Restaurant Bookkeeping Checklist – What to Track Weekly and Monthly
Between managing the kitchen, staff, and customers, it’s easy for restaurant bookkeeping to fall behind. But tracking your numbers weekly and monthly can uncover waste, boost margins, and prepare you for tax season.
Download Our Free Brochure →Weekly Bookkeeping Tasks for Restaurants
1. Reconcile POS Totals
- Match daily Z-tape or POS totals with bank deposits
- Check for missing or duplicate entries
2. Track Tip Distribution
- Log daily tip-outs
- Reconcile tips paid vs tips reported
3. Review Vendor Deliveries and Invoices
- Match delivery tickets with invoices
- Flag any overcharges or missed items
4. Monitor Inventory Usage and Waste
- Track inventory shrinkage or spoilage weekly
- Use this data to adjust orders or menu pricing
5. Record Daily Sales by Channel
- Separate dine-in, takeout, delivery, and online orders for margin visibility
Monthly Bookkeeping Tasks
1. Run P&L and Cash Flow Reports
- Analyze food, labor, and operational costs
- Track profitability trends over time
2. Reconcile Credit Cards and Bank Accounts
- Match transactions and verify closing balances
3. File or Prepare Sales Tax
Download Our Free Brochure →- Calculate taxes owed from POS data and ensure on-time filings
4. Review Payroll and Labor Costs
- Match hours worked to wages paid, including tip credits
- Flag any anomalies for review
5. Set Budget for Next Month
- Use this month’s data to forecast expenses and set sales goals
Test Case
A pizzeria in New York began using this checklist with RemoteBooksOnline. Within 3 months:
- Food cost dropped from 39% to 33%
- Weekly reconciliations revealed $600 in unrecorded tips
- Their CPA required zero corrections at year-end
Want help staying organized all month long? Our restaurant bookkeeping services handle your checklist automatically.
Restaurant Bookkeeping Services Across States
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FAQs
Can you automate this checklist with my POS system?
Yes. We integrate with most major POS platforms.
Do you offer weekly and monthly reporting?
Yes. We customize reports to match your frequency and needs.
What if we’re behind a few months?
We offer full catch-up bookkeeping and POS reconciliation.
Stay in control of your restaurant’s numbers-without spending hours in spreadsheets.
