Accountants for restaurants, guesthouses and shops in South Africa, at 1% of business turnover
You opened a restaurant, guesthouse or shop to look after customers, not to chase cash-ups or SARS deadlines. One Percent Accounting keeps the books for restaurants, cafés, takeaways, guesthouses, B&Bs, lodges and retail stores across South Africa: daily takings and card settlements, stock and food cost, SARS VAT, payroll and tips, and annual financial statements, all on Xero, for one monthly fee of 1% of your business turnover.
Hospitality and retail Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax in one monthly fee
- Daily takings, card machine and POS settlements matched to your bank on Xero, so cash shortages show up early
- Uber Eats, Mr D, Booking.com and Airbnb payouts split into full sales and commission, so your VAT and margins are right
- Month-end stock of food, drinks and retail goods valued, with food and beverage cost percentages and gross margin per outlet
- SARS VAT201 returns, including VAT on commercial accommodation and long stays, and registration once taxable supplies pass the R2.3 million VAT threshold
- Payroll for chefs, waiters, housekeeping and shop staff, with SARS PAYE, UIF and SDL (EMP201 and EMP501), for up to 10 employees
- Card tips paid over to staff correctly, and the Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) claimed for qualifying young employees
- SARS provisional and income tax, Compensation Fund (COIDA) returns and annual financial statements for your bank, partners and SARS
How we take over your Accounting
Book a free online meeting
A 30-minute video call about your business, your current accountant and what you need from us.
We move your books to Xero
We connect your bank feeds, import opening balances and set up your sales channels, stock and outlets.
Monthly reports, SARS handled
Each month you get a clear profit and cost report, and your SARS VAT, PAYE and provisional tax are submitted on time.
What a month of Accounting looks like for your business
Your doors stay open as usual. Behind the scenes, this is what we do for you every month.
- Bank, card machine and POS settlements reconciled in Xero
- Cash-ups matched to bank deposits and shortages flagged
- Delivery and booking platform payouts split into sales and commission
- Supplier invoices for food, drinks and stock captured
- Month-end stock valued and cost of sales posted
- Payroll run, tips paid over and the SARS EMP201 submitted by the 7th
- SARS VAT201 submitted and a monthly profit report sent to you
What an accountant for your restaurant, guesthouse or shop costs
One fee of 1% of your monthly business turnover covers everything on this page, with a minimum of R79 a month excl. VAT. A restaurant with R300 000 monthly business turnover pays R3 000 a month excl. VAT, and a quiet month or off-season costs less. Payroll for up to 10 staff is included, and each extra employee is billed separately. There are no hourly bills for questions. See the full fee breakdown.
Accountants for restaurants and shops in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban
One Percent Accounting works fully online, so the service is the same wherever your business is: Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, the Garden Route, the Winelands or a small town on the coast. Your transactions come in through Xero bank feeds, your documents by email or upload, and meetings happen by video, so you never have to leave the floor.
Accountants for restaurants, guesthouses and retail stores
The same monthly service fits restaurants, cafés, coffee shops, bakeries, takeaways and franchise outlets, pubs and bars, caterers, guesthouses, B&Bs, lodges and self-catering units, retail stores from clothing and pharmacies to hardware and liquor stores, and wholesalers and distributors.
Need working capital for stock before the busy season? Your Accountant can get your figures ready for Bridgement business finance, our finance partner.
Hospitality and retail Accounting questions
How much does an accountant for a restaurant or shop cost in South Africa?
With One Percent Accounting you pay 1% of your monthly business turnover, minimum R79 a month excl. VAT. That covers bookkeeping, cash-up and card reconciliations, stock, SARS VAT, provisional and income tax, payroll for up to 10 staff and annual financial statements.
Do I deduct PAYE from my waiters' card tips?
Not if you simply pass the tips on, for example each waiter's own card tips or a tip pool shared by an agreed formula. SARS then treats the business as a conduit, so no PAYE, UIF or SDL applies, and your staff declare the tips themselves. If the business keeps the tips or decides on its own who gets what, different rules apply, so we check how your tips are handled.
Does my guesthouse have to register for VAT?
Like any business, a guesthouse must register once its taxable supplies pass R2.3 million in 12 months (from 1 April 2026). Accommodation only counts for VAT once it brings in more than R120 000 a year, and for an unbroken stay of more than 28 days, VAT is charged on only 60% of the all-inclusive price.
How do you handle Uber Eats, Mr D, Booking.com and Airbnb payouts?
The platforms pay you after taking their commission. We record the full sale and the commission separately, so your turnover, VAT and margins are right, and you can see what each platform really costs you.
Can you help with the Employment Tax Incentive?
Yes. If you employ qualifying staff aged 18 to 29 on lower wages, the Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) reduces the PAYE you pay over to SARS. We check who qualifies each month and keep the records SARS asks for.
Can you track my food cost and stock?
Yes. We value your stock at month-end and work out food and beverage cost as a percentage of sales, so you can see when prices, portions or wastage need attention.
Can you take over from my current accountant?
Yes. We request your records, move your books to Xero and handle the handover, usually within the first month.