Best alternatives to a PEO for restaurants (2026)
Disclosure: BOHO publishes this list and ranks its own service first.
By Dan MurphyUpdated 5 min read
What can a restaurant use instead of a PEO?
Restaurants can avoid co-employment by using an ASO such as Flex HR, HR software with expert support such as Insperity HR Core or Paychex HR Consulting, a restaurant HR firm such as Humareso or Empowered Hospitality, payroll-only software such as Justworks Payroll, or an administration service such as BOHO. Each keeps the restaurant as the only employer.
About this list: BOHO wrote it and put its own service first, so read entry 1 with that in mind. Every other entry is a real company we checked on its own website on . None of them paid to be here or knows it is listed, and nothing on this page is a rating.
A PEO becomes your co-employer. In exchange you usually get pooled benefits and a full HR setup. Many restaurants join a PEO to solve a paperwork problem, then find they are paying for risk transfer and benefits they did not need, often on a per-employee price that rises in their busiest months.
The alternatives below all keep you as the only employer. They range from software you run yourself to services that do the work for you.
How we chose
- Options that do not involve co-employment, according to their own websites.
- At least one of each kind: payroll software, HR software with support, outsourced HR, and an administration service.
- No pricing or ratings.
The list at a glance
| # | Name | Type | Based in / serves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Back of House Ops (BOHO) | Restaurant HR administration and payroll coordination | Massachusetts |
| 2 | Flex HR | HR outsourcing (ASO, not a PEO) | Alpharetta, GA; works nationwide |
| 3 | Insperity HR Core | HR software with HR support (not a PEO) | Kingwood, TX; works nationwide |
| 4 | Paychex HR Consulting | Dedicated HR adviser with payroll | National |
| 5 | Humareso | HR outsourcing | Florida and New Jersey; works nationwide |
| 6 | Empowered Hospitality | Hospitality-only outsourced HR | New York, NY; works nationwide |
| 7 | Justworks Payroll | Payroll software (not a PEO) | Works nationwide |
1.Back of House Ops (BOHO)
Restaurant HR administration and payroll coordination · Massachusetts
HR administration and payroll coordination for Massachusetts restaurants, with no co-employment. BOHO does the recurring work a restaurant often joins a PEO for: onboarding files, personnel records, handbook upkeep and payroll preparation. Your restaurant stays the only employer and approves every payroll. The flat monthly retainer does not rise with headcount.
Best for: Massachusetts restaurants that joined a PEO for the paperwork, not the benefits, or are thinking about it.
Not the right fit if: you need the pooled benefits or workers' compensation a PEO provides, or you want someone else to carry employer risk. BOHO does neither, serves Massachusetts only for now and is not a law firm.
2.Flex HR
HR outsourcing (ASO, not a PEO) · Alpharetta, GA; works nationwide
An HR consulting and outsourcing firm that describes itself as not a PEO. It offers HR support, payroll, benefits guidance and recruiting, and lists restaurants and hospitality among the industries it serves.
Best for: restaurants that want outsourced HR without co-employment and do not need a restaurant-only firm.
Worth knowing: restaurants are one of many industries it serves rather than its focus.
3.Insperity HR Core
HR software with HR support (not a PEO) · Kingwood, TX; works nationwide
An HR technology platform with expert HR support that Insperity sells separately from its PEO. You keep the employer role.
Best for: growing groups that want a large provider's HR support without co-employment.
Worth knowing: the pooled benefits Insperity is known for come with its PEO products, not this one.
4.Paychex HR Consulting
Dedicated HR adviser with payroll · National
A dedicated HR professional who works alongside Paychex payroll and offers one-to-one support. Paychex sells its PEO as a separate product.
Best for: buyers who want an adviser model from a large provider.
Worth knowing: confirm in writing which product you are signing up for, because Paychex offers both this and a PEO.
5.Humareso
HR outsourcing · Florida and New Jersey; works nationwide
An HR outsourcing firm with a dedicated restaurant practice covering HR, payroll, recruiting and leave management, including tip credit questions across states and Spanish-language support.
Best for: restaurants that need bilingual HR support or operate in more than one state.
Worth knowing: no Massachusetts office, so the relationship is remote.
6.Empowered Hospitality
Hospitality-only outsourced HR · New York, NY; works nationwide
An outsourced and fractional HR firm that works only with restaurants and hospitality businesses. Its site describes employee relations, compliance, payroll administration and recruiting support, delivered remotely.
Best for: operators who want an HR team that only works in hospitality and is used to tipped staff, split shifts and high turnover.
Worth knowing: it is based in New York and works remotely, so if you want someone who knows Massachusetts rules in depth, ask directly how they handle state-specific questions.
7.Justworks Payroll
Payroll software (not a PEO) · Works nationwide
Justworks' payroll-only product, separate from its PEO. Its help center explains that under the payroll product, payroll and taxes are filed under your own company's tax accounts, not a co-employer's.
Best for: small restaurants leaving a PEO that want simple payroll and nothing else.
Worth knowing: it is software, not hands-on HR help.
Before you leave a PEO
Work out what the PEO actually gives you. If it is benefits, price replacement benefits before you leave. If it is workers' compensation, line up your own policy first, because Massachusetts requires coverage from your first employee. If it is mostly paperwork, any of the options above can take that on.
Our HR vs PEO vs payroll software guide sets out the trade-offs side by side.
Where to go next
- HR vs PEO vs payroll software: the three models compared
- Restaurant payroll transition checklist: moving payroll without breaking it
- Pricing: BOHO's flat monthly tiers
Keep reading
Related resources
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Restaurant payroll coordination
What to organize before moving a restaurant payroll workflow
What do you need before switching restaurant payroll providers?
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Want this running without you chasing it?
Your restaurant remains the employer of record and approves payroll and employment decisions. BOHO is not a PEO, a staffing agency, or legal counsel.