How a hospitality accountant engagement usually works
Work begins with a short discovery covering venue type, structure, POS and payments, roster system, accounting file and current reporting cadence. We check urgent issues first (late BAS, payroll errors, system mismatch) and stabilise cash flow and compliance.
Then we implement a 30-60-90 day plan:
- Days 1–30: fix coding rules, daily takings reconciliation, delivery commissions, merchant fees, and lock in award settings. Stand up a weekly P&L.
- Days 31–60: tighten stock and supplier processes, add menu-level margin reporting, and improve cash flow and ordering rhythm.
- Days 61–90: refine dashboards and KPIs, schedule rolling BAS prep and month-end, and set a review cadence with actions and accountability.
Key Australian considerations for venues
- GST on food and beverage: most items are taxable; some basic foods can be GST-free; surcharges are usually taxable; delivery and merchant fees need correct GST coding.
- Tips, service charges and gift cards: decide on policy, payroll and tax treatment; gift cards are a liability until redemption.
- Payroll compliance: apply the Hospitality Industry (General) Award correctly, including penalty rates, allowances, public holidays and STP Phase 2.
- Stock, wastage and shrinkage: run regular stocktakes, track variance and map COGS to supplier categories that match the menu.
- BAS and PAYG: pre-reconcile weekly so quarter-end BAS is smooth; keep evidence for delivery platform statements and merchant settlements.
What to compare before you commit
Scope
Confirm weekly P&L with narrative, stock/COGS controls, award-compliant payroll, BAS/tax lodgements, and system integrations are included.
Software fit
Ask for experience with your POS, roster and payments stack (e.g. Square, Lightspeed/Kounta, Tyro, Deputy/Tanda) and Xero/MYOB workflows.
Turnaround and communication
Clarify daily takings cut-off, weekly reporting day, who signs off timesheets, and escalation rules for weekends and public holidays.
Commercial fit
Compare pricing method, inclusion/exclusion list, meeting rhythm, and whether you want compliance-only or advisory support on menu and labour.
Reports and KPIs a hospitality accountant should deliver
- Weekly P&L and flash report with COGS % and wage-to-sales % against targets.
- Daily takings reconciliation: POS, cash, EFTPOS, delivery platforms and variances.
- Menu engineering: item margin, contribution and pricing recommendations.
- Stock movement and wastage: variance from stocktake, high-variance items and actions.
- Labour controls: roster vs actual, penalty/public holiday cost impact, and sales per labour hour.
- Cash flow view: upcoming BAS/PAYG/super, supplier run, rent and major renewals.
Software and integrations we commonly support
The right hospitality accountant doesn’t just name tools; they design the handoffs between them.
- Accounting: Xero or MYOB with clear charts for food, beverage, delivery, surcharges and tips.
- POS and payments: Square, Lightspeed/Kounta, Vend, Tyro and delivery platforms with automated data flows and fee coding.
- Rostering and time: Deputy or Tanda with award engines configured to HIGA.
- Documents: Dext or Hubdoc for supplier bills and inventory tracking support.
- Dashboards: venue-focused KPI views and simple owner summaries.
Best next steps
Write down the outcome you want: cleaner books, a reliable weekly P&L, payroll confidence under the Award, smoother BAS, or better menu and labour decisions. Then shortlist providers who can show you the workflow and example reports.
Use these pages to go deeper, then get in touch when you’re ready:
- Hospitality bookkeeping for daily takings, supplier bills and weekly P&L.
- Hospitality payroll services for award, STP and super compliance.
- Hospitality tax accountant for BAS, PAYG and year-end tax support.
Frequently asked questions
Why does hospitality accounting need a specialist lens?
Hospitality has unique revenue timing, tight margins and complex staffing patterns. You also deal with POS integrations, delivery platform commissions, gift cards, tips, surcharges, frequent stocktakes and the Hospitality Industry (General) Award. A hospitality accountant recognises these patterns and designs processes that match the real workflow.
Is industry experience more important than software knowledge?
Both matter. Industry experience drives better judgement on COGS, wage-to-sales ratios, menu pricing and compliance risks. Software depth drives speed and clean data. The best providers bring both and can explain the end-to-end workflow, not just the tools.
Should an industry specialist also handle bookkeeping or payroll?
Many venues prefer a coordinated provider or a lead accountant who oversees bookkeeping, payroll and BAS. This reduces handover friction and keeps weekly P&L, stock, awards compliance and GST treatment aligned.
What should I compare before choosing?
Compare scope (weekly P&L, stock/COGS, award-compliant payroll, BAS/tax), software fit (POS, rosters, payments, accounting), turnaround times, communication style and transparent pricing.
How should GST be handled for hospitality?
Most dine-in and takeaway are taxable; some basic foods can be GST-free. Surcharges are generally taxable. Gift cards create a liability until redemption. Delivery platform and merchant fees need correct GST coding. Clear rules in your chart of accounts prevent BAS errors.
What payroll pitfalls are common?
Incorrect award classification, missed penalty rates and allowances, wrong public holiday loadings, and incomplete STP Phase 2 are common. Accurate rosters-to-timesheets approval and award engine settings are critical.
Which KPIs should we track weekly?
COGS %, wage-to-sales %, average transaction value, covers and revenue per cover, menu item margin, stock variance and wastage, delivery commission %, and break-even sales.
What software stack works well?
Xero or MYOB for accounting; Square, Lightspeed/Kounta or Vend for POS; Tyro for EFTPOS; Deputy or Tanda for rostering; Dext or Hubdoc for receipts; and integrations for DoorDash/Uber Eats payouts.