Industry
Restaurant HCM that handles tipped pay without compromise.
Tip allocation, FLSA compliance for tipped workers, multi-location payroll, full-service and quick-service models with different pay-rule shapes — we design configurations that respect how front-of-house actually gets paid.
Our expertise
Where the depth comes from
Tip-credit math, done right at the system level
Tipped employee pay is unforgiving. FLSA tip-credit calculations, blended-rate overtime on tipped hours, automated tip allocation across qualifying employees, IRS Form 8027 filing data — every step has compliance exposure if the configuration drifts. We build the earning code structure, pay rule logic, and reporting hooks to handle the math at the system level. Payroll teams stop reconciling tips against schedules in spreadsheets every week.
Multi-location operating model
Most restaurant clients we work with operate across multiple locations under franchise or corporate-owned models. The pay rules can vary by state, by jurisdiction, by union contract, by service model. Our configurations land the variation cleanly — location-aware tax compliance, state-specific tip-credit rules, jurisdiction-specific minimum wage handling, and reporting that aggregates by location and by district.
Engagement past go-live
Restaurant operations expand through new locations, acquisitions, brand expansions, and franchise model changes. The configuration that worked at five locations can break at fifty without ongoing maintenance. We stay engaged for change requests, location-rollout support, and the periodic re-architecture work that keeps payroll clean as operations grow.
Front-of-house, back-of-house, and franchisee operations
Restaurant HCM has to handle front-of-house tipped employees, back-of-house tipped or non-tipped workers, salaried management, and increasingly, contractor delivery workforces. Sometimes inside one HCM, sometimes across operationally distinct subsidiaries. We've built the configurations and integration architecture for all three models. Franchise operators add another layer: the corporate office may run one HCM for itself while franchisees run their own. Integration patterns that respect that operational separation are part of how the work scopes.
Frequently asked
Questions we hear
Do you handle FLSA tip-credit calculations and tip allocation automation?
Yes. Tip-credit math, tip allocation across qualifying employees, blended-rate overtime on tipped hours, and IRS Form 8027 reporting are all configuration patterns we've delivered. The work lives in the earning code structure and pay rule logic. Once it's right at the system level, payroll teams stop reconciling against schedules every week.
We operate quick-service and full-service brands under one HCM. Different pay rules. Can one configuration handle both?
Yes. The pay rule shapes are different (quick-service is mostly hourly with simpler tip handling, full-service has complex tip-credit math) but the architectural approach is the same. Design the earning code structure to handle both natively, then configure the rules per brand. We've delivered for both models, and for clients running both under one HCM.
Can you run vendor selection if we're picking a new HCM for restaurant operations?
Yes. Restaurant vendor selection is a standard advisory engagement. The output is a defended recommendation through gap-analysis methodology — requirements anchored to actual restaurant operations (tip handling, multi-location compliance, franchise vs. corporate operating model), trade-offs spelled out, decision defensible to the executive team.
What does post-go-live support look like for restaurant clients?
Engagement scales from focused administrative coverage to fractional HCM management. New location rollouts, brand expansions, franchise-model adjustments, and regulatory changes all generate regular work. We stay engaged through change requests and the periodic re-architecture work that keeps payroll clean as operations grow.
Selected work
Featured case studies
- So-Cal Boys Restaurant Group Inc.
From manual to automated tip allocation across five locations
Custom tip allocation integration replacing manual payroll work across 5 restaurants
Read the case study →
Ready to talk through restaurants?
Tell us about your operational priority. We'll respond within one business day and route the right people to the conversation.