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The All-in-One Guide to Payroll Software for Restaurants

The All-in-One Guide to Payroll Software for Restaurants

Picture of Denise Prichard
Denise Prichard

With the right software, managing payroll for your restaurant can be a piece of cake. Explore our guide to discover tools that align with your needs and simplify the process.

Running payroll can be a challenge for any restaurant, whether you’ve got a small team or a large staff. The right payroll software takes a lot off your plate by automating tasks, cutting down on errors, and keeping labor costs and compliance in check. But with so many options out there, it’s hard to know which one is the right fit. Read on to learn about some of the top payroll tools—what they do well, where they fall short, and how much they cost—so you can find the best match for your restaurant. 

What to look for in restaurant payroll software

Good payroll software should take the stress out of managing your team’s pay. Here’s what to look for: 

  • Easy to use: Managers and staff shouldn’t need to be payroll experts to navigate the system—it should be simple enough for anyone to use. 
  • Grows with you: As your restaurant adds more staff or new locations, the software should scale right along with it, without causing headaches. 
  • Integrates well with other tools: Payroll software that integrates smoothly with your point-of-sale (POS), scheduling tools, and accounting platform keeps everything running in sync and reduces errors. 
  • Automates tedious tasks: Automating things like tax filings, tip tracking, and paychecks means fewer mistakes and less time spent on manual tasks. 
  • Helpful reports: Real-time data and customizable reports make it easier to manage labor costs, track overtime, and stay on top of compliance. 
  • Keeps data safe: With all that sensitive employee info, top-notch security is a must to protect your staff’s privacy. 

Best payroll software for restaurants

Restaurant365

Restaurant365 provides payroll software designed just for the food service industry. It makes managing payroll simple by bringing together accounting, inventory, and scheduling all in one easy-to-use platform. This way, you can handle employee pay, track labor costs, and stay compliant without the hassle of juggling multiple systems. 

Restaurant365 pricing

Restaurant365 has a variety of plans and packages to suit your needs, with prices that change based on the features you select. Take a look at our pricing options or compare the different plans to find the one that’s the best fit for your restaurant. 

Restaurant365 pros

  • Tailored for restaurants: Includes features specifically designed for the food service industry, such as tip management, employee scheduling, and compliance tracking. 
  • Complete solution: Integrates easily with your POS systems, accounting software, and vendor management, so you can handle payroll and staffing all in one spot. 
  • Easy-to-use dashboard: Gives you a clear snapshot of payroll information, labor costs, and employee data, making it simple to stay organized and informed. 

Restaurant365 cons

  • Made only for the food industry: Restaurant365 is designed with restaurants, bars, and the food service business in mind, so some features might not be as helpful for non-restaurant companies. 

RASI

RASI is a cloud-based payroll solution designed for restaurants, making it easier to manage employee pay and meet labor compliance. With its simple interface and features tailored for the food industry, it provides restaurant owners with the tools they need to handle payroll. 

RASI pricing

RASI pricing for payroll starts at $60 a month for processing, plus $6 per employee each month. Keep in mind, this service isn’t standalone—it’s an add-on to their packages, which could make costs unpredictable. 

RASI pros

  • Complete financial management: It’s an all-in-one accounting, payroll, and finance platform that includes features like financial reporting, BI analytics, POS integrations, inventory management, purchasing, manufacturer rebates, and payroll. 
  • Industry expertise: Designed specifically for the restaurants by professionals who understand the unique challenges and needs of the industry. 
  • Customer support: Support options include white-glove service, with assistance available for compliance, tax, audits, and PPP, ensuring users have access to the help they need. 

RASI cons

  • Limited payroll options: Payroll can only be added to the main package, so you can’t use it on its own. 
  • Disconnected systems: With so many partnerships and integrations, things can get a bit messy. This leads to more touchpoints, which means more chances for errors and a confusing customer service experience. 
  • Accessibility issues: There’s no option for daily payments, and not having a dedicated app makes it less convenient to manage things on the go. 

Paycor

Paycor is a cloud-based platform that provides various features, including payroll processing, benefits administration, time tracking, and human resources (HR) management. However, it’s important to note that it isn’t specifically designed for the restaurant industry, which might make it less suitable for restaurant operators seeking specialized solutions. 

Paycor pricing

Paycom’s pricing is structured on a per-paycheck basis, along with a per employee per month fee. Their packages include: 

  • Basic: $99 per month plus $5 for each employee. 
  • Essential: $149 per month plus $7 for each employee. 
  • Core: $199 per month plus $8 for each employee. 
  • Complete: $199 per month plus $14 for each employee. 

Paycor pros

  • Flexible payroll options: The platform provides flexible payment options for payroll, including on-demand payments and auto-run capabilities, which can help save administrators time. 
  • Wide integration marketplace: Paycor has an extensive marketplace that includes a variety of service and technology partners, allowing businesses to customize their solutions and streamline operations. 
  • Focus on small and mid-market businesses: The tool is designed specifically for small and mid-market businesses, ensuring that its features and services meet the unique needs and challenges faced by these organizations. 

Paycor cons

  • Limited restaurant focus: Although Paycor provides a solution for restaurants, it is not specifically designed for the unique needs of the restaurant industry. 
  • Insufficient timecard features: Users may find that Paycor lacks robust timecard capabilities, which can impact time tracking and payroll accuracy. 
  • No tip sharing or pooling: The platform does not support tip sharing or pooling, which can be a significant drawback for restaurants that rely on these practices. 
  • Lack of co-branded interface: The software does not offer a co-branded interface, which may limit branding opportunities for businesses that want a more customized user experience. 

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Paycom

Paycom is a cloud-based HR and payroll software that provides a range of features to help businesses manage their workforce. It includes tools for payroll processing, benefits administration, time tracking, and talent management. 

Paycom pricing

The payroll starter package has setup fees between $500 and $1,200, along with a monthly fee of $4 to $6 per employee. For a more complete solution, you might be looking at estimated costs of $22 to $31 per employee per month. Keep in mind that package prices aren’t displayed publicly, so the total costs could end up being much higher than expected. 

Paycom pros

  • Payroll and tax solutions: Paycom provides a complete payroll system with tax solutions, along with intuitive mobile onboarding and effective tools for talent management. 
  • Employee-driven tech: With its employee-driven solution, “Beti,” Paycom allows employees to handle tasks like payroll approvals, which saves employers time. 
  • Focus on mid-market: The platform excels in the mid-market sector, offering tailored solutions that address the unique needs of these businesses. 

Paycom cons

  • Limited focus on restaurants: While there’s a restaurant solution available, it doesn’t cater specifically to the unique needs of the restaurant industry.  
  • High costs: Several reviews mention that the costs can be quite high, leading some to question whether they’re getting good value for their investment. 
  • Few integration options: There are limited options for integrating with other tools and systems, which might be frustrating for businesses that rely on multiple platforms. 
  • No tip sharing or pooling: The lack of support for tip sharing or pooling can be a significant drawback for establishments that need these features. 
  • Limited support for tips and pay flexibility: The lack of support for tip sharing or pooling, combined with no daily pay options, can be a significant drawback for businesses that need these features. 

ADP

ADP offers a range of solutions for businesses of all sizes, including payroll processing, HR management, tax compliance, and outsourcing services. Their goal is to help businesses simplify their operations and take care of the employee-related tasks.  

ADP pricing

ADP’s pricing for payroll begins at $79 per month, with an additional fee of $4 per employee per month. 

ADP pros

  • Global solution: With services available in over 140 countries, ADP provides a comprehensive HR solution that includes payroll, HCM, and outsourcing options. 
  • Strong brand and expertise: The platform is recognized for its established brand strength and extensive payroll expertise, making it a trusted choice for many businesses. 
  • User-friendly interface: The software is designed to be user-friendly, helping organizations navigate their HR and payroll needs more easily. 

ADP cons

  • Lack of industry focus: While there’s a restaurant offering, the solution isn’t specifically tailored to address the unique challenges of the food service industry. This can lead to multiple integrations and manual processes instead of providing a true all-in-one solution. 
  • Missing key features: There are significant gaps in features relevant to restaurants, such as daily pay options, tip automation, advanced scheduling, and labor forecasting. 
  • Complicated employee management: Handling employees across multiple company codes or employee identification numbers (EINs) can be unmanageable and often creates complications. 

7shifts

7shifts is a workforce management platform tailored for the restaurant industry, focusing on payroll and scheduling solutions. It provides tools for employee scheduling, time tracking, and labor compliance, which help streamline the payroll process. 

7shifts pricing

7shifts pricing ranges from $29.99 per month per location to $135 per month per location, depending on the features and services selected. If payroll is added, it costs an additional $39.99 per month per location, along with $6 per month for each employee paid. 

7shifts pros

  • Restaurant-focused management: The platform is specifically designed for the restaurant industry, offering tools for hiring, training, scheduling, payroll, and employee retention. 
  • Helpful compliance tools: It includes useful compliance tools that provide notifications for labor laws, time and attendance tracking, tip pooling, and labor management, helping restaurants stay on top of regulations. 
  • Simple to use: Many users appreciate how user-friendly it is, making it simple for restaurant staff to navigate and get the most out of the features. 

7shifts cons

  • Limited integration: Payroll is offered as an add-on, meaning the system isn’t truly all-in-one. This can hinder data flow and create more manual touchpoints, complicating the payroll process. 
  • Inconsistent notifications: Users have reported issues with notifications being either inconsistent or overly excessive, along with general technical problems that can disrupt workflows. 
  • Lack of features: There are several complaints regarding the overall lack of robust features, particularly when it comes to ease of use for managing multiple locations and job codes. 

Conclusion

Choosing the right payroll software means looking at what your restaurant really needs and thinking about things like budget, scalability, and how easy it is to use. No matter if you run a small café or a big restaurant chain, there’s a solution out there for you. With a wide range of options available—from features that simplify payroll processing to tools designed specifically for the food industry—every restaurant can find the right fit to make payroll management easier and help the business grow. 

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Restaurant365 bridges the gap between accounting and operations by centralizing all data, helping restaurant operators to become more efficient, accurately forecast, and tackle any challenge or opportunity with speed and accuracy.