Restaurant Sales Tax Reconciliation & Filing Support
A sales-tax return is only as reliable as the numbers behind it. We reconcile POS sales, taxable sales, tax collected and merchant settlements to the books before a return is prepared.
(518) 295-8066From POS Sale to Sales-Tax Return
Sales tax is an accounting and control problem before it is a filing task. Each step below needs to agree with the next.
- POS Sales
- Taxable Sales
- Tax Collected
- Merchant Settlements
- Accounting Records
- Sales-Tax Liability
- Return
Restaurant Sales Tax Services
- POS sales-tax reconciliation
- Taxable-sales review
- Sales-tax liability reconciliation
- Accounting cleanup of sales-tax balances
- Filing support
- Multi-location reconciliation
- Discrepancy investigation
- Documentation and reporting
Signs the Sales-Tax Numbers Need Attention
- The sales-tax liability on the balance sheet never goes to zero after payment
- POS tax collected differs from what was reported on the return
- Delivery-platform sales are recorded net with no tax detail
- Menu items are taxed inconsistently between locations
- Returns are prepared from POS totals without checking the books
Restaurant Sales Tax Questions
Why doesn't POS sales tax match the sales-tax return?
Common causes include voids and refunds, tax settings on menu items, delivery-platform sales where tax is handled differently, timing of batches and manual adjustments. Each difference needs to be identified before a return is prepared.
Does ESBS file restaurant sales-tax returns?
We reconcile the underlying numbers and support filing based on your applicable requirements. Filing arrangements are confirmed when we set up the engagement.
Can you reconcile sales tax for several locations?
Yes. Taxable sales and tax collected are reconciled for each location as well as in total.
How are delivery-platform sales handled for sales tax?
It depends on the platform and jurisdiction. We use the platforms' reports to identify which sales tax was collected and remitted by the platform and which remains the restaurant's responsibility.
Can you fix sales-tax balances that have been wrong for months?
Yes. We review prior periods, identify differences and document them. Whether amended returns are needed is discussed with you once the review is complete.
Do you represent restaurants in sales-tax audits?
No. We reconcile and document the records. Audit representation and legal questions should be handled by an appropriately qualified professional.
Sales tax depends on clean deposits — see restaurant bookkeeping and POS reconciliation. For the complete service, including payroll and tax planning, see restaurant accounting. Groups reconciling several sites can review multi-location restaurant accounting.
Get Your Restaurant Accounting Quote
Tell us how sales tax is handled today and where the numbers stop agreeing.
- 1. Contact
- 2. Your restaurant
- 3. Systems and needs