Weekly Bookkeeping Checklist for Restaurant Owners

Running a restaurant is no small feat. Between managing staff, perfecting menus, and creating a memorable dining experience for your guests, it’s easy to let your bookkeeping tasks fall by the wayside. But consistent financial tracking is essential—not just for tax season, but for making informed business decisions year-round. To help restaurant owners stay on top of their numbers, we’ve created a Weekly Bookkeeping Checklist that breaks the process into manageable tasks. Set aside an hour or two each week, and you’ll be on your way to cleaner books, better insights, and less financial stress. 

1. Record All Sales and Deposits Your restaurant may take in income through various channels—point-of-sale (POS) systems, delivery apps, catering services, and online orders. Ensure all revenue is accounted for, matched to the right day, and recorded properly. 

• Reconcile daily sales from your POS with bank deposits. 
• Double-check third-party delivery service payouts. 
• Log catering or event payments separately if they require different tax treatment. 

Tip: Use your POS reporting tools to export weekly summaries and match them to your accounting software (like QuickBooks or Xero). 

2. Track Cash Transactions Cash tips, petty cash expenses, and small purchases can slip through the cracks if not recorded promptly. Designate a system for logging all cash transactions so your books stay accurate. 

• Count and verify cash drawer totals. 
• Record cash tips paid out to staff. 
• Track cash spent on supplies, emergency purchases, or errands. 

Keeping tabs on cash ensures you’re not overstating revenue or understating expenses. 

3. Enter and Categorize Expenses Restaurants generate a wide range of expenses each week—from inventory and labor costs to utility bills and marketing. Regular entry and categorization will help you monitor profit margins and control costs. 

• Enter vendor invoices and receipts. 
• Match expenses to appropriate categories (food, liquor, payroll, repairs, etc.). 
• Identify recurring costs and spot any unusual or unexpected charges. 

Using accounting software with receipt capture capabilities can speed up this process. 

4. Reconcile Bank and Credit Card Transactions Weekly bank reconciliation helps catch errors early, detect fraud, and avoid surprises later on. Waiting until month-end makes it harder to resolve discrepancies. 

• Compare bank and credit card transactions to your bookkeeping records. 
• Flag any transactions you don’t recognize. 
• Ensure all automatic withdrawals (like payroll, subscriptions, or loan payments) are recorded. 

This process ensures your books reflect your real financial position. 

5. Review Inventory Levels and Purchases Food waste, overordering, and spoilage can silently erode your profits. Tracking inventory weekly can help you make smarter purchasing decisions and reduce waste. 

• Compare beginning and ending inventory for the week. 
• Note any large fluctuations in food or beverage stock. 
• Cross-check purchases against usage to identify trends or concerns. 

Some restaurants benefit from using inventory management software or working with a bookkeeper who specializes in the food industry. 

6. Monitor Labor Costs Labor is often one of the largest expenses for restaurants. Monitoring it weekly allows you to stay ahead of scheduling issues, overtime, or overspending. 

• Review employee hours and payroll summaries. 
• Check for unexpected overtime or schedule gaps. 
• Ensure all staff payments (including tips and bonuses) are documented. 

Balancing your labor costs against sales is key to maintaining healthy margins. 

7. Check Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Don’t just track your numbers—analyze them. Reviewing a few key metrics weekly can give you insight into how your business is performing and where to focus your efforts. Consider tracking: 

• Weekly sales compared to last week or the same week last year. 
• Food cost percentage. 
• Labor cost percentage. 
• Average ticket size. 
• Table turnover rate. 

Over time, these KPIs can help you identify trends, improve efficiency, and boost profitability. 

8. Back Up and Secure Your Records Cybersecurity and data loss are real risks—especially in a fast-paced environment where multiple people may have access to systems. 

• Back up your financial records and POS data weekly. 
• Use cloud-based accounting software for automatic syncing. 
• Limit access to sensitive data to trusted team members only. 

A secure and organized bookkeeping system protects your restaurant in case of audits, disputes, or emergencies. 

Make Bookkeeping a Habit, Not a Hassle 

Consistency is the key to stress-free bookkeeping. By tackling these tasks each week, you’ll not only stay compliant—you’ll gain a clearer picture of your restaurant’s financial health and be better equipped to make smart, strategic decisions. Need help staying on top of it all? 

Shore Source Business Solutions specializes in restaurant bookkeeping and back-office support. We understand the unique challenges you face and can help you streamline your processes so you can focus on what you do best—serving your customers. 

Let’s talk. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation and see how we can support your restaurant’s success.