Accounting for restaurants and cafés in Dubai
We match your till, delivery-app and card payouts to the bank every month, work out your real food and labour cost, and keep VAT ready for each quarter.
- Fixed monthly fees Agreed in writing before we start.
- Office in Business Bay ParkLane Tower, Park Regis.
- Filed on EmaraTax We submit your VAT and corporate tax returns.
- WhatsApp replies In working hours, Monday to Saturday.
What we fix in the first month
Restaurant books usually go wrong in the same few places. This is what we set up in the first month.
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Delivery payouts booked as sales
Talabat, Deliveroo and Careem pay out after commission, discounts and refunds, so the bank credit is not your sales figure.
We record gross sales, commission and refunds on separate lines for each app.
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Food cost worked out once a year
Without a month-end stock count, food cost is a balancing figure in the annual accounts.
We use your closing count to give a real cost of sales for each branch, every month.
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Till, card and bank never agreed
Card settlements arrive a day or two later and net of fees, and cash is banked in round amounts.
We reconcile POS totals, card settlements and bank deposits and chase the differences.
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Cash purchases without tax invoices
Market and small-supplier purchases often come with a receipt only, so the VAT on them is hard to support.
We list cash-paid purchases separately and request tax invoices before the return is filed.
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Branches and brands in one ledger
With no tracking, you cannot tell which outlet or virtual brand is carrying the others.
We set up a profit and loss for each branch and brand in Zoho Books, Xero or QuickBooks.
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Staff costs booked when paid
Visa costs, overtime and gratuity hit the month they are paid, so labour cost jumps around.
We post salaries and accruals by branch from the monthly WPS payroll.
What your monthly report shows
We agree five or six measures with you in the first month and keep them stable, so the trend means something.
- Food and drink cost % Cost of sales against net food and drink sales, by branch.
- Labour cost % Payroll, visas and accruals against net sales.
- Prime cost % Food plus labour: the figure that decides whether the month works.
- Delivery share and net payout Each app's sales and what reached your bank after commission.
- Cash after commitments Bank balance less rent cheques, salaries and VAT already due.
The full pack adds profit and loss against budget, cash and ageing. See MIS reporting
Tax points we check
Each point is taken from the law or FTA guidance named under it.
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VAT at 5%: when to register
Registration is mandatory once taxable supplies and imports pass AED 375,000 over the previous 12 months, or are expected to pass it in the next 30 days. You can register voluntarily above AED 187,500.
Source: FTA, registration for VAT
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Returns within 28 days
Most restaurants file quarterly on EmaraTax. The return and payment are due within 28 days of the end of the period, and since 14 April 2026 late payment costs 14% a year, charged monthly.
Source: FTA, filing VAT returns; Cabinet Decision 129 of 2025
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Paying suppliers in cash
From 1 October 2026 the VAT rules allow input VAT to be blocked on supplies above a threshold that are paid in cash. The threshold has not been set yet, so we already track cash-paid purchases separately.
Source: Cabinet Decision 149 of 2026
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Corporate tax and Small Business Relief
Taxable income up to AED 375,000 is taxed at 0% and the rest at 9%. If revenue has been AED 3 million or less in this and every earlier tax period, you can elect Small Business Relief for periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. You still register and file within nine months of the year-end.
Source: Federal Decree-Law 47 of 2022; Ministerial Decision 73 of 2023, as amended by Ministerial Decision 131 of 2026
Frequently asked questions
Ask us on WhatsAppShould I record Talabat or Deliveroo payouts as sales?
No. Record the gross sale, then the app's commission, discounts and refunds as separate items. The payout is a receipt, not your revenue. Recording it gross shows what each channel really costs and keeps the VAT on your sales and on the commission correct.
How often should a restaurant count stock?
At least at every month-end, covering food, drink and packaging. Without a closing count, food cost is a guess. Kitchens with expensive items such as meat, seafood or spirits often count those weekly.
What is a good food cost percentage?
It depends on the concept: a coffee-led café, a fine-dining room and a cloud kitchen run very different margins. The useful comparison is your actual food cost against your recipe cost and your own budget, month by month. Our food cost calculator helps you set a target for each dish.
Do you work with Foodics and the delivery apps?
Yes. We work from Foodics and other POS exports, and from the sales and settlement reports that Talabat, Deliveroo and Careem provide. You do not need to change systems; we need the same reports from you every month.
Know your food cost before the month is over
Send us one month of POS, delivery-app and bank statements. We will show you what we would track and quote a fixed monthly fee.
