Hospitality

Finance that understands
hospitality.

Tight margins, seasonal cash flow, tronc arrangements and the relentless pace of operations — we understand hospitality because we've worked with operators at every stage, from single-site independents to multi-site groups.

Book a discovery call ↗How we can help
Restaurant interior
Our expertise

We understand
restaurants & hospitality

Hospitality is one of the most operationally and financially complex industries to run a business in. The margins are tight, the cash flow is lumpy, the staffing is complicated, and the regulatory environment — VAT, tronc, tips legislation — is constantly evolving. Most accountancy firms treat hospitality businesses like any other client. We don't.

3–5%
Average net margin in hospitality
30%+
Labour cost as % of revenue, typically
£000s
Saved annually with proper VAT planning
The challenges

What makes hospitality
accounting complex

01
Margin management at scale
Food and labour costs need to be tracked in real time, not at month-end. We help operators build the financial visibility to make daily decisions with confidence.
02
Seasonal cash flow
A busy December and a quiet January can create serious cash pressure if you're not planning ahead. We build 13-week rolling forecasts so you always know what's coming.
03
Tronc and tips
The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 changed the rules significantly. We set up and manage compliant tronc arrangements so your team benefits and you stay onside with HMRC.
04
VAT complexity
Hospitality VAT — food vs drink, eat-in vs takeaway, the reduced rate tapering — is notoriously complex. We make sure you're only paying what you owe.
What we do

Services for
hospitality businesses

Every business we work with gets the full Runway service — but informed by deep sector knowledge. Here are the areas where we add the most value for hospitality businesses specifically.

Talk to us about your business ↗
01
Management accounts & KPI reporting
02
Tronc scheme setup and management
03
VAT planning and compliance
04
Cash flow forecasting
05
Payroll for tipped and hourly staff
06
Site-level profitability analysis
Client story
Our previous accountant sent us a surprise tax bill three days before it was due. Runway told us our liability six months in advance. That alone changed how we plan the business.
Laura Chen
Owner, The Corner Table Group
Go.
Let's talk

Work with accountants who
actually know your sector.

Book a free 30-minute call with a Runway founder. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right fit — and if we are, we'll show you exactly what working with us looks like.

Free 30-minute call  ·  Speak directly with a founder  ·  No obligation