Best payroll for restaurants

How we picked for restaurants

Restaurant payroll runs on shifts, timecards and tips, and the scheduling tool that tracks them is often priced per location. We compared these three on that full bill, based on each provider's pricing pages and help docs, checked November 12, 2026.

Why each pick fits

Homebase

Homebase starts as a scheduling app and time clock, and timesheets from the clock feed payroll directly. Payroll is an add-on at $49/mo + $6 per employee paid, on any scheduling plan (Homebase pricing). The free Basic plan covers one location with up to 10 employees. Past that, scheduling is billed per location: Essentials $30, Plus $70 and All-in-One $120 per location per month on monthly billing, with 20% off shown for annual billing. The pricing page also shows a "$29 per month for teams up to 5" payroll card without saying whether it replaces $49 + $6; our table uses $49 + $6, so ask Homebase if you have 5 or fewer staff.

Of the three, only Homebase lists a priced tips tool: Tip Manager at $25/mo per location. Payroll is free for the first 6 months as a limited-time offer, then bills at $49 + $6 per employee.

Square Payroll

Square suits a restaurant that already takes payments on Square, because timecards flow in from Square POS. Full-service payroll is $35/mo + $6 per person paid ($65 for 5, $155 for 20) and runs month to month (Square pricing). The plan includes scheduling, 2-day payroll and free seasonal inactivity, which helps a place that closes for part of the year.

Gusto

Gusto files federal, state and local payroll taxes on every plan, which matters for a restaurant in a city with its own payroll tax. Simple is $49/mo + $6 per person but covers one state. Time and attendance on Simple is a paid add-on, Time & Attendance Plus, at $6/mo per person (Gusto pricing). For 20 hourly staff that adds $120 a month to the $169 base bill.

What to check for a restaurant

Price scheduling per location. Two locations on Homebase Essentials with 20 employees cost $169 for payroll plus $60 for scheduling, before Tip Manager at $25 per location. Homebase also runs several locations in one payroll only if they share an EIN and the same pay schedule.

Check local taxes against your city. Homebase files federal, state and supported local taxes, and says some taxes and forms are unsupported and must be paid by you (Homebase tax management). Square files local taxes only in supported jurisdictions. In Ohio, it calculates but doesn't file municipal taxes outside RITA, CCA and the City of Columbus. In Pennsylvania, you file any local tax it doesn't support. Square also can't pay one employee who works across several tax jurisdictions (Square help), which affects a cook who covers shifts in two cities.

Check deposit speed for hourly staff who expect fast pay. Square's standard is 4 business days, with 2-day payroll on full-service. Homebase lists 2-day deposit for qualified companies without stating the criteria.

Setup	5 employees	20 employees
Homebase payroll + free Basic (1 location, up to 10)	$79	not eligible
Homebase payroll + Essentials, 1 location	$109	$199
Square Payroll	$65	$155
Gusto Simple + Time & Attendance Plus	$109	$289

Common questions

What does Homebase payroll cost for a restaurant?

$49/mo + $6 per employee paid, on top of a scheduling plan. The scheduling plan is free for one location with up to 10 employees, and from $30 per location per month (billed monthly) after that.

Does Square Payroll file local taxes?

Only in supported jurisdictions. In parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania, Square leaves unsupported local taxes for you to file and pay, and in New York it doesn't support the Employer Compensation Expense Program.

Which restaurant payroll has tip tools?

Homebase sells Tip Manager for $25/mo per location. The Square and Gusto pages we checked don't list a priced tips feature.