Hospitality and restaurants
Restaurants, cafes, hotels, caterers and event venues buy many small services every week. The invoices are frequent, the margins are often thin and the people who sign for deliveries are usually busy with service.
This page describes cost areas common to hospitality businesses and where a review may apply. Hospitality and restaurants is a proposed industry on this site. No partner firm has named it, so nothing here says a firm serves it today. [CONFIRM: partner industry detail] Fairview Audit connects businesses with partner firms and does not perform reviews itself.
Why small charges matter in this sector
A restaurant takes card payments all day. A hotel turns over linens every morning. A kitchen fills a dumpster several times a week. None of these items is large alone, but they repeat every day, so a small billing error can recur for months before anyone sees it.
Staff turnover and long hours also matter. The person who agreed a hauling schedule or a linen delivery count may have left, and the invoice keeps arriving on the old terms. Multi-location groups add another layer, since each site may have its own vendor, its own contract and its own bill.
Cost areas hospitality businesses commonly have
The mix depends on whether you run a single cafe, a restaurant group, a hotel or a venue. These are common areas.
- Card processing, including monthly statements that combine fees paid to several parties, and any charges tied to payment card security rules.
- Waste and recycling pickup, including grease, cardboard and general trash.
- Linen, towel, apron and uniform rental, with delivery and cleaning charges.
- Utilities for kitchens, cooling, laundry and guest rooms.
- Food, beverage and supply distribution agreements.
- Pest control, cleaning and kitchen equipment service contracts.
Review areas that fit this sector
Three areas are explained on their own pages.
Card fees come first. Processing statements are often hard to read, with several layers of charges. A review looks at how the fees on your statement compare with your agreement. The fee on each sale is typically split among the card-issuing bank, the card network and the processor. See merchant account fees for hospitality and restaurants.
Waste removal comes second. Kitchens produce wasted food such as trimmings and plate waste, and hauling agreements set terms such as container size and pickup frequency. A review compares the service you receive with the service you pay for. See waste removal for hospitality and restaurants.
Laundry and uniform rental comes third. Each rental invoice should match the agreement and the deliveries you actually received. See laundry and uniform rental for hospitality and restaurants.
Some firms of this kind may work on a contingency basis or let you keep your existing vendors. [CONFIRM: a partner firm supplies and approves this statement]
How matching works
Fairview has three request paths: larger business, smaller business, and not sure or another need. You can use the smaller business form or the larger business form. There is no fixed size cut-off. Fairview matches each request by hand. If you are unsure, use the other needs form.
Since this is a proposed industry, a match is not guaranteed. If a partner firm takes your request, it contacts you. You share documents, the firm reports findings and you stay involved. Any engagement and fees are between you and the firm under its own terms.
Note: Fairview connects you with partner firms. It does not perform reviews or promise any result.
Who this page suits
It suits owners, general managers and finance leads at restaurants, hotels and catering businesses. It also suits operators who run several locations and want to know which recurring bills deserve a closer look. See all cost categories on the services page.
Frequently asked questions
Does a partner firm serve hospitality today?
Fairview has not confirmed that. Hospitality and restaurants is a proposed industry. [CONFIRM: a partner firm supplies and approves this statement]
Which bills should I gather first?
Start with the last several card statements, hauling invoices and linen or uniform invoices, along with the agreements behind them.
Does Fairview review the bills?
No. Fairview connects you with a partner firm that does any review work.
Tell us what you need reviewed. We match you by hand with an independent partner firm. You keep your existing vendors.Find out what you are overpaying.