Questions to ask a restaurant accounting firm

The ledger

1. Which system holds our general ledger? QuickBooks Online, Restaurant365, or a platform the firm runs. This decides what software you also pay for and how hard it is to leave.

2. Who owns the login and the data? If the ledger is in your name, a new firm can pick it up. If it is in the firm’s name or on its platform, ask what the handover looks like.

3. What do we get back if we leave? Ask for the export format (general ledger detail, trial balances, supporting files) and how many days it takes.

The close

4. How often do the books close? Monthly is the norm. Some firms publish weekly numbers. Kit by KitchenSync says weekly P&Ls are reconciled and finalized within 36 hours. Harmony Group publishes a 10-day hard close every month.

5. By what day is the month final? A published deadline lets you plan the board meeting and the bank covenant report. Ask what happens when it slips.

6. What ties out before sign-off? Sales to deposits, delivery payouts, POS clearing accounts, tips payable, inventory, payables, and every bank and card account. Our month-end close checklist lists the order.

What the owner sees

7. What arrives each week, and when? Ask for a sample: a weekly flash or P&L by location, prime cost, cash position. See the weekly restaurant P&L.

8. Is there a view by location and a view for the group? Multi-unit groups need both. See multi-unit reporting.

9. Who answers a question, and how fast? Harmony Group publishes same or next business day response times. Ask every firm for its number.

Scope and price

10. What is in scope, line by line? Payables and bill pay, payroll, sales tax, tax returns, inventory counts, forecasting, budgeting. Firms draw this line differently.

11. Is the price per month, per location, or a share of revenue? The Fork CPAs publishes plans from 950 USD a month. Kit by KitchenSync publishes per location prices from 1,500 USD. Paperchase says its flat per location fee comes to under 1% of monthly revenue.

12. What does onboarding involve? Paperchase describes a 6-week onboarding that starts with an audit and cleanup. Ask every firm whether cleanup of past months costs extra.

Score the answers the same way

Write each firm’s answers in the same table. Do not score a blank as a yes. The services roundup does this for five firms with their published answers.

FAQ

What is the most important question to ask a restaurant accounting firm?

Ask which system holds your general ledger and who owns it. That answer decides what software you pay for, how your numbers look, and how hard it is to change firms later.

How often should a restaurant close its books?

Every month at least. Groups that manage prime cost weekly ask for a weekly P&L as well. Ask the firm to state both in writing.

Should a restaurant accounting firm publish its prices?

Some do: The Fork CPAs and Kit by KitchenSync publish prices. Others quote after a call. A quote is fine if it lists the scope line by line.

Do I need a CPA firm for restaurant accounting?

Only for work that requires a licensed CPA, such as an audit or an attest report. Monthly accounting and the close can be done by an accounting firm or an in-house team. Ask who signs your tax return.

Sources

Checked 2026-11-02: Kit by KitchenSync pricing, Harmony Group, The Fork CPAs pricing, Paperchase, and Paperchase FAQ.