoicing | ❌ No built-in recipe costing or food-cost variance tools ❌ Starter plan limits invoices per month ❌ Learning curve for first-time cloud accounting users |
Basic Features
- Bank reconciliation & auto-entry matching
- Expense tracking & receipt capture via mobile app
- Invoicing & billing with customizable templates
- Fixed asset management and depreciation schedules
- Multi-currency support for imported ingredients or overseas vendors
- Custom reports and analytics with unlimited tracking categories
Pricing Plans
| Early | Growing | Established |
| $20 per month | $47 per month | $80 per month |
| 20 invoices per monthBank reconciliationReports | Unlimited invoicesBulk reconciliations | Multi-currencyAdvanced analytics5 users |
Overview
Xero automatically imports bank and credit-card transactions and matches them to sales and expenses. It also lets you capture receipts with a quick photo and gives you a clear cash-flow snapshot up to 30 days ahead. Use Xero’s accounting dashboard and analytics for real-time reporting on revenue and tax liabilities.
Tag each entry by location, menu item, or shift to see outlet-level P&Ls. As you grow, the Growing and Established plans unlock unlimited invoices, multi-currency support for imported ingredients, and advanced analytics.
4. FreshBooks
| Summary | |
| FreshBooks is simple yet powerful bookkeeping software for small cafés, food trucks, and catering side-hustles. You can snap photos of food receipts with the mobile app and turn them into expense entries. The tool also tracks labor hours for pop-up events. | |
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ Unlimited invoicing for catering clients ✔️ Mobile receipt capture and expense tracking ✔️ Built-in time tracking for hourly staff or event work ✔️ Seamless Gusto payroll integration | ❌ No built-in inventory or recipe costing ❌ Charges per additional user beyond the first ❌ Reporting and project profitability require higher plans |
Basic Features
- Create branded invoices and send automatic reminders
- Snap and upload receipts from your phone
- Record staff hours for payroll or event billing
- Track the cost of private events or catering jobs
- Let clients pay by credit card or ACH
- Automate tip pooling, tax withholding, and direct deposit
Pricing Plans
| Lite | Plus | Premium | Select |
| $21 per month | $38 per month | $65 per month | Custom quote |
| Unlimited invoicesExpense trackingTime tracking | Project profitabilityAutomated late feesTeam roles | Accounts payableVendor retainersAdvanced reports | Dedicated supportData migrationCustom onboarding |
Overview
FreshBooks puts all day-to-day accounting tasks in one place. On your phone, a quick photo of a food shipment receipt becomes an expense entry in seconds. You send and track invoices for catering jobs or private dining events without manual follow-up.
Staff clock in on their phones, and hours feed automatically into your payroll with Gusto. This way, it handles tips, overtime, and tax withholding for you. The software’s simple dashboards show your expense totals and labor costs in real time, so you can adjust orders or shifts before you overspend.
5. Wave
| Summary | |
| Wave is a truly free bookkeeping and accounting software that helps restaurant owners keep their books in order without monthly fees. You can create unlimited invoices, bills, and financial reports, and accept payments on a pay-per-use basis. | |
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ $0 core plan with unlimited bookkeeping records ✔️ Easy invoicing and bill entry from any device ✔️ Auto-import bank and credit-card transactions ✔️ Optional receipt scanning and payroll add-ons | ❌ No built-in inventory or recipe costing ❌ Online payments charge 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction ❌ Limited class/location tagging for multi-unit restaurants |
Basic Features
- Send estimates, invoices, and bills without limits
- Auto-import transactions for faster reconciliation
- Real-time view of cash in and out
- Profit & loss, balance sheet, and sales tax statements
- Snap receipts on mobile for $8/month
- Full-service payroll from $20/month
Pricing Plans
| EasyStart | Essentials | Add-Ons |
| $0 | $50 per month | |
| Unlimited invoices, billsBasic reporting | Everything in StarterAuto-import transactionsAuto-categorizationReceipt scanningLate payment reminders | Receipt Scanning: $8/mo Payroll: $20/mo Bookkeeper: $149/mo |
Overview
Wave offers a free plan that handles as many invoices, bills, and reports as you need. Link your bank and credit-card accounts to auto-import transactions and cut bank reconciliation time in half.
If you run a small café or food truck, snap photos of your food delivery receipts on your phone and have Wave sort them instantly (receipt scanning add-on). You can also upgrade to the Essentials plan to accept online payments at a lower fee per transaction, automate bank imports, and send friendly late-payment reminders.
6. Zoho Books
| Summary | |
| Zoho Books gives restaurant owners a clear view of their books and bills. With its free tier, You can send up to 1,000 free invoices a year, connect your bank for automatic transaction imports, and track food costs against sales. As your restaurant grows, Zoho’s paid plans unlock inventory tracking, project costing, and multi-location support. This helps you keep your ingredients and vendor bills in check and frees you up to focus on guests, not paperwork. | |
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ Free plan includes 1,000 invoices, bank reconciliation, mileage tracking, and basic reports ✔️ Affordable paid tiers add inventory, budgets, and project profitability ✔️ Automated bank feeds and recurring invoices save hours of manual entry ✔️ Role-based permissions keep your financial data secure | ❌ Steeper learning curve for first-time bookkeeping software users ❌ Free plan limits you to 1,000 invoices per year ❌ Fewer restaurant-specific add-ons than some peers |
Basic Features
- Create and email invoices, estimates, and payment reminders
- Auto-import and categorize transactions for accurate bookkeeping
- Log delivery and supply runs for tax deductions
- Generate sales-tax and tax-summary reports at a click
- Submit and approve staff expenses under one roof
- Automate approvals for bills, purchase orders, and vendor credits
Pricing Plans
| Free | Standard | Professional | Premium |
| $0 | $20 per month | $50 per month | $70 per month |
| 1,000 invoices per yearBank reconciliationBasic reports | Unlimited invoicesConnect bank feedsCustom reports | Projects and inventoryPurchase ordersUp to 5 users | Budgets forecastingCustom rolesUp to 10 users |
Add-Ons:
- Additional Users: $3 per user, per month
- Advanced Auto-Scan: $10 per month for unlimited document scanning
- Locations: $12 per location, per month for multi-outlet reporting
- Expense Claims: $9 per user, per month for full claims management
- Bill Pay: $69 per month for direct bill payments
Overview
Zoho Books automates invoice generation, vendor bill entry, and bank reconciliation. You can snap photos of food receipts on your phone and let Zoho auto-scan the details into your expenses. Attach purchase orders to bills so you always know what you received and at what price.
The free plan covers most startup needs. Upgrading to Professional or Premium unlocks inventory tracking and project costing, which is ideal for kitchens that manage food trucks, catering events, or multiple dining rooms.
Skip the financial management balancing act
With the right accounting software, you can get real-time insights and fewer errors when it comes to managing your restaurant’s finances. POS and bank integrations, recipe costing, automated invoicing, and real-time dashboards all work together to keep food and labor expenses in check.
If it all sounds overwhelming, let the EpicBooks team take bookkeeping off your plate. We’ll help you set up, manage, and optimize your restaurant’s financials, so you spend less time agonizing over numbers and more time growing your business. Get in touch today!
