If you’re a growing food service operation, then Restaurant365 is a comprehensive management solution. The industry-tailored platform includes nearly everything for daily operations. This package includes sales reports, invoicing, food cost tracking, employee scheduling and more.

But before you jump on this all-in-one tool, consider its downsides. Restaurant365 is exceptionally expensive. It also has a steep learning curve. Simpler food businesses may feel overwhelmed using this platform.

Let’s explore if this restaurant management software is right for you.

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Restaurant365 Workforce’s pricing

The platform is very expensive. All-in-one packages start at $435 a month. You can choose one-off functions rather than a package, but the pricing for those isn’t available. You will have to speak with a sales agent first, so you can discuss those options upfront.

For comparison, many competitors, such as QuickBooks Online and 7shifts, barely crack $100 every 30 days. Some alternatives, like Toast, boast free plans too.

Indeed, Restaurant365 is comprehensive and charges accordingly. Still, it’s hard to justify the platform’s eye-watering price tag in the face of far cheaper competitors.

Restaurant365 Workforce’s key features

The platform stuns with its industry-specific perks. Here are some marquee attractions for Restaurant365.

Accounting module

Restaurant365 offers a specialized accounting module that fully integrates with POS systems, food and beverage vendors, payroll providers and banks. This integration centralizes financial information, providing restaurant groups with a comprehensive overview of their operations and profitability.

The software’s automated accounts payable processes streamline financial management, making it easier for small-business owners to keep track of their finances. Additionally, for franchises, Restaurant365 supports operations with features for automated franchisee billing and royalty management. This specialization makes it an ideal solution for multi-location restaurant groups.

Inventory management

The inventory management system in Restaurant365 is designed to help businesses control costs effectively. It features digital accounts, ordering tools and connected invoices, which simplify the management of inventory. The system’s smart ordering tool uses past data to predict order quantities and can even automate the generation of purchase orders, saving time and reducing errors.

Additionally, the recipe costing feature tracks the use of ingredients in menu items. This automatic food tracking function helps identify opportunities to maximize efficiency and reduce food waste. This level of control and automation in inventory management is crucial for small businesses, as it helps maintain profitability by reducing unnecessary expenses.

Labor and scheduling

Restaurant365’s labor and scheduling tools are designed to optimize staff management. The employee scheduling tool allows restaurant owners to create staff schedules based on sales forecasts, aiding in the control of labor costs. Meanwhile, the manager logbook feature serves as a centralized database for daily sales data, employee tasks and important restaurant documents.

This integration of scheduling with operational data ensures that labor spend is optimized. And this benefit is particularly important for cash-strapped small businesses that need to manage their resources efficiently. By streamlining scheduling and labor management, Restaurant365 helps entities keep things flowing with fewer resources.

Restaurant365 Workforce pros

Restaurant365, a comprehensive restaurant management software, has several pros and cons that are important for small-business owners to consider.

Comprehensive solutions

Once you’re set up, the platform’s restaurant-specific functions shine. Nearly every business need is ready to use. You can tack on premium perks like employee recruiting tools and artificial intelligence features, or you can stick with its included solutions like staff task management and financial reporting.

Plus, you likely won’t have to reconfigure existing software. For example, Restaurant365 integrates with over 100 POS systems and most financial institutions. As a result, you can rapidly get started crunching financial figures without much red tape.

Strong accounting and analytics

The software excels in its accounting and general ledger capabilities, offering a robust financial management tool. For starters, you can seamlessly export data to Microsoft Excel and re-import it into Restaurant365. And once on the platform, you can tap into advanced reports, food cost analysis and wage information, among other analytics. You can even track minute-by-minute sales. Simply put, the software suite can tackle your restaurant’s entire financial picture.

Time-saving features

Restaurant365 thoughtfully includes time-saving perks. Integrations with vendor invoicing software streamlines bookkeeping. Automated features ensure that balancing month-end reconciliations, which can take hours manually, can be completed in minutes. Moreover, these perks allow business owners to focus more on strategic aspects rather than getting bogged down in daily operational tasks.

Restaurant365 Workforce cons

There’s much to love about the platform’s restaurant-specific offerings. But it’s not perfect. Here are some downsides to Restaurant365.

Limited customer service

Surprisingly, the software’s support options do not cater to restaurant hours. You can only get help Monday through Friday during regular business hours. If you reach out after this window, your issue is logged as a service ticket that won’t get action until the weekdays. So, if the platform goes haywire during dinner service, you’re on your own.

Complex learning curve

Given the software’s complexity, it can feel complex and difficult to set up. You’ll likely need lots of time and patience to comb through its technical documentation. Indeed, the platform doesn’t offer full-service setup or point-and-click simplicity. In fact, Restaurant365 advertises an option to purchase help from experts if you’re feeling stuck. As a result, prepare to feel some frustration if you adopt the platform.

Cost considerations

The software is exceptionally pricey. You can snag a la carte functions, but only if you endure speaking to a sales representative first. Otherwise, packages start at $435 monthly. For comparison, QuickBooks Online ranges from $30 to $200 monthly.

Restaurant365’s costs are high because of its all-in-one solutions and restaurant-specific appeal. If you have a generous budget, this convenience may feel worth it. But if you’re tight on cash, the software is a strain on your pocketbook.

If Restaurant365 Workforce isn’t ideal for you, check out these alternatives

Here are three alternatives to Restaurant365, each offering unique features that may suit different needs within the restaurant industry.

QuickBooks Online

Intuit QuickBooks Online is a comprehensive cloud solution for accounting, pricing, inventory and payroll. It’s particularly suited for more complex businesses that require robust reporting and tracking capabilities. The platform is unique because it connects to Intuit’s other titles, like TurboTax. As a result, you stand to save oodles of time come tax season.

7shifts

7shifts is a more affordable restaurant workforce and scheduling management application. The application focuses on the scheduling and management of restaurant staff, although some other functions are included. It is particularly useful for simpler restaurants looking to efficiently manage their workforce and improve team communication. And unlike Restaurant365, 7shifts boasts a free plan.

Jolt

Jolt delivers task and workforce management with features like time and attendance tracking, scheduling and simple tasking tools. Based in Provo, Utah, Jolt is designed for small teams. Its functionalities make it a suitable choice for small to medium-sized businesses or restaurants that require a straightforward and effective solution for managing daily tasks and employee schedules.

Review methodology

We carefully analyzed the needs of restaurants big and small, and considered how Restaurant365 met these unique needs. We analyzed the platform’s value for money, comprehensiveness, employee management functions, food cost analysis tools and other food service-specific perks. We studied customer ratings and the tool’s shortcomings. Finally, we compared it to other competitor offerings.