5 Signs Your Restaurant’s Accounting Department Is in Dire Need of an Upgrade

Running a tight ship is the best way to keep any otherwise-viable restaurant afloat. That most often means making sure the Restaurant’s accounting department is providing all the oversight and information required to do so.

There are five common signs that Restaurant’s accounting department needs to be improved to keep a restaurant from running into problems.

1. Ineffective Cash Management

Cash is a common means of payment at most restaurants, and some establishments even accept nothing else. Anytime cash is changing hands, though, issues with theft or simple lossage can easily arise.

An accounting department that does a good job of staying on top of cash handling and management will help rule out a wide variety of potentially troublesome issues. As those who learn more online will discover, there are systems and services that can be used to make it far easier to securely manage cash at any restaurant.

Managing cash effectively is not just about making sure it ends up in the till instead of unauthorized pockets. It is also an important component of an overarching process that generates useful financial information. Should any type of trouble with managing cash become apparent at a restaurant, finding ways of improving related accounting activities will normally be in order.

2. Time-Consuming Accounts Payable

Most restaurants depend on a number of vendors to keep them supplied with ingredients, consumables, equipment, and other necessities of doing business. These can range from international corporations to local farmers, and payment requirements and processes can vary quite widely.

That frequently gives rise to problems with staying current with payments. In some cases, accountants and managers end up spending many hours each month simply getting ready to pay vendors as agreed.

Generally speaking, a well-run accounting department should minimize the amount of time needed to stay on top of accounts payable. Improved processes or systems can easily cut down on this common sort of waste.

3. Unclear Menu Costs

Some restaurant menus arise from relatively informal processes that leave operators in the dark about the underlying costs. Even in such cases, there are established, reliable ways to put firm figures on the costs of ingredients and other relevant factors.

An accounting department that can take the lead on such a project and update its findings in the future will always be a valuable asset. An accounting team that cannot offer such help might need to be improved or rethought.

4. Poor Reporting

Restaurant managers who have access to accurate, useful information become better equipped to respond to changing conditions. Accounting departments that have trouble turning out timely, reliable reports let others down.

An accounting department that is truly effective should produce regular financial reports and be able to generate others as needed. Should such capabilities be lacking, some improvement will normally be in order.

5. A Lack of Inventory Adjustments

Regularly taking inventory should be part of the routine at every restaurant. Accounting departments need to be positioned to adjust earlier totals as appropriate when new information arrives.

When accounting teams cannot stay on top of this important work, data about food and beverage costs becomes unreliable. That will almost always be a sign that another approach will be required.

Even Serious Restaurant Accounting Problems Can be Solved

Issues like these almost always signify problems with a restaurant’s accounting department or processes. Fortunately, all restaurant accounting troubles can be resolved given enough commitment and resourcefulness.

In just about every case, solving significant accounting problems will make a given restaurant a lot more resilient and efficient.