Compare your options
What restaurant payroll and HR help costs
Written by Back of House Ops, which is one of the options compared. Checked on October 1, 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice.
How much does it cost to outsource restaurant payroll and HR?
It depends on the model. Payroll software and PEOs usually charge per employee, HR consultants charge by the hour or project, and an in-house hire costs a salary plus employer taxes. BOHO charges a flat monthly retainer by restaurant size: $495, $895 or $1,795+ a month, with no per-employee fee.
The five ways this work gets paid for
Before comparing prices, compare what the price is attached to. A per-employee fee, an hourly rate and a salary behave very differently in a business where headcount doubles in July.
| Option | How it is usually priced | What moves the cost | Who does the preparation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll software | A monthly base fee plus a fee per employee paid | Headcount, add-on modules, year-end forms | You or a manager |
| PEO (co-employment) | Per employee per month, or a percentage of payroll | Headcount, payroll size, benefits chosen | Shared; you still supply the inputs |
| HR consultant | By the hour, by the project or on a retainer | How often you call and what you ask for | You; the consultant advises |
| In-house HR or office manager | Salary plus employer taxes and benefits | Local wages and how much of the role is HR | Your employee |
| HR administration service (BOHO) | Flat monthly retainer by restaurant size | Size band, locations and legal entities | The service, with your approval on every run |
What BOHO charges
BOHO publishes its prices. Essentials is $495 a month for an independent, single-location restaurant with up to 25 employees. Growth is $895 a month for one or two locations with 26 to 75 employees. Group starts at $1,795+ a month for small multi-unit groups of 3 to 10 locations and up to 300 employees. Larger groups get a custom quote.
There is no per-employee fee, so a seasonal swing inside your size band does not change the bill. What moves you between bands is covered on the pricing page, and scope and fees are confirmed in your written proposal.
What an in-house hire costs in Massachusetts
Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 2025, as published by O*NET, puts median annual pay for a human resources specialist in Massachusetts at $85,630, with the lowest-paid tenth earning $57,500 or less. Employer payroll taxes, workers' compensation, Paid Family and Medical Leave contributions and any benefits come on top.
Most independent restaurants do not hire an HR specialist. The work lands on a general manager, a bookkeeper or the owner, and its cost is hidden in their time. The honest comparison is between a fee you can see and hours you cannot.
What moves the price, whichever option you choose
- Active employees, counted across the year and not only in the slow season.
- Locations and legal entities. Two restaurants under two EINs are two payrolls.
- Pay frequency. Weekly payroll is roughly twice the cycles of biweekly.
- Turnover. Every hire and separation is a file to open or close.
- Tipped staff. Tip reporting, pooling and make-up pay add inputs to every run.
What a quote often leaves out
- Set-up or implementation fees, and the cost of moving mid-year.
- Year-end forms and amended filings.
- Time and attendance, scheduling or onboarding modules priced separately.
- The hours your own manager still spends gathering timecards and tips.
Ask for the total for a normal month and for your busiest month, in writing. Our questions to ask a provider list covers the rest.
Massachusetts rules
The rules any option has to handle
What is the 2026 PFML contribution rate, and who pays what?
For 2026 the total is 0.88% of eligible wages. With 25 or more covered individuals, the employer pays at least 0.42% and can withhold up to 0.46% from employees. With fewer than 25, the rate is 0.46%, and all of it can come from employees.
Full answer and official sourceWhat does a Massachusetts restaurant pay in unemployment tax in 2026?
A new employer (registered less than three years) pays 2.42% in 2026 on the first $15,000 of each employee's wages. After three years, the Department of Unemployment Assistance sets an individual rate each year.
Full answer and official sourceDoes a small restaurant need workers' compensation insurance?
Yes. Every employer in Massachusetts must carry it, whatever the number of employees or hours. Without it, the state issues a stop-work order with fines from $100 a day, weekends included.
Full answer and official source
Rules checked against official sources on . General information, not legal or tax advice.
Common questions
How much does it cost to hire a payroll company for a restaurant?
Software-based payroll companies usually charge a monthly base fee plus a fee per employee, so the cost rises with headcount. Get a current quote for your busiest month, because published prices change. BOHO's flat retainers are $495, $895 and $1,795+ a month by restaurant size.
Is a flat monthly fee cheaper than per-employee pricing?
It depends on your headcount and how much it swings. Per-employee pricing is lowest for a very small, steady team. A flat fee is easier to budget when staffing rises and falls with the season.
Does BOHO charge a set-up fee or require a long contract?
Scope, fees and terms are set out in your written proposal, which takes precedence over the website. Ask about both on the fit call.
See whether BOHO fits your restaurant
Your restaurant remains the employer of record and approves payroll and employment decisions. BOHO is not a PEO, a staffing agency, or legal counsel.