Top 9 Accounting Software for Restaurants 2025

The restaurant industry plays an important role in the U.S. economy, contributing a staggering $3.5 trillion to the nation’s output in 2024 accounting for 15.6% of the real GDP. With over 22.9 million employees and a total labor income of $1.1 trillion, the sector is both a major employer and an economic powerhouse. However, the complexity of managing a restaurant business, from inventory to payroll, requires efficient systems to maintain profitability and compliance.

As restaurants scale and face mounting operational challenges, accounting software becomes a necessity. Streamlining financial processes, reducing errors, and ensuring timely tax filings are just a few of the advantages of implementing specialized restaurant software. With the right accounting tools, restaurant owners can gain clear insights into their financial health, optimize costs, and enhance overall performance.

This guide explores the top 9 best accounting software for restaurants in 2025, helping restaurateurs navigate the financial demands of their businesses with ease and efficiency.

List of 9 Best Restaurant Accounting Software for 2025

Here’s a list of some of the best accounting software for restaurants in 2025 based on their features and suitability for different needs:

1. Restaurant365

Restaurant365 is a leading all-in-one restaurant management platform trusted by over 40,000 restaurants. It integrates accounting, inventory, workforce management, and payroll into one seamless solution. Designed to simplify operations, boost profitability, and enhance guest experiences, it connects with POS systems, banks, and vendors for real-time insights. 

Restaurant365 empowers restaurant owners to streamline back-office tasks, reduce costs, and focus on what matters to serve customers and grow their businesses. With restaurant management tools for accurate accounting, inventory control, data-driven scheduling, and modern HR solutions, it transforms restaurants into efficient, profit-generating operations.

Features of Restaurant365

• Comprehensive Accounting: Automatically integrates sales and labor data from your POS to generate journal entries, streamlining accounting tasks and enhancing accuracy in financial reporting.
• Advanced Inventory Management: Track inventory in real-time with robust tools that help control prime costs, reduce waste, and optimize purchasing decisions, increasing profitability.
• Workforce Management Tools: Data-driven scheduling and sales forecasting help control labor costs, while mobile employee training and communication improve team performance and guest satisfaction.
• Integrated Payroll & HR Solutions: Simplify the payroll and HR process with integrated solutions for hiring, onboarding, benefits, and payroll, freeing up time for other critical tasks.
• Seamless Vendor & POS Integration: Effortlessly integrate with POS, banks, and vendors to gain valuable insights, reduce errors, and improve operational efficiency.
• Real-Time Performance Monitoring: Monitor key metrics like labor costs, sales, and inventory in real-time, allowing operators to quickly respond to performance shifts and make data-driven decisions.

2. QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks is a comprehensive restaurant financial management software tailored to the restaurant industry, helping businesses streamline their finances and operations. The software automates key tasks like expense tracking, inventory management, and payroll processing, saving time for restaurant owners and operators.

QuickBooks helps you stay on top of cash flow, plan ahead, and make data-driven decisions through real-time financial insights. It integrates seamlessly with bank accounts and other apps, simplifying the process of managing income and expenses across multiple restaurant locations. With mobile access and customizable reports, QuickBooks enables restaurant managers to stay organized and efficient, ensuring smooth financial operations and improved profitability.

Features of QuickBooks for Restaurants:

• Expense Tracking & Receipt Capture: Automatically track and categorize expenses by snapping photos of receipts. QuickBooks matches them to transactions for easy tracking, helping manage cash flow efficiently.
• Real-Time Financial Reports: Generate instant, customizable restaurant-specific reports to analyze sales, inventory, and expenses. Adjust your operations on the fly with up-to-date financial insights.
• Inventory Management: Keep track of stock levels automatically. Receive alerts when supplies are running low, helping you stay prepared and manage inventory more effectively.
• Payroll Automation: Simplify payroll by automatically calculating employee wages, taxes, and tips. Stay compliant with regulations and reduce manual payroll tasks.
• Mileage Tracking: Use GPS-enabled mileage tracking to automatically log trips related to restaurant operations, ensuring you capture every deductible mile for tax savings.
• App Integrations & Mobile Access: Sync QuickBooks with restaurant-specific apps to reduce manual data entry. Access your financial data through QuickBooks' mobile app for seamless management.

3. Xero

Xero offers easy-to-use accounting software tailored for restaurants, cafes, bars, and the broader hospitality industry. Designed to simplify financial management, Xero integrates seamlessly with point-of-sale (POS) apps and hospitality tools, ensuring smooth operations and more time to focus on customer service. The software provides real-time insights into cash flow, sales, labor costs, and expenses through its intuitive dashboard.

Xero's restaurant-specific features, such as payroll management and bill reconciliation, help streamline operations and maintain financial accuracy. With integration to over 1,000 third-party apps and affordable plans starting at $15/month, Xero is a versatile solution for restaurant businesses of all sizes.

Features of Xero for Hospitality:

• Cash Flow Monitoring: Access up-to-date financial projections, profit and loss statements, and balance sheets through an intuitive dashboard and analytics tools.
• Bill Payments & Reconciliation: Turn purchase orders into bills, pay online, and reconcile transactions effortlessly to keep expenses organized and accurate.
• Integrated Payroll Management: Automate payroll calculations, deductions, and payments for staff in all 50 US states, with updates directly reflected in Xero accounts.
• Hospitality App Integrations: Connect with apps like Square, Deputy, and Hubdoc to manage POS transactions, staff schedules, and bookkeeping seamlessly.
• Inventory & Expense Tracking: Use Xero's tools to monitor operating expenses, track food and beverage costs, and manage profit margins effectively.

4. Wave

Wave is a powerful, easy-to-use restaurant bookkeeping and accounting software developed to assist restaurant owners and managers in streamlining their financial processes. From tracking sales and expenses to payroll and invoicing, Wave offers a comprehensive solution for food service businesses. Whether you're running a small bakery, a café, or a full-scale restaurant, Wave simplifies accounting tasks, giving you more time to focus on creating exceptional dining experiences. The restaurant software platform is free to use for basic accounting, with optional paid features for enhanced functionality. Wave's intuitive interface, secure cloud-based access, and automated transaction reconciliation make it a go-to tool for managing finances with ease.

Features of Wave:

• Comprehensive Accounting Tools: Offer a range of accounting solutions for food businesses, including expense tracking, profit and loss reports, and customizable financial statements, ensuring all aspects of your business finances are organized.
• Invoicing and Payments: Create professional invoices, send estimates, and accept online payments to keep cash flow steady with integrated solutions that allow seamless credit card and bank transfers.
• Payroll Integration: Manage your staff's payroll, calculate wages, and handle tax filings, ensuring your restaurant stays compliant with labor laws and regulations.
• Bank Account Integration: Connect your bank accounts for automatic transaction syncing and reconciliation, simplifying financial management and reducing manual input, saving you time and minimizing errors.
• Tax Preparation Assistance: With a double-entry accounting system, prepare for tax season by generating detailed year-end reports that can be shared with your teams directly within the platform.
• Cloud-based Accessibility: Access your financial data from anywhere, at any time, via the Wave app or web platform, offering real-time insights into your restaurant's financial health with secure data storage.

5. Plate IQ

Plate IQ, powered by Ottimate, is an advanced Accounts Payable (AP) automation software designed specifically for restaurants. It helps streamline the invoicing, payment, and communication processes, allowing businesses to manage their AP with ease. By integrating AI and machine learning, Plate IQ automatically processes invoices, maps them to the General Ledger (GL), and enables seamless payments through virtual cards, ACH, or checks.

The solution improves accuracy, reduces manual data entry, and speeds up payment cycles, freeing up restaurant staff from repetitive tasks. With robust document storage, AP managers can access searchable and secure invoices for better financial management.

Features of Plate IQ:

• AI-Powered Invoice Automation: Uses machine learning to automatically map invoices to your GL, eliminating manual data entry and reducing errors in processing.
• VendorPay Payments: Offers the flexibility to pay vendors via virtual cards, ACH, or checks, streamlining payments and allowing you to earn cashback on qualified virtual card payments.
• Advanced Approval Routing: Customize invoice approval workflows based on criteria like vendor, department, and total amount, ensuring the right person approves each invoice.
• Expense Management: Issue virtual and physical cards for employee expenses, providing better control over utilities, travel, and marketing costs while monitoring in real-time.
• Integration with Accounting Platforms: Seamlessly connects with your existing accounting software like QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct, ensuring smooth data flow across systems.
• Secure Document Storage: Keeps all invoices and related documents searchable and secure, linking them to your accounting software for easy retrieval and compliance.

6. MarginEdge

MarginEdge is a comprehensive restaurant management software platform designed to streamline operations, control food costs, and enhance profitability. Created by restaurateurs for restaurateurs, it automates invoice processing, simplifies inventory management, and delivers real-time insights, empowering operators to make informed decisions.

With transparent pricing starting at $330 per month per location, MarginEdge eliminates tedious manual data entry and integrates seamlessly with POS and restaurant management systems. Trusted by over 8,000 clients, the platform provides daily P&Ls, menu analysis, and inventory tracking to ensure operational efficiency.

Features of MarginEdge:

• Automated Invoice Processing: Eliminate manual data entry by automatically processing invoices, categorizing expenses, and updating your system in real-time, ensuring accuracy and saving time.
• Real-Time Food Cost Insights: Provide live updates on food costs, showing you where your profits are and helping you make informed decisions to manage costs and boost margins.
• Inventory Management: Simplify inventory tracking by comparing purchases, sales, and on-hand stock to track food usage, minimizing waste and improving operational efficiency.
• Menu Engineering: Easily analyze your menu with real-time ingredient costs and sales data to identify the most profitable items and optimize your menu’s performance.
• Back Office Integration: Streamline your restaurant’s operations by syncing with accounting POS systems and managing orders and payments in one integrated platform, improving efficiency across departments.
• Customizable Reporting: Provide customizable reporting tools that help you dive deep into food costs, usage, and profitability, giving you full control over your restaurant's financial health.

7. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is a comprehensive software that delivers cloud-based accounting for restaurants. It simplifies financial management for small businesses, particularly in industries like restaurants, freelancers, and professional services. This restaurant-specific platform streamlines bookkeeping tasks such as invoicing, expense tracking, and payroll, allowing business owners to focus on their core activities.

With its easy-to-use interface and restaurant management software integrations, FreshBooks helps manage business finances efficiently, offering tools for invoicing, time tracking, reports, and tax management. It also supports collaboration with accountants and team members, providing a seamless solution for growing businesses.

Features of FreshBooks for Restaurants

• Effortless Invoicing: Create professional, branded invoices to impress clients and streamline payment processes for catering gigs, buyouts, or large bookings. FreshBooks invoices help you get paid 11 days faster.
• Expense Tracking: Automatically track expenses by connecting your business accounts or uploading receipts directly through the FreshBooks mobile app. Easily categorize costs to manage your restaurant’s financial health.
• Payroll Management: Simplify staff payroll with FreshBooks’ Gusto integration, automating tax deductions and enabling recurring schedules for front and back-of-house teams.
• Inventory Integration: Seamlessly manage your restaurant inventory with tools like BarCloud to cut waste and track stock in real-time.
• Advanced Double-Entry Accounting: Support double-entry bookkeeping, providing critical features like General Ledger, Trial Balance, and Bank Reconciliation to ensure accurate financial insights.
• On-the-Go Accounting App: Keep your data in sync across devices, enabling you to manage invoices, expenses, and reports wherever you are even from your dining room or supplier visits.
• Late Payment Reminders: Automate polite late-payment reminders to ensure timely collection of outstanding invoices without manual follow-ups.
• Reports & Insights: Access customizable reports that provide clear insights into your restaurant’s performance. Track profitability, cash flow, and expenses at a glance.

8. DAVO

DAVO by Avalara is an automated sales tax solution designed to help small business owners manage their sales tax with minimal effort. It integrates seamlessly with popular point-of-sale (POS) systems, automating the process of collecting, filing, and paying state sales tax. This restaurant management and operations system eliminates the need for manual processing, ensuring taxes are paid on time and in full, reducing the stress and complexity of tax compliance.

DAVO is especially useful for small businesses in industries like restaurants, retail, and salons. It guarantees accurate tax filing and payment, helping business owners focus on growth rather than tax worries.

Features of DAVO:

• POS Integration: Connect directly to popular POS systems like Clover, Square, Toast, Lightspeed, and many more, ensuring compatibility and ease of use.
• Daily Tax Collection: Automatically set aside the exact amount of sales tax collected daily from your POS system and put it into a secure tax holding account.
• Automated Filing & Payments: File your sales tax with the state and pay it automatically when due, guaranteeing on-time compliance.
• 5-Minute Setup: Start automating your sales tax in minutes by entering basic information and ensuring your POS tax rate is configured correctly.
• Secure and Reliable: Protect your data with storage encryption, secure holding accounts, and SSL for all interactions. Offers daily reporting and oversight for transparency.
• No More Late Payments: Ensure that state sales tax payments are always on time and fully paid, saving you from penalties or missed deadlines.
• First Monthly Filing Free: New users can try DAVO risk-free with their first monthly sales tax filing on the house.
  

9. ZipBooks

ZipBooks is a free, user-friendly accounting software designed for small businesses, particularly restaurants. It helps simplify financial management by automating key processes like invoicing, expense tracking, and financial analysis and reporting. With its easy-to-use interface, ZipBooks allows restaurant owners to stay on top of their financials without spending too much time on bookkeeping. It offers cloud-based accessibility, so you can manage your finances from anywhere.

ZipBooks also integrates with payment platforms like PayPal, Stripe, and credit cards, making it easier to get paid faster. The restaurant financial reporting software's free features include customized invoices, tax-ready reports, and time tracking. Whether you're a restaurant owner, caterer, or event manager, ZipBooks streamlines accounting tasks and reduces the burden of administrative work.

Features of ZipBooks:

• Cloud-Based Access: Access your financial information from anywhere with ZipBooks’ cloud-based platform, offering convenience and flexibility for busy restaurant owners.
• Customizable Invoices: Create and send highly professional invoices with ZipBooks' customizable templates, allowing you to personalize them with your restaurant’s logo.
• Time Tracking & Project Management: Track employee hours and organize tasks with ZipBooks’ integrated time tracking and project management tools for smooth operations.
• Expense Tracking & Smart Tagging: Organize transactions by customer, vendor, or project using ZipBooks’ smart tagging feature for detailed reporting and insights.
• Payment Integration: Speed up payments by sending invoices digitally and accepting payments via credit card, PayPal, or Stripe through ZipBooks’ seamless integration.
• No Hidden Fees: ZipBooks offers a subscription-free service with no hidden fees, allowing you to manage your business finances at no extra cost.

Conclusion

The future of restaurant accounting software lies in automation, real-time tracking, and seamless integration with POS systems, inventory management, and payroll services. However, managing restaurant accounting can be complex due to the need to track daily sales, taxes, tips, commissions, and fluctuating expenses. The challenges include ensuring accuracy, compliance with tax regulations, and maintaining profitability in a dynamic industry.

Many restaurants turn to third-party restaurant accounting firms for expertise, specialized tools, and support in managing these complexities. Invensis delivers comprehensive restaurant accounting and bookkeeping services with the best accounting software for restaurants. We offer tailored solutions to streamline financial processes, ensure tax compliance, and provide actionable insights into business performance. Our team manages all accounting aspects from daily transaction recording to monthly reconciliation so restaurant owners can focus on growing their business. With Invensis, restaurants benefit from a dedicated partner that understands the unique demands of the industry and delivers accurate, reliable financial management services.

Reach us to simplify your restaurant's accounting with expert services and efficient software solutions!