Accounting Checklist for F&B Businesses UAE | Restaurant Bookkeeping

Why F&B Accounting is Different

Restaurants, cafes, and food businesses face unique accounting challenges including high transaction volumes, perishable inventory, cash handling, multiple payment methods, and thin profit margins.

Key Insight: Successful F&B accounting requires daily discipline, not monthly cleanup. The practices in this guide are used by profitable restaurants across the UAE.

Daily Accounting Tasks

These tasks must be completed every day without exception. Daily discipline prevents errors and gives owners real-time visibility into performance.

Record all POS sales and close daily batch

Reconcile cash drawer and card terminal

Record supplier deliveries and update inventory

Track petty cash and staff advances

Record online delivery platform sales (Talabat, Deliveroo, etc.)

Document any wastage or complimentary meals

Weekly Reconciliation

Weekly reviews catch issues before they compound and provide early warning on margin erosion.

Reconcile bank deposits with POS sales

Review supplier invoices and match to deliveries

Update accounts payable for pending supplier payments

Calculate cost of goods sold and gross margin

Review labor cost vs. revenue ratios

Update inventory levels for high-value items

Monthly Close Process

Month-end close provides full financial statements and actionable insights for decision-making.

Complete full inventory count and valuation

Close month-end POS batch and reconcile to books

Generate P&L with commentary on key variances

Calculate food cost, beverage cost, and labor cost percentages

Prepare schedule of accounts receivable and payable

Review pricing and menu engineering analysis

Prepare VAT return and ensure FTA compliance

Generate cash flow forecast for next period

Best Practices

Key Performance Indicators

Food Cost %

Target: 28-35% for full-service restaurants

Labor Cost %

Target: 25-35% including benefits

Prime Cost

Target: Below 60% (Food + Labor)

Net Profit

Target: 8-12% after all costs

Let Ratio Handle Your F&B Accounting

We specialize in restaurant and cafe accounting with POS integration, daily reconciliation, inventory tracking, and monthly financial reporting tailored for F&B businesses.

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Accounting Checklist for F&B Businesses