The leading accountants in Leeds for restaurants, cafes, and takeaways
Based on 90 Reviews
Take the burden off your shoulders
You didn’t start your restaurant or cafe business because you wanted to stress over handling financial records, audits, and taxes. You started because you love cooking, experimenting with new dishes, and watching the smiling faces of your customers as they enjoy your dishes.
But now you’re faced with the stress of doing all these things yourself to keep your business alive and running smoothly. Well, what if you didn’t have to do it yourself?
Accountants for restaurants, cafes, and takeaways
Are you a food service business? Leave the accounting to the experts while you run your business in peace.
Restaurants and Cafes
We partner with restaurants and cafes of all sizes, providing expert accounting support to help manage finances and improve profitability.
Takeaways
We work with independant takeaway owners, who are looking for reliable support with VAT, payroll, and cash flow management.
Food Wholesalers
We help food wholesalers streamline their finances, manage complex inventory costs, and stay on top of their cash flow.
Let us do it for you
At MSF Associates accountants in Leeds, we are qualified professional accountants with years of experience serving the hospitality industry and delivering excellent service to our clients. This is why we understand you perfectly and know just how to help you.
We’ve made it our mission to not just give you what you need but what you want. You deserve to run your business without worrying over your finances. And we are here to give you the advice and more in-depth details as to why and how we get the figures we present, and what you can actually do in the future to put yourself in a better position.
How we help
Bookkeeping and Accounts
We keep your financial records up to date and within HMRC adequate records requirements.
Business Compliance Review
We analyse your records, interpret the data, and provide clear advice to guide the decisions that drive your success.
Tax Investigations
We make investigations into the UK's tax regulations and keep you informed so you never pay more taxes unexpectedly.
Payroll
Ensuring that your staffs are paid on time and regulating your staffing costs to keep you profitable.
VAT
Helping you understand which foods are subject to VAT and ensuring your VAT returns are filed correctly.
Research and Development
Identifying eligible expenditure within your business. Helping ensure you claim back as much as possible.
Get started with us
Step 1
To get the process started, book a meeting with an expert from our team
Step 2
On the meeting we will discuss our plan to help you streamline your business
Step 3
We sign you up into our client portal and give you absolute peace of mind
Free Download
Five Biggest Money Mistakes Food Service Businesses Make
(and how to avoid them!)
This eBook highlights the five biggest financial mistakes food and hospitality businesses make and offers practical steps to avoid them, helping you stay out of the 60% that fail in their first year and build a thriving, successful business.
Our promises to you
Timely reports and transparency
Quick and friendly customer service
Peace of mind about your finances
Proper taxes
Proper expert advice
Advice on how to ensure maximum profits
Book a call with an expert
Be the happy, free, passionate and successful restaurant owner. Leave the tedious financial jargon to us. Work with MSF Associates today!
Latest Articles
The Christmas period can make or break the year for many restaurants. A successful Christmas can significantly improve cash flow and set a positive tone for the year ahead. Conversely, a poorly managed season can lead to stress, staffing problems, and missed chances. If there was a secret to getting it right, we'd say that it lies in early planning and concentrating on what boosts profits , not just sales volume . Understand your most lucrative days and times Not all holiday business is beneficial. Review last year's data to pinpoint: The days and times that yielded the highest profit margins Slow periods that were overstaffed Services where demand exceeded available capacity Use this information to inform your opening hours, menus, and staffing levels. Extending hours is only worthwhile if the extra sales generated exceed the additional wage expenses. Streamline your menu Complex menus can bog down service, generate excess waste, and strain kitchen staff. For December, consider these steps: Eliminate items with low profit margins or those that don't sell well. Prioritise dishes that are both quick to make and consistently good. Limit specials to those that actually move. A streamlined menu often results in quicker table turnover and a better experience for customers, rather than a reduction in options. Price for the season, not out of habit Christmas patrons anticipate paying a bit more, especially for: Set menus Christmas specials Group reservations Now is the time to review pricing, rather than simply carrying over last year's figures. Even modest price increases can have a substantial impact when business is brisk. Ensure prices account for higher wage expenses, extended hours, and staff incentives. Secure bookings and deposits early No-shows and last-minute cancellations are particularly damaging in December. Where possible: Take deposits for group bookings whenever feasible. Establish clear cancellation policies. Confirm all bookings well in advance. These steps safeguard your income and streamline staffing and inventory management. Plan your staffing effectively December is not the time to be scrambling to create schedules. Confirm staff availability early, accounting for potential illness and burnout, and avoid excessive reliance on last-minute replacements. Overworked employees are more prone to errors, leading to subpar service and lost repeat customers. If you provide incentives for extra shifts or peak periods, budget for them now to avoid unexpected costs later. Manage cash flow, not just sales figures Higher sales don't always translate to increased cash reserves. December frequently brings: Elevated supplier invoices Bonus or overtime payments Increased card processing fees Be clear on your cash flow, particularly if you're shutting down for a stretch in January or seeing a slowdown after the holiday rush. Think past the immediate Christmas sales The aim is more than just a profitable December; it's about setting the stage for a solid start to the new year. Use this time to: Gather customer information for future marketing efforts Drive repeat business in January Foster customer loyalty, not just one-time sales A well-timed January promotion, advertised in December, can help mitigate the typical post-Christmas slump. Our final thoughts The most successful businesses during the Christmas season aren't necessarily those that extend their operating hours. Instead, they are the ones that get a jump on things, set their prices wisely, and keep a close eye on their expenses. If you're looking for assistance in assessing your financials, cash flow, or staffing expenses before Christmas, get in touch. A brief discussion now could significantly impact your year-end results. Restaurants, cafes, and takeaways can benefit greatly from working with a specialist accountant. If you hadn’t noticed already, we are specialist accountants in Leeds for food service businesses, so unlike most accountants, we have years of experience working with businesses just like you. If you're interested in finding out more about how we can help your restaurant become more profitable, book a call with one of our accounting experts .
Another rise in the National Living Wage is approaching, up 4.1% to £12.71 per hour for eligible workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2026. And for hospitality businesses like yours the impact will be immediate. Labour is likely already one of your biggest costs, so even a small hourly increase can significantly affect margins, cash flow and your profit. The government’s stated aim is to move towards a real living wage over time, which means further increases are likely in future years too. For hospitality businesses with large teams, long opening hours and weekend staffing, the knock-on effects include: Higher basic wage costs Increased employer National Insurance and pension contributions Pressure to maintain pay differentials for supervisors and senior staff Reduced margin on already tight menu pricing If you do nothing, these costs will simply erode profit. Where businesses feel the impact most In our experience, restaurants and cafés feel wage rises most acutely in three areas: Front of house teams with high hourly coverage Kitchen teams where skills are harder to replace Peak trading hours where staffing cannot be reduced without affecting service This is why a blanket approach rarely works. Practical steps to reduce the impact Review staffing patterns, not just pay rates Many businesses jump straight to cutting hours, but this can damage service and morale. A better starting point is to analyse when you actually need people. Look at rotas against sales data. Are you overstaffed during quiet periods. Are there roles that can be combined during off-peak hours. Small changes here can offset a large part of the wage increase without affecting customers. Tighten gross margin control When wages rise, gross margin discipline becomes critical. Review portion sizes, wastage and supplier pricing. Even a one percent improvement in food margin can help absorb higher labour costs. This is often easier and less risky than increasing prices across the board. Be deliberate with price increases If price rises are necessary, they should be targeted and justified. Rather than increasing everything, focus on high-volume or high-margin items. Customers are far more tolerant of small, well-explained increases than sudden across-the-board jumps. Invest in retention Recruitment costs are often forgotten in wage discussions. High staff turnover leads to training time, mistakes and agency cover. Paying slightly more to retain reliable staff can be cheaper than constant churn, particularly in kitchens. Retention is a cost control strategy, not just a people issue. Use forecasts, not guesswork We are often surprised at just how many hospitality businesses still operate without proper cash flow forecasts. Understanding how the wage increase affects monthly payroll, tax and pension costs allows you to plan pricing, promotions and investment decisions with confidence rather than reacting later. This is where good management accounts and forward planning make a real difference. What you should do now Before the new rate takes effect: Update payroll cost forecasts Review rotas and staffing levels Assess margin and pricing strategy Factor the increase into cash flow planning If you wait until April, you are already behind. How MSF Associates can help We work with restaurants, cafés and takeaways every day. We understand the pressure wage increases place on hospitality businesses and help clients plan ahead, not just process payroll after the fact. If you would like help reviewing your numbers or planning for the increase, speak to us early. Restaurants, cafes, and takeaways can benefit greatly from working with a specialist accountant. If you hadn’t noticed already, we are specialist accountants in Leeds for food service businesses, so unlike most accountants, we have years of experience working with businesses just like you. If you're interested in finding out more about how we can help your restaurant become more profitable, book a call with one of our accounting experts .
The chancellor has delivered the Autumn Budget, setting out a mix of tax rises, cost pressures, and a few areas of support. For hospitality owners already facing tight margins, higher wage bills and supply chain costs, this year's Budget brings several changes worth planning for now. Below is a straightforward breakdown of the measures most likely to affect restaurant, café, and takeaway businesses, and what they mean in practice. Rising wage costs The legal minimum wage for over-21s will rise to £12.71 per hour from April 2026. Rates for 18 to 20-year-olds will increase to £10.85 . For hospitality, where labour makes up 30 to 40 per cent of costs, this is one of the biggest financial pressures to prepare for. Front-of-house, barista and kitchen roles often sit close to minimum wage levels, so owners should: Review rotas and identify any inefficiencies Update cash flow forecasts for the higher payroll cost Revisit menu pricing to maintain your margin without surprising customers This rises alongside the continued freeze on employer National Insurance thresholds until 2031 , meaning NI contributions will steadily increase as wages rise. New sugar tax extension – including milkshakes and lattes From 2028, the tax on sugary drinks will be extended to pre-packaged milkshakes and lattes . This is a significant change for cafés and takeaway coffee shops selling bottled or canned sweet drinks. If you stock branded ready-to-drink beverages, suppliers are likely to pass on the cost. Consider: Reviewing high-sugar drinks ranges Offering lower-sugar alternatives Modelling price changes well ahead of 2028 Freshly prepared in-house drinks do not appear to be affected, but further detail is expected. Fuel duty freeze extended Fuel duty will remain frozen until September 2026. For businesses running delivery vehicles or picking up supplies from wholesalers, this offers a small saving and more price stability. However, the forthcoming mileage-based tax for electric and hybrid vehicles from April 2028 is one to keep on your long-term radar, especially if you operate a growing delivery service. Higher taxes on rental income The tax charged on rental income will rise by 2 percentage points from April 2027 . This affects hospitality owners who: Sublet part of their premises Earn rental income from flats above restaurants or shops Operate mixed-use buildings It does not directly affect business rates, but it increases tax on any personal property income streams tied to your business. Corporation tax and employer NI impacts The freeze on employer NI thresholds means costs will quietly rise each year as wages increase. There is also a corporation tax change contributing £1.5bn in extra tax by 2030, though details depend on your structure. It is worth reviewing profit extraction plans with your accountant to avoid nasty surprises. Salary sacrifice cap From 2029, salary sacrifice for pensions will be capped at £2,000 a year . This mainly affects larger hospitality groups, but small operators should also review staff benefits if they currently use salary sacrifice to cut NI costs. Overseas small-package exemption scrapped From 2029, the tax exemption on goods imported under £135 will end. Food businesses sourcing small equipment or packaging from overseas marketplaces (Amazon, AliExpress, eBay Global) may see higher costs. Household income changes – indirect effects on hospitality Several Budget measures will shape customer spending power over the next few years: Income tax thresholds frozen for three more years State pension rising 4.8% Minimum wage rising Universal Credit changes For restaurants and cafés, this creates a mixed picture. Customers on lower incomes may feel squeezed by frozen tax thresholds and rising living costs. At the same time, minimum wage increases mean some younger customers will have slightly higher disposable income. Planning ahead for pricing, offers, and customer loyalty schemes will help stabilise footfall. Alcohol duty set to rise From 1 February 2026, alcohol duty will increase in line with RPI inflation. This includes draught drinks, which directly affects pubs and licensed restaurants. Expect: Higher wholesale prices Pressure on margins for popular items like beer and cider The need to review bar pricing strategies Transport and travel Rail fares in England will be frozen next year. This may help staff commuting costs slightly but is unlikely to materially change business expenses. Training and recruitment support A positive change: apprenticeship training for under-25s will be free for SMEs . For hospitality owners struggling to recruit and upskill staff, this could be a helpful route to build talent without large training costs. What this Budget means overall for hospitality Hospitality businesses already manage tight profit margins, and this Budget largely confirms more cost pressure ahead. The biggest impacts for restaurants, cafés and takeaways will come from: Higher wage bills Steadily rising employer NI costs Increased alcohol duty New sugary drink tax extensions Long-term tax rises through frozen thresholds There are small pockets of support through fuel duty and apprenticeship training, but the overall environment remains one where careful cost control and proactive planning will be essential. How we can help We work with restaurants, cafés and takeaways across the UK, helping owners keep control of their costs, manage payroll rises, and plan for tax changes well before they hit your bottom line. If you would like a personalised review of how the Autumn Budget affects your business, please get in touch. Restaurants, cafes, and takeaways can benefit greatly from working with a specialist accountant. If you hadn’t noticed already, we are specialist accountants in Leeds for food service businesses, so unlike most accountants, we have years of experience working with businesses just like you. If you're interested in finding out more about how we can help your restaurant become more profitable, book a call with one of our accounting experts .
