Front of house
Organize reported cash and card tips, tip distributions and amounts already paid before sending totals to payroll.
For restaurants, cafés & food-service teams
Keep shifts, tips
and payday
moving.
A server picks up a bar shift. A timecard needs correcting. Tips arrive from the POS. Organize the details before switching restaurant payroll—with a checklist built around your working week.
For U.S. restaurant owners & managers · Updated October 26, 2026
Built around your working week
Built for the details
behind restaurant payday.
Back of house & mixed roles
Check hours by role, different wage rates, overtime and manager corrections against the approved time records.
Owners & shift managers
Give payroll one clear owner, set approval deadlines and verify what your POS actually transfers.
Compare your restaurant’s actual workflow, existing POS tools and total cost before choosing a provider. Integration availability and transferred fields can vary.
Optional tool · Homebase
Six months to try a
more connected payroll routine.
Eligible new Homebase customers can receive six months of Payroll and the Plus plan free. Scheduling, time tracking and payroll can work together; the employer still reviews and approves each run.
Dec 15, 2026Complete payroll setupJan 20, 2027Run your first payroll by this date
Know the conditions before you sign up.
- Offer applies to new Homebase customers. The qualifying first-payroll window is September 15, 2026–January 20, 2027.
- Checkout with a valid credit card is required after the 14-day trial. Plus’s six-month period starts at checkout; Payroll’s starts with the qualifying first payroll.
- Free payroll covers up to 50 employees; additional employees are $6/month each. If you miss the first-run deadline, standard pricing applies.
- Published standard payroll pricing is $49/month plus $6 per active employee. Confirm the Plus subscription price after the offer, any location charges, add-ons and cancellation terms directly with Homebase.
Checked October 26, 2026. Homebase’s terms control and offers may change. Existing customers should ask Homebase about their eligibility instead of assuming this new-customer promotion applies.
Affiliate disclosure: Let’s Go SMALL may earn a commission from qualifying actions through our Homebase link. No purchase is required to use this checklist. This guide is based on documentation, not a firsthand software test. How our links work.
Make the switch deliberately
Your busiest week is
your best handoff checklist.
Before you move
Ask both providers who handles the remaining tax returns, year-end forms, outstanding corrections and historical access. Export the records you need before ending your old subscription.
Homebase advertises payroll-data migration with no implementation fee and an onboarding expert. Its stated setup timeline is about a week; allow extra time for your business’s verification and records.
Check the week with the most moving parts
Use your own real payroll preview to check employees with multiple roles, reported tips, overtime and corrections. Confirm the treatment with your payroll provider and adviser before approving a payment.
A connected POS or time clock does not replace reviewing imported records. Ask what syncs, what must be entered separately and how to correct mistakes.
Free restaurant payroll checklist
Your restaurant’s next payday, organized.
Check off completed tasks. Your progress stays in this browser when storage is available. Download a text copy or use Print to save a PDF. No signup required.
0 of 16 complete
Keep Social Security numbers, bank details, tax IDs and employee records in your payroll provider’s secure system. This page only stores checked task numbers locally; do not enter payroll data here.
Keep a copy handy
Email my restaurant checklist.
Request a one-time email with the checklist and this guide. This does not sign you up for marketing updates.
Before you decide.
Do I need to wait until January to switch?
No. Coordinate the handoff date with both providers and your accountant. A year-end boundary can simplify organizing records, but correct balances and clear filing ownership matter more than a marketing deadline.
Does signing up complete payroll setup?
No. Business, tax, employee and funding setup must be completed and approved as required. The authorized administrator must review and submit payroll. Confirm processing cutoffs so employees are paid on time.
Does software take over every employer responsibility?
No. Review employee classification, accurate records, registrations, pay rules and required filings with qualified support. Verify deposit and filing confirmations even when a provider performs those tasks.
What happens after the free period?
Standard charges apply under Homebase’s terms. Confirm your payroll employee count, location plan, add-ons and renewal costs before checkout. Six months of Plus and six months of Payroll can start on different dates.
Will my POS transfer every tip and timecard field?
Ask your provider to confirm your specific POS, subscription and setup. Review which fields sync, how cash tips and prior payouts are represented, and how you correct an error before approving payroll.
Sources & review date
Reviewed October 26, 2026. Homebase offer terms (bottom of page) · Payroll features and standard pricing · Homebase restaurant payroll · Homebase payroll onboarding · IRS: third-party payroll arrangements. General education, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Check current terms and your business’s obligations.