The Background
For SDC Restaurants, LLC’s acting CFO Cody Wong, this Carl’s Jr. franchise isn’t just another business—it’s a family legacy. His father, Sam Wong, became a Carl’s Jr. franchisee in 1992, the same year Cody was born, so the brand has been a part of Cody’s life from the start.
Now overseeing 52 Carl’s Jr. locations, Cody is responsible for the entire back-office operation, including accounting and payroll.
Having already modernized accounting for other franchise brands with Restaurant365, Cody knew the potential to bring similar improvements to Carl’s Jr. The business long relied on QuickBooks Enterprise, which didn’t integrate with their POS systems or offer real-time financial data, leaving significant gaps in reporting and overall efficiency. Cody saw the need for a more advanced tool to streamline operations and reduce costs, which led him to advocate for the adoption of Restaurant365.
"I basically shrunk our accounting processes by at least 50%. R365 helps you take little shortcuts that can really add up and save time.
The Challenge
SDC Restaurants, LLC was struggling with outdated accounting practices that caused delays and inefficiencies. The team relied on QuickBooks Enterprise, which required them to manually upload sales data and food invoices from multiple locations. This process slowed down financial reporting and left room for errors, making it challenging to get accurate, up-to-date information. As a result, decisions affecting food costs, labor, and overall profitability were often delayed.
“We were wasting a lot of time uploading files and doing things that a system should be doing for us,” Wong says. “We shouldn’t be uploading documents into our accounting system. The accounting system should be able to connect with our POS and do that on its own.”
The challenge was clear: The team needed to shift away from manual data entry and disconnected systems and instead focus on automating processes to provide real-time financial data.
The Solution
Cody introduced Restaurant365 to SDC Restaurants, LLC as the solution to their accounting challenges. The software integrated smoothly with their existing POS systems, automating data entry and removing the need for time-consuming manual tasks. Features like automated sales uploads, electronic data interchange (EDI) for food invoices, and streamlined workflows for accounts payable greatly improved the overall efficiency of their accounting process.
“Now, with Restaurant365, the way it works out, it’s all connected… I’m confident knowing that when I send these to the general managers, they have actionable items based on what they’re looking at,” Wong says.
With Restaurant365’s AP automation, invoice approvals became faster and more transparent, reducing bottlenecks and giving the team clearer insight into expenses. At the same time, they now had real-time access to financial data, allowing them to quickly review profit and loss (P&L) statements and drill down into the details of specific expenses. This level of visibility empowered them to take immediate action on operational issues, particularly in managing labor and food costs.
“The faster you can get the information in their hand… they can actually make a difference within that following period,” Wong says.
The Results
Since adopting Restaurant365, SDC Restaurants, LLC has seen a substantial improvement in its financial processes:
- 50% reduction in accounting time: Through our integration with Factura.ai, the AP process is essentially fully automated within our organization, so data entry has been eliminated, which saves one to two hours per day on average. Sales tax reporting has been cut down by a few hours per month with the help of R365 reporting. Inter-company invoicing has also been automated, which took several hours each month with QuickBooks.
- Quicker access to financial data: The integration of Restaurant365 with POS systems and automated workflows means SDC Restaurants, LLC now has access to financial data faster than ever before.
- Increased efficiency: Automated data entry and integration with their POS system eliminated manual uploads, reducing errors and saving time.
- Scalability: With the new system in place, SDC Restaurants, LLC is better equipped to manage its growing number of locations.
This improved efficiency allows SDC Restaurants, LLC to focus on actionable insights rather than getting bogged down by administrative tasks. By accessing financial reports faster, SDC Restaurants, LLC can make proactive decisions to improve profitability and cut unnecessary costs.
“I basically shrunk the process by at least 50%… and we’re really aiming to go even lower than that,” Wong says. “R365 helps you take little shortcuts here and there that can really add up and save time.”
Conclusion
SDC Restaurants, LLC’s adoption of Restaurant365 has been a game-changer, dramatically improving their accounting efficiency by cutting process times in half. With the power of automation, real-time data access, and integration across systems, SDC Restaurants, LLC is now better positioned to manage its business in a more informed, data-driven way.
Cody’s long-term goal is to continue expanding the use of Restaurant365 into operations and employee training, helping SDC Restaurants, LLC remain efficient, scalable, and profitable in an increasingly competitive market.
