Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Bookkeeping Tasks for Restaurants

Your Restaurant Bookkeeping Checklist for Smooth, Profitable Operations

Staying on top of your numbers is one of the most important things you can do as a restaurant owner. Whether you’re running a bustling dining room or a small neighborhood café, having a structured restaurant accounting routine helps you stay profitable, avoid cash flow issues, and make smarter decisions.

That’s why every restaurant—especially small businesses—needs a restaurant bookkeeping checklist. By breaking down essential tasks into daily, weekly, and monthly categories, you can stay organized, reduce financial risk, and free up time to focus on food and customers.

Here’s what your restaurant’s bookkeeping routine should look like:

DAILY TASKS

These are the non-negotiables. Keeping up with these daily tasks ensures your numbers stay accurate and you catch issues before they spiral.

1. Shift Inventory Counts

Count key inventory items at the start and end of each shift, especially high-cost ingredients. This helps keep food cost percentages low and helps prevent theft or overuse.

2. Shift Close Procedures for Counting Cash

At the end of each shift, count the cash in the register and remove it for deposit. This creates accountability and helps catch discrepancies early.

3. Preparation of Bank Deposits

Even if you only visit the bank once a week, preparing your daily deposits keeps cash organized and reduces the chance of loss. Store daily deposits in a safe until the scheduled bank run.

4. Send POS Journal Entries to QuickBooks

Some point of sale (POS) systems allow you to send sales data directly to QuickBooks. This ensures daily sales are accurately reflected in your books and reduces manual data entry.

5. Track Employee Time

Accurate time tracking keeps payroll correct and protects against time theft or unauthorized overtime. It also helps you better understand labor cost trends over time.

WEEKLY TASKS

Weekly bookkeeping helps ensure that you stay ahead of your restaurant’s obligations and prevent small problems from turning into bigger ones.

1. Reconcile Bank Deposits Against POS Reports

Make sure the physical bank deposits match the daily reports from your POS system. This helps detect discrepancies and ensures funds aren’t being misappropriated.

2. Process Payroll

Depending on your pay schedule, you may need to run payroll weekly. This includes reviewing hours, calculating pay, and submitting direct deposits or checks.

3. Inventory Management and Order Recording

Most restaurants place weekly food and supply orders. When deliveries arrive, carefully record the receipt and document any shortages or damaged goods to keep your books accurate.

4. Accounts Payable

Many vendors require payment on a weekly basis. Keep track of what’s due, avoid late fees, and ensure your suppliers are paid on time to maintain a good working relationship.

MONTHLY TASKS

Your monthly bookkeeping tasks give you the bigger picture. This is when you evaluate how the business is really doing and whether adjustments are needed.

1. Record All Income and Expenses

Enter all transactions into your bookkeeping system, including credit card sales, cash sales, bank fees, supply costs, and utilities. This provides a full picture of your financial activity.

2. Apply Loan Payments Properly

Loan payments should be broken down into principal and interest. This ensures your liability accounts are accurate and your interest expense is correctly recorded.

3. Reconcile Your Books Against Statements

Check your records against bank, credit card, and loan statements to ensure everything matches. Reconciliation is key to catching errors and maintaining financial integrity.

4. Prepare Financial Statements

Generate your profit and loss statement, balance sheet, and cash flow report. These are critical to understanding your restaurant’s performance.

5. Analyze KPIs and Adjust Strategy

Use your financial statements to evaluate key performance indicators like food cost percentage, labor cost, and net profit. Use these insights to make smart, data-driven business decisions.

Don’t Let Bookkeeping Fall Behind

Bookkeeping is often seen as a back-office task, but it’s the engine behind every smart business decision. An organized restaurant accounting routine gives you the clarity you need to control costs, monitor cash flow, and grow your business.

At ProfitWise, we specialize in small business bookkeeping for restaurants. We know that many owners don’t speak “numbers,” so we offer one-on-one support to explain what your financials are really telling you. Each month, we meet with clients to walk through their numbers and provide actionable insights to help them stay on track.

Need help building a bookkeeping system that works for your restaurant?

Let ProfitWise create a custom routine that fits your needs and helps you become more profitable—one day, one week, and one month at a time.

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