How Restaurants & Cafés Can Transform Their Bookkeeping Processes in the New Year

Running a restaurant or café means juggling long hours, tight margins, fluctuating staff levels, inventory challenges, and ever-changing customer demand. As the new year approaches, now is the ideal time to strengthen your financial processes so your business can scale smoothly and profitably.

At Hayson Accounting, we specialize in building bookkeeping systems for hospitality businesses across BC. Whether you're a busy coffee shop, a full-service restaurant, or a seasonal café, we help you streamline operations, stay compliant, and access the financial clarity you need to grow.

Why the New Year Is the Best Time to Reset Your Bookkeeping

Starting fresh in January allows you to:

• Implement proper accounting systems
• Fix backlogs or inconsistencies
• Introduce improved reporting dashboards
• Change POS systems without disrupting service
• Stay ahead of GST/PST filing deadlines
• Set a solid foundation for tax season and cash-flow planning

Good systems early in the year create smoother operations all year long.

Powerful Metrics Restaurants & Cafés Should Be Tracking

Most hospitality businesses don’t just need bookkeeping—they need insights. We build reporting for clients that highlights the real numbers driving their business.

Best-Selling Menu Items

Understand which dishes generate the strongest margins and which may need to be adjusted or removed. Reporting can break this down by:

• Meal type (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Individual menu performance
• Average sale per customer
• Add-on attachment rates

Best Selling Times and Peak Hours

This information helps you plan:

• Staff schedules
• Prep and inventory
• Promotions during slower periods
• Overtime management

Weekly and Monthly Revenue Trends

Identify seasonality, changes in customer behavior, and opportunities for growth.

COGS and Food Cost Ratios

We help you track:

• Ingredient costs
• Supplier changes
• Waste
• Profitability per dish

These metrics are critical for maintaining sustainable margins.

GST & PST Filings: Why Compliance Is Essential

Restaurants and cafés process large volumes of daily transactions, making accurate tax compliance non-negotiable. We assist with:

• Real-time GST & PST tracking
• Monthly, quarterly, or annual filings
• Ensuring correct tax codes across dine-in, takeout, delivery, and alcohol sales
• Reviewing POS and accounting system tax settings

Proper compliance avoids penalties and ensures your systems are audit-ready.

Thinking of Switching POS Systems? We Can Help With a Smooth Transition

Many hospitality businesses re-evaluate their POS systems in the new year, especially if their current setup lacks reporting accuracy or integration capabilities.

We support transitions to and from major POS platforms, including:

• Lightspeed
• Square
• TouchBistro
• Toast
• Clover

Our POS transition service includes:

• Mapping tax codes and payment types
• Connecting your POS to QuickBooks Online
• Integrating Dext for automated receipt capture
• Testing the system prior to launch
• Training staff on new workflows

A well-managed POS transition can significantly improve efficiency, accuracy, and reporting quality.

How Hayson Accounting Supports Restaurants & Cafés Year-Round

We provide a comprehensive, cloud-based bookkeeping system tailored to the hospitality industry, including:

• Bookkeeping and monthly reconciliations
• Payroll for staff and seasonal workers
• Automated receipt and invoice workflows
• Cash-flow forecasting
• Monthly financial review meetings
• Compliance support for GST, PST, WCB, and EHT

Our goal is to remove the administrative strain so you can focus on serving customers and growing your business.

Start the New Year With a Bookkeeping System Built for Hospitality

If you're looking to streamline operations, gain clarity on your finances, or strengthen your internal systems for the year ahead, we’re here to support you. The most successful restaurants and cafés are the ones that stay ahead of their numbers—not chase them.

Contact Hayson Accounting today to set up a consultation and build a system that supports your growth throughout the year.

info@haysonaccounting.com

+1 778-771-0200