--- title: "Edmonton Restaurant Accountant: Tips, POS and GST" url: https://www.everstonecpa.com/restaurant-accountant-edmonton description: "Edmonton restaurants: tip pools through payroll, nightly POS and cash reconciliation, food cost, GST on meals and the Alberta AT1. Send an enquiry." type: service-in-a-city updated: 2026-10-02 summary: "An Edmonton restaurant charges 5% GST on meals and drinks and no provincial sales tax. Tips controlled by the employer generally run through payroll, POS and cash have to be reconciled to deposits, and food cost is the figure that decides the year. Incorporated restaurants file the Alberta AT1 as well as the T2. EverStone handles the books, payroll, GST and year-end at a fixed fee." faq_count: 7 publisher: EverStone CPA Inc., a Chartered Professional Accountant firm registered with CPA British Columbia and CPA Alberta service_area: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba language: en-CA contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online --- [Home](https://www.everstonecpa.com/) [Accountant in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-edmonton) Restaurants Restaurants & hospitality · Edmonton # Restaurant accountant in *Edmonton* Edmonton calls itself the Festival City, and its restaurants feel it: packed summer patios, long cold months, and a sales tax picture simpler than anywhere else in the country. The simplicity is real, but payroll, tips and the till still need close watching. EverStone is a [restaurant and hospitality accountant](https://www.everstonecpa.com/restaurant-hospitality-accounting) and an [Edmonton small business accountant](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-edmonton), at fixed fees, online. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=monthly#enquiry-form)[Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Quick answer:** An Edmonton restaurant charges 5% GST on meals and drinks and no provincial sales tax. Tips controlled by the employer generally run through payroll, POS and cash have to be reconciled to deposits, and food cost is the figure that decides the year. Incorporated restaurants file the Alberta AT1 as well as the T2. EverStone handles the books, payroll, GST and year-end at a fixed fee. Published fees start at $325 a month for bookkeeping and $125 for a personal return. A one-owner Edmonton restaurant usually pays $500 to $700 a month all-in for bookkeeping, payroll and the year-end: T2 with Schedule 1 and Schedule 50, CCA, small business deduction, T4 or T5 slips and instalments. The [hospitality accounting hub](https://www.everstonecpa.com/restaurant-hospitality-accounting) covers restaurants in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba. Operators comparing provinces can read the [Vancouver restaurant page](https://www.everstonecpa.com/restaurant-accountant-vancouver), where PST on liquor adds a second tax, or the [Toronto page](https://www.everstonecpa.com/restaurant-accountant-toronto) for Ontario HST. ## One sales tax, and the Quick Method question Alberta has no PST, so Edmonton bills carry [5% GST](https://www.everstonecpa.com/alberta-tax-facts) only, on food and liquor alike. No item split is needed, and the GST return simply reconciles POS tax to GST paid. Smaller restaurants may use the Quick Method, remitting a set percentage of tax-included sales instead of claiming input credits. Zero-rated groceries reduce credits anyway. Compare with the [Quick Method calculator](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-method-vs-regular-calculator) and read the [Quick Method guide](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/gst-hst-quick-method-canada). ## Tip pools, tip-outs and payroll If the restaurant collects tips and sets the split, they are generally controlled tips: payroll income with CPP and tax withheld. Staff-run pools are treated differently. Put the policy in writing and match payroll to it. See the [tip reporting guide](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/restaurant-tip-reporting-payroll-canada). WCB-Alberta coverage applies to kitchen and floor staff. Alberta has no provincial payroll tax. Staff meals and shift drinks can be a taxable benefit where staff pay nothing, so set a policy there too. See [payroll services in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/payroll-services-edmonton). ## Closing out the POS every night Each POS report shows sales, GST, tips, discounts, voids and payment types. Match card batches to deposits after fees and cash to the report less cash tips, and require manager names on voids and comps. Weekly checks catch shrinkage early. Record delivery-app sales gross with the platform’s commission, not the net payout. See [bookkeeping in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bookkeeping-edmonton). A second location needs separate POS closes, labour and food costs each month, or a weak room can hide behind a strong one for a year. ## Food cost through the seasons Patio season can double covers, and food cost swings with waste and supplier pricing. Count monthly, code purchases by category (food, liquor, beer, wine, non-alcoholic) and compare cost ratios to menu prices. See the [pricing and margin analysis](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing-and-margin-analysis). Plan cash the same way. The GST and source deductions collected in a strong July belong to government, and they fall due while January is slow. Hold them in a separate account from the start. ## Corporation, AT1 and the owner’s pay Established restaurants are usually incorporated, with a T2 due six months after year-end, the Alberta AT1 and statements. Owners take salary or dividends; other withdrawals become shareholder loans, generally taxed if unpaid one year after the corporation’s year-end. Start with the [salary-versus-dividends calculator](https://www.everstonecpa.com/salary-vs-dividends-calculator); [corporate tax in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-accountant-edmonton) covers the returns. Kitchen lines, coolers and patios are claimed through [capital cost allowance](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/capital-cost-allowance-cca-classes-canada), and leasehold improvements over the lease. If your accountant is behind, we take over the prior return and papers. See [switching accountants](https://www.everstonecpa.com/switching-accountants). ## What EverStone handles for you One firm, one fixed fee agreed up front: - POS, card and cash reconciled weekly - GST returns, with the Quick Method compared - Payroll with tip-pool treatment, WCB-Alberta and T4s - Monthly food and beverage cost - Equipment and leasehold schedules - T2 and Alberta AT1 with year-end statements ## Fixed fees, fully online EverStone is a CPA firm serving Edmonton operators entirely online: video, phone and a secure upload link. Monthly bookkeeping starts from $325 a month with GST filing included. Payroll and the year-end are added to one fixed monthly fee. See [what it costs](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing). About this article **EverStone CPA** Prepared and reviewed by a Chartered Professional Accountant at EverStone CPA, a CPA firm working with small businesses and incorporated owners in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba. Updated September 2026 . [About the firm](https://www.everstonecpa.com/about) · [Send an enquiry](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=monthly#enquiry-form) ## What an Edmonton restaurant has to get right What an Edmonton restaurant has to get right The items that decide a hospitality year-end — for a business operating in Edmonton, Alberta | Item | Why it matters | | Tip pools | Employer-controlled tips generally run through payroll | | Nightly close | POS, card batches and cash tie out every week | | Food cost | Swings with the seasons; count monthly | | Owner pay | Salary, dividends or a shareholder loan, decided deliberately | | Sales tax where you operate | 5% GST only; Alberta has no provincial sales tax | Source: [Restaurant and hospitality accounting](https://www.everstonecpa.com/restaurant-hospitality-accounting). General information, not advice. Other services for Edmonton businesses: [year-end statements](https://www.everstonecpa.com/financial-statements-edmonton) and [personal tax](https://www.everstonecpa.com/personal-tax-accountant-edmonton). ## Remote restaurant accounting EverStone is a CPA firm working online. **There is no Edmonton office and no local staff.** Meetings are by video or phone and documents by secure upload and e-signature, using your existing POS and payroll data. Common questions ## Edmonton accounting for restaurants and hospitality businesses FAQ **Do Edmonton restaurants charge PST on liquor?** No. Alberta has no provincial sales tax, so food and liquor both carry 5% GST only. [Ask about your case →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) **Should our restaurant use the GST Quick Method?** It depends on your costs. The Quick Method is simpler, but it gives up most input tax credits. Compare both methods on a full year of real numbers before electing. **Are tip-outs to the kitchen part of payroll?** If the employer collects and distributes the tips, they are generally controlled tips and run through payroll. If staff share among themselves without employer control, the treatment differs. **Are free staff meals a taxable benefit?** They can be, where staff pay nothing or far less than a reasonable amount. Set a written policy and apply it the same way every shift. **What does an incorporated restaurant file in Alberta?** The federal T2 and the Alberta AT1, with year-end financial statements, plus GST returns and payroll filings through the year. **Do you work with restaurants outside Edmonton?** Yes. EverStone serves operators in St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Leduc and across Alberta and Canada, entirely online. **Do you work with businesses outside Edmonton itself?** Yes. Restaurants in St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Leduc and Nisku are served the same way as those in Edmonton, remotely and at the same fixed fees. ## Related services and local guides Nearby cities, the rest of what we do for Edmonton businesses, and the reference pages behind this one. [Retail accountant in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/retail-accountant-edmonton) [Fractional CFO support in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/cfo-services-edmonton) [Restaurant accountant in Vancouver](https://www.everstonecpa.com/restaurant-accountant-vancouver) [Accounting & CPA services in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-edmonton) [Bookkeeping in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/bookkeeping-edmonton) [Corporate tax (T2) in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-accountant-edmonton) [GST/HST filing in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/gst-hst-filing-edmonton) [Payroll in Edmonton](https://www.everstonecpa.com/payroll-services-edmonton) [Accountants across Alberta](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-alberta) [Alberta tax facts Current rates and thresholds for Alberta](https://www.everstonecpa.com/alberta-tax-facts) Fees are fixed in writing before work starts; see [the published fees](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing). ### What clients say Rated 5.0 on Google across 26 client reviews. [Read all reviews](https://www.everstonecpa.com/reviews) ★★★★★ “…We switched to him last year for both our personal and small-business taxes — responsive, knowledgeable and quick.” Heather Powers Verified Google review ★★★★★ “Personal. Professional. Responsive. Plus he saved me a bundle!” Corrin Skalbeck Verified Google Local Guide ### Starting fees Every fee is fixed in writing before any work begins. - **Monthly bookkeeping, GST filing included** from $325 a month - **Payroll, remittances, T4s and ROEs** included in monthly bookkeeping - **Books, payroll and the year-end T2 together** $500–$700 a month - **Corporate year-end and T2 return** fixed fee, quoted in writing - **Personal tax return (T1)** from $125; self-employed or rental $275–$500 - **Catch-up bookkeeping** from $2,200 per year of records - **Controller or CFO support** controller from $1,650, CFO from $2,750 a month - **One-off advice call with a CPA** $225 plus applicable tax [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=monthly#enquiry-form) --- Source: https://www.everstonecpa.com/restaurant-accountant-edmonton Prices: https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing · Contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online