Restaurant payroll has complications that ordinary office payroll may not: tipped wages, tip credits, multiple pay rates, overtime across locations, shift changes, seasonal workers and hours imported from a point-of-sale or time clock. The best system for a restaurant is the one that handles its actual pay rules and reduces manual corrections.
This guide compares 10 payroll and HR platforms for restaurants in the United States. It includes current public pricing wherever a vendor publishes it and labels quote-based pricing clearly.
Pricing disclosure: Prices were checked on official vendor pages on September 23, 2026 and are shown in US dollars before taxes, promotions and optional add-ons. Vendors can change plans, eligibility and fees. The estimated monthly cost for 25 employees uses the public base price plus the standard per-employee charge; it excludes introductory discounts, restaurant scheduling subscriptions, benefits, insurance, implementation and exceptional service fees. No company paid for inclusion or position.
Restaurant payroll software comparison
| Platform | Public starting price checked | Estimated monthly cost for 25 employees | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7shifts Payroll | $39.99/location + $6/employee paid | $189.99, plus a paid 7shifts plan | Restaurants already using 7shifts |
| Toast Payroll | Custom quote | Request a quote | US restaurants using Toast POS |
| Homebase Payroll | $39 + $6/active employee | $189 | Small restaurants and cafés |
| Square Payroll | $35 + $6/person paid | $185 | Restaurants using Square |
| Gusto | Simple: $49 + $6/person | $199 | Small businesses wanting payroll, benefits and HR |
| QuickBooks Payroll | Workforce Payroll: $50 + $7/employee | $225 | Restaurants using QuickBooks accounting |
| Restaurant365 | Custom quote | Request a quote | Multi-unit restaurant groups |
| BambooHR | HR starts at $250/month for up to 25 employees; payroll is an add-on | $250 plus payroll quote | Growing groups prioritizing HR records and workflows |
| RUN Powered by ADP | Custom quote | Request a quote | Businesses wanting payroll packages and support |
| Paychex Flex | Custom quote | Request a quote | Restaurants wanting payroll, HR and benefits options |
The numbering below organizes the comparison; it is not a universal best-to-worst ranking. Product availability and payroll rules are country-specific, so this article focuses on US operations.
1. 7shifts Payroll — best for restaurants already scheduling with 7shifts
7shifts combines restaurant scheduling, time tracking, tip-related workflows and payroll. Its payroll product can use hours from 7punches or a supported POS integration, helping operators avoid re-entering timecard data.
Published price: $39.99 per month per location plus $6 per employee paid each month. Payroll requires an active paid 7shifts plan, so the complete software cost is higher than the payroll calculation alone. At 25 paid employees, the payroll component is $189.99 per month.
The company says implementation, employee onboarding, regular payroll runs and off-cycle payroll runs are included. Its published fee schedule also lists charges for events such as amended tax returns, rush payments, failed funding and some mailed forms.
Best for: US restaurants that already use or plan to use 7shifts for scheduling and timekeeping.
Check before buying: Add the price of the required 7shifts plan, confirm POS compatibility and review the current pass-through fee schedule. 7shifts Payroll is limited to eligible US businesses and banking arrangements.
2. Toast Payroll — best for restaurants using Toast POS
Toast Payroll & Team Management connects employee hours, tips and labor data with the Toast restaurant platform. Its public product information describes support for multiple pay rates, overtime across locations, tip payments through payroll, mobile onboarding and employee access to pay information.
Published price: Toast directs buyers to request pricing. Ask for a written quote covering every location, employee, legal entity and required Toast product.
The strongest reason to consider Toast Payroll is workflow consolidation. A restaurant using Toast POS may reduce exports and reconciliation by keeping time, tips and payroll in the same ecosystem.
Best for: US restaurants committed to Toast POS and looking to consolidate restaurant operations and payroll.
Check before buying: Request an itemized quote for payroll, POS, implementation, hardware and any HR tools. Confirm which tip workflows, states, tax services and multi-location arrangements the proposal supports.
3. Homebase Payroll — best for small hourly restaurant teams
Homebase combines payroll with scheduling, time tracking, onboarding and team communication. It supports restaurant-related needs such as multiple wage rates, overtime calculations, tips and timesheet-to-payroll workflows.
Published price: $39 per month plus $6 per active employee. At 25 active employees, that equals $189 per month for payroll. Homebase also offers a free Basic workforce plan for one location with up to 10 employees and paid workforce plans; assess whether the payroll add-on and free plan cover all required functions.
Homebase advertises unlimited payroll runs, tax payments and filings, W-2s and 1099s, new-hire reporting and employee self-onboarding.
Best for: Independent restaurants, cafés and bars wanting an approachable payroll and scheduling combination.
Check before buying: Confirm how multiple locations and EINs are handled. Homebase notes that certain multi-location payroll arrangements require the same EIN, pay schedule and pay frequency.
4. Square Payroll — best for restaurants using Square POS
Square Payroll connects with Square timecards, tips and the Square Team App. Its full-service payroll plan includes automated tax filings, unlimited payroll runs, multiple pay rates, multistate payroll and employee self-onboarding.
Published price: $35 per month plus $6 per person paid, or $6 per person for contractor-only payroll. At 25 employees paid in a month, full-service payroll costs $185. Optional benefits, workers' compensation and some services cost extra.
Square is one of the lowest public base-price options in this comparison. The economic advantage is strongest when a restaurant already uses Square for payments, POS and timecards.
Best for: Small US restaurants, food trucks, cafés and bars using the Square ecosystem.
Check before buying: Confirm state support, deposit timing and whether Square's scheduling features are sufficient. Printed tax forms and some compliance services can create additional charges.
5. Gusto — best for small businesses wanting payroll plus HR and benefits
Gusto combines full-service payroll with onboarding, benefits and HR tools. Its payroll functionality supports multiple pay rates, payroll reports, tax filings and tip-credit calculations, which can matter to restaurants with tipped employees.
Published prices:
- Simple: $49 per month plus $6 per person
- Plus: $80 per month plus $12 per person
- Premium: $180 per month plus $22 per person
For 25 people, the standard monthly totals are $199 for Simple, $380 for Plus and $730 for Premium. Simple is positioned for single-state payroll, while Plus adds multistate payroll, time tracking and more advanced features. Contractor-only pricing is separate and may have promotional terms.
Best for: Independent restaurants and growing companies wanting payroll, onboarding and benefits in one system.
Check before buying: Choose the plan based on states, time tracking and HR support rather than price alone. Confirm benefit availability and extra fees for required add-ons.
6. QuickBooks Payroll — best for restaurants centered on QuickBooks accounting
QuickBooks Workforce Payroll connects payroll with QuickBooks accounting and offers automated tax calculation and filing, employee access, payroll reports and direct deposit. Higher bundles add accounting, time tracking and broader HR functions.
Published list price checked: The standalone Workforce Payroll plan is $50 per month plus $7 per employee, with a displayed introductory offer of $25 per month for three months at the time checked. The standard cost for 25 employees is $225 per month. QuickBooks also displays bundled plans whose pricing and included accounting features differ.
Best for: Restaurants already using QuickBooks that want payroll information connected to their books.
Check before buying: Compare the standard renewal price rather than the introductory discount. Confirm whether time tracking, scheduling, same-day deposit, HR features and accounting access require a larger bundle.
7. Restaurant365 — best for multi-unit restaurant finance and workforce operations
Restaurant365 is built for restaurant groups and connects accounting, operations and workforce tools. Its payroll offering is designed to work with restaurant labor data and the wider Restaurant365 platform.
Published price: Custom quote. Public service terms list certain exceptional charges, but they do not replace a full subscription proposal.
Restaurant365 is most relevant when payroll is part of a larger decision involving restaurant accounting, scheduling, labor, inventory and multi-unit reporting. A smaller independent operation may not need that breadth.
Best for: Restaurant groups that want payroll connected with a restaurant-focused back-office system.
Check before buying: Request separate prices for platform modules, payroll, implementation, integrations and support. Ask how corrections, year-end processing, additional EINs and special payroll services are billed.
8. BambooHR — best for growing restaurant groups that need a stronger HR system
BambooHR provides employee records, reporting, workflows, onboarding, performance and other HR functions. US payroll, time and benefits are available as add-ons.
Published HR prices: Core starts at $10 per employee per month, Pro at $17 and Elite at $25 for companies with more than 25 employees. Companies with 25 employees or fewer pay a flat rate starting at $250 per month. Payroll pricing requires a quote.
For a 25-person restaurant group, the published HR starting point is therefore $250 per month before payroll. For 50 employees, the undiscounted starting calculation is $500 for Core, $850 for Pro or $1,250 for Elite, before add-ons and any volume discounts.
Best for: Growing restaurant companies that need structured employee records, HR workflows and reporting in addition to payroll.
Check before buying: Ask for the combined HR, payroll and time-and-attendance price. Confirm whether restaurant scheduling, tip handling and POS integrations meet operational needs.
9. RUN Powered by ADP — best for packaged payroll and service options
RUN Powered by ADP serves small businesses with payroll processing, tax services and package-dependent HR capabilities. ADP offers several tiers and supports businesses that want access to payroll specialists.
Published price: Custom quote. ADP explains that pricing depends on employee count, worker types, pay frequency, payment methods, features and service level. Its public materials also say a contract is provided after the tailored proposal.
Best for: Restaurants that value an established payroll provider, support options and the ability to add HR services.
Check before buying: Obtain an itemized price for every payroll run, employee, state, tax filing, year-end form, integration and HR add-on. Compare the first-year offer with the renewal price and contract terms.
10. Paychex Flex — best for restaurants comparing payroll, HR and benefits packages
Paychex Flex offers payroll processing, payroll tax administration and optional HR, benefits and compliance services. Its published comparison presents packages such as Select and Pro but directs customers to request pricing.
Published price: Custom quote.
Paychex can suit businesses that want a dedicated payroll contact or a broader mix of payroll and HR services. The final value depends on the selected package and service charges.
Best for: Small and midsize restaurant groups that want payroll with optional HR and benefits administration.
Check before buying: Ask whether the quote is per payroll run or monthly, which tax and year-end services are included, and what implementation, delivery, amendment and cancellation fees may apply.
Public-price examples by team size
The table below applies the standard published base and per-person charges. It is a budgeting illustration, not a quote.
| Platform and plan | 10 employees | 25 employees | 50 employees | Important exclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square full-service payroll | $95 | $185 | $335 | Optional benefits and add-ons |
| Homebase Payroll | $99 | $189 | $339 | Other Homebase plan costs may apply |
| 7shifts Payroll | $99.99 | $189.99 | $339.99 | Requires a paid 7shifts plan |
| Gusto Simple | $109 | $199 | $349 | Single-state plan; add-ons excluded |
| QuickBooks Workforce Payroll | $120 | $225 | $400 | Uses standard list price, not promotion |
These calculations do not include sales tax, multiple locations, additional states, benefits, workers' compensation, retirement plans, background checks or exceptional processing fees.
How to choose payroll software for a restaurant
Start with pay complexity
Document every way employees are paid: hourly rates, salaries, multiple job rates, overtime, tips, service charges, bonuses, commissions and reimbursements. Ask each vendor to demonstrate those exact scenarios.
Check tip workflows carefully
Restaurants may collect, pool, distribute and report tips in different ways. Confirm how the system imports card tips, records cash tips, handles tip pooling, calculates applicable credits and sends tips to payroll. Have your accountant or payroll adviser review the setup.
Test time and POS integrations
A logo on an integration page does not guarantee the workflow you need. Ask the vendor to show how approved hours, roles, rates, breaks and tips move from your POS or time clock into payroll. Confirm what happens when a manager corrects a timecard after payroll preparation.
Compare the full price
Ask for a written estimate covering:
- Base subscription and per-employee charges
- Required scheduling, timekeeping or POS plans
- Each payroll run and off-cycle run
- Federal, state and local tax filing
- W-2 and 1099 preparation, electronic delivery and mailing
- Multiple states, locations and EINs
- Implementation and historical data migration
- Payroll corrections and amended returns
- HR support, benefits and workers' compensation
- Contract length, renewal price and cancellation terms
Review permissions and support
Restaurant managers should see only the locations and employees they are authorized to manage. Test owner, payroll administrator, general manager and employee permissions. Ask which support team handles urgent payroll funding, filing and payment problems.
Plan the migration
Changing payroll midyear requires accurate employee, wage, tax and prior-payroll data. Request a migration checklist, implementation owner and parallel-run process. A low subscription price does not compensate for an incorrect opening balance or missed filing.
Questions to ask during a payroll demonstration
- Show an employee working two restaurant roles at different rates in the same pay period.
- Demonstrate overtime across two locations and explain which entity is responsible.
- Show how card tips, cash tips and tip-pool distributions reach payroll.
- Explain every cost for 25 employees, two locations and our actual pay frequency.
- Which tax filings and year-end forms are included?
- What fees apply to corrections, amended filings, rush payroll and failed funding?
- Which POS, scheduling, accounting and benefits integrations are native?
- How quickly can support stop or correct a payroll problem?
- Can we export complete payroll and employee records if we leave?
- Which features are unavailable in our state or business structure?
Payroll and recruitment should connect cleanly
Payroll begins after a hiring decision, but the information collected during recruitment should transfer accurately into onboarding. Restaurant employers can use ChefPin to browse chefs and hospitality professionals and publish opportunities for candidates searching ChefPin Jobs.
Before opening a role, define the pay basis, expected schedule, workplace, responsibilities and required experience. ChefPin's restaurant and hotel chef job-description template can help structure the vacancy. Employers comparing hiring technology can also read the top restaurant recruitment software platforms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest restaurant payroll software in this comparison?
For the 25-employee example using standard published prices, Square is $185 per month, Homebase is $189, 7shifts Payroll is $189.99 before the required paid 7shifts plan, Gusto Simple is $199 and QuickBooks Workforce Payroll is $225. Features and eligibility differ, so the lowest calculated price may not be the lowest complete cost.
Which payroll systems are designed specifically for restaurants?
7shifts Payroll, Toast Payroll and Restaurant365 are explicitly restaurant-focused. Homebase and Square also support many restaurant workflows. General payroll platforms may still be suitable when they integrate reliably with the restaurant's POS, timekeeping and tip processes.
Does restaurant payroll software calculate tips and overtime?
Many platforms support tip and overtime workflows, but the exact calculation depends on the product, plan, timekeeping data and employer configuration. The restaurant remains responsible for correct setup, approvals and compliance.
Is payroll included with restaurant POS software?
Usually it is a separate subscription or add-on. Toast and Square offer payroll within their broader ecosystems, while other POS systems connect to third-party payroll providers. Ask for the combined POS, timekeeping and payroll price.
Why do some payroll companies require a quote?
Pricing can depend on headcount, pay frequency, states, locations, legal entities, service level and selected HR features. A quote can be useful only when it itemizes the complete first-year cost and renewal terms.
Can one payroll platform work for restaurants in several countries?
Payroll is governed by country-specific tax and employment systems. Most products in this US comparison do not provide native payroll in every country. International restaurant groups should evaluate coverage entity by entity and obtain local professional advice.
Final buying recommendation
Create a shortlist based on the restaurant's existing systems. Operators using Toast, Square or 7shifts should price the connected payroll option first. Small independent restaurants should compare Homebase, Square and Gusto. Groups that prioritize accounting or HR records should examine QuickBooks, Restaurant365 or BambooHR. ADP and Paychex are worth quoting when service options and broader payroll support are priorities.
Run a demonstration with real sample data before signing: one tipped server, one employee with two roles, one manager working across locations and one corrected timecard. Compare the full annual price and the time managers will spend fixing exceptions. That test reveals more than a long feature list.
