Money & margins
Selling gift vouchers this Christmas: VAT, expiry and pricing
When VAT is due on restaurant gift vouchers, whether they can expire, what a £50-for-£45 offer costs, and voucher terms you can copy.
Restaurant guidesPractical guides for UK restaurant operators.
Bookings, no-shows, margins, tips law, staffing and opening a site. Written for the people who run the floor, with the numbers and rules that actually apply.
Every guide is fact-checked against primary sources and dated. Read our editorial policy for how we research, use AI and handle competitor prices.
Topics
23 guides
Running service
Someone left a fake 1-star review. How to get it removed from Google
What Google will and won't remove, how to report and appeal a fake review, the extortion form, and an evidence checklist for restaurant owners.
Staff & pay
The Autumn Budget 2026 and your restaurant: minimum wage, rates, dates
From April 2027: £13.21 National Living Wage, £11.27 and £8.31 bands, new rates reliefs. Costed for a 60-cover restaurant, with key dates and a checklist.
Staff & pay
Tronc and the Tips Act 2023: a UK restaurant guide
A tronc is a tip pool run by a troncmaster, not the employer, so payouts carry no NI. Tips Act duties, deadlines, records and the January 2027 changes.
Choosing software
AI Phone Answering for Restaurants: How It Works and What to Check
How AI phone answering works for restaurants: booking into your diary, handoff to staff, languages, UK GDPR call recording, costs and real limits.
Choosing software
Cafe EPOS System UK: Features, Takeaway VAT and Costs
How to choose a cafe EPOS in the UK: counter speed, milk and shot modifiers, hot vs cold takeaway VAT, loyalty, small-ticket card fees and switching.
Money & margins
Food Cost Percentage Calculator for UK Restaurants: Formula and Examples
Free UK food cost calculator guide: the formula, VAT handled correctly, worked examples per dish and per month, benchmarks and ways to cut food cost.
Money & margins
GP Calculator for Restaurants and Bars: How to Work Out GP with VAT
Calculate GP% and cash margin for food and drinks, strip 20% VAT correctly, and use a GP-to-price table to set UK menu prices that hit your target.
Choosing software
iPad POS for Restaurants UK: Setup and Hardware Guide
How to run a restaurant POS on iPads in the UK: choosing a model, stands, printers, card readers, Wi-Fi and offline use, security and buying vs leasing.
Compliance
Is service charge mandatory in the UK? Restaurant law, VAT and staff share
Only if the restaurant makes it compulsory and says so before you order. UK service charge law: optional vs mandatory, VAT and who gets it.
Running service
Kitchen Display System for Restaurants: Screens vs Printed Tickets
Printed tickets or a kitchen display system? How a KDS works, station routing, coursing, bump screens, allergens, hardware and offline backup.
Reservations
Pub Booking System UK: What to Look For (2026)
How to choose a pub booking system: protect walk-ins, run Sunday roasts, take Christmas deposits and tabs, compare pricing models and use a demo checklist.
Choosing software
Pub EPOS System UK: What to Look For in 2026
Choosing a pub EPOS in the UK: tabs, legal measures, Challenge 25, wet stock and GP, table service and food orders, with a worked wet GP example.
Running service
QR Code Ordering for Restaurants: A UK Guide to Order and Pay
Do guests need an app to order and pay at the table? QR ordering vs pay at table in UK restaurants: tips law, allergens, age checks and costs.
Choosing software
Quick Service Restaurant EPOS UK: What to Look For
How to choose an EPOS for a UK quick service restaurant: kiosks, kitchen display, delivery, hot takeaway VAT and card fees at a £9 ticket.
Choosing software
Restaurant Booking System Cost UK: Plans, Fees and a Worked Example
What a restaurant booking system costs in the UK: pricing models explained, SMS and set-up fees, a 60-cover worked example and questions to ask vendors.
Choosing software
Restaurant Booking System UK: 2026 Buyer's Guide
Compare how UK restaurant booking systems charge: flat, tiered and per-diner fees, SMS and deposits, with a buying checklist and 30-day switching plan.
Reservations
Restaurant Deposit Policy UK: Rules, Amounts and a Template
How restaurant deposits work in the UK: when they are refundable, how much is fair, Consumer Rights Act tests, VAT and copy-ready policy wording.
Choosing software
Restaurant EPOS System UK: Costs, Contracts and Features
What a UK restaurant EPOS really costs: software, hardware, card rates and contract traps, with a 3-year cost example and a buying checklist.
Money & margins
Restaurant Profit Margin in the UK: Benchmarks and a Worked P&L
What is a good restaurant profit margin in the UK? Net, gross and prime cost ranges from industry estimates, a worked £600k P&L and ways to improve.