The 7 Best Restaurant Payroll Software

The platform boasts an intuitive, user-friendly interface and strong customer support, and you can test it during one month for free. Whether you’re trying to process payroll on a remote expedition or while on the way to get your car from the parking garage, payroll apps make payroll processing easier than ever before. Most apps come fully featured with payroll tax calculation, automatic payroll and employee direct deposit. The best payroll apps will also offer features, such as time tracking, paid time off (PTO) tracking and 401(k) integration. To help you find the best payroll app for your business, Forbes Advisor did the research and analysis to bring you the best payroll apps. More expensive payroll software plans cost around $180 per month plus $10-$20 per employee per month.

Compliance Assurance

Paychex Flex’s tip management system helps you track and pay out employee wages at the end of shifts—no matter how many tipped employees you’re juggling. Gusto excels as the go-to choice for small businesses with minimal staffing. You can even customize with add-ons like 401(k) plans, life insurance, and HSA accounts to streamline essential business processes.

See why Netchex thrives as a restaurant payroll & HR solution

The software calculates and submits taxes automatically, which is especially useful when you have a large staff. Plus, ADP’s stellar customer payroll for restaurants service representatives can answer any tax-related questions. While we appreciate the flexible plans, we wish pricing were transparent.

• This makes for a seamless integration between the payroll data and the general ledger, keeping records accurate and up to date.
• Payroll software for restaurants is a more affordable solution that makes it easy to manage payroll yourself.
• Gusto is a leading payroll solution known for its user-friendly interface and affordable base plan.
• If you plan on expanding, especially out of state, you’ll need to find a solution that can grow with your business and provide services in multiple states.
• It didn’t rank higher on our list because of its limited number of user reviews in G2 and Capterra (fewer than 1,000) and the lack of POS integrations.

What is the average payroll cost for restaurants?

Restaurant chains can opt for plans designed for midsize businesses (those with up to 999 employees) and large businesses with more than 1,000. Additionally, Square Payroll provides full-service multi-state payroll, which is useful for chains managed across multiple states. The restaurant payroll software also includes automatic tax filings and payments, a self-service app for employees and free end-of-year W-2 and 1099 filing. OnPay is a cloud-based payroll service provider targeting small to medium-sized businesses. It can handle complex payroll scenarios, including multi-state and multiple pay rates.

Enhanced communication tools

Gusto’s budget-friendly plans, robust HR tools, and easy-to-use interface make it an ideal payroll software for restaurant owners. Having access to a professional who can provide expert advice on compliance issues is one of the top criteria, including new hire state reporting and online onboarding. Following closely behind these is the capability to provide employee benefits plans and a self-service portal that allows your staff to view payslips and access tax forms online. Score-wise, we gave Square Payroll an overall rating of 4.60 out of 5. The software’s standout features, based on our evaluation criteria, are its affordable flat-rate pricing and robust payroll functionalities that include tip management and reporting. You can import credit card tips from the Square POS and let its “pool and split tips” functionality divide the amount among employees based on the number of hours worked in a pay period.

• We compared 14 reputable payroll providers that, apart from processing employee payroll, offer attendance management and restaurant-specific solutions, such as time tracking and tip reporting.
• We especially liked that Rippling integrates with over 500 business solutions, so you can keep working with the tools you already know.
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• QuickBooks Online from Intuit is mostly known as an accounting solution.
• No, Paychex and QuickBooks are different companies with distinct offerings.
• Its emphasis on local, brick-and-mortar business might make it a stronger fit for restaurants than some online payroll providers that are tailored for fast-growth startups or online businesses.

The payroll apps we pick are widely available and relatively easy to train on, with robust features and reasonable pricing. We also look carefully at features such as employee and client portals, user onboarding services, PTO management, benefits administration, multistate compliance, and more. Homebase has added a payroll module to its suite of time tracking and scheduling solutions. Similar to Square Payroll, Homebase Payroll offers flat pricing for its easy-to-use pay processing solution, which includes automated payroll tax payment and filing services. The platform is designed specifically for hourly teams, as it comes with essential scheduling and time tracking tools to help you manage your hourly workforce more efficiently. It offers job postings, applicant tracking, PTO management, new hire onboarding, and time clock apps.

The amount your restaurant will shell out for payroll services varies quite a bit. Some solutions, such as OnPay, charge one rate while others offer tiers of service with custom pricing based on your staff size, pay schedule and specific needs. You can expect to pay monthly between $30 to $150, plus $2 to $15 per employee, but if you have multiple locations or complex needs the prices may be higher. While most providers include unlimited payroll runs, some like ADP also charge every time you process payroll, which can increase costs quickly.

• Based on the quote request and expanded HR services, we assume RUN Powered by ADP is one of the more expensive payroll service providers.
• This solution takes care of payroll with tax and compliance capabilities built in.
• We’ve reviewed a dozen payroll software options to determine the best payroll software for restaurants.
• Customers can order from your restaurant via our app using a QR code.
• Its essential tools include managing paid time off, minimum wage, and employee information.
• Justworks’ time-tracking tool, Justworks Hours, contains robust features like mobile clock-in capabilities, overtime alerts and geo-stamping to ensure accuracy when payday arrives.

Best for Up to 100 Employees

Justworks: Best time-tracking add-on