Accounting for restaurants

Bookkeeping for restaurants, cafés and takeaways

From 1 April 2026 up to and including 31 December 2027, VAT on food is temporarily 6 per cent, while food served on the premises is still taxed at 12 per cent. This means the same dish can have two VAT rates depending on whether the customer takes the food away or eats in. The till system must be set up correctly and the bookkeeping must capture the split every day. We have written a checklist for 6 or 12 per cent VAT that describes the borderline cases.

We set up the chart of accounts for your VAT rates, reconcile the cash register's daily reports against the bookkeeping and make sure the VAT return is correct.

Payroll and the staff register

Restaurants often have many hourly paid employees, with unsocial hours pay, extra shifts and high staff turnover. We handle payroll calculations, the employer declaration at individual level (see reduced contributions for young people), accrued holiday pay and employment certificates. We also help with the routines for the staff register, which the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) checks during unannounced visits. Read our guide to the staff register for restaurants, with a quick reference guide to download.

What we help restaurants with

• Ongoing bookkeeping with reconciliation against the cash register and card payments
• VAT reporting at 6, 12 and 25 per cent
• Payroll, unsocial hours supplements and employer declarations
• Year-end closing, annual report and tax return
• Routines for the staff register and cash register

Fixed price every month

You pay a fixed monthly price based on the number of vouchers and employees, with no lock-in period and three months' notice. A named accounting consultant in Gothenburg looks after your restaurant and replies within 24 hours on weekdays. See prices or request a quote below.