Best HR outsourcing options for independent restaurants (2026)
Disclosure: BOHO publishes this list and ranks its own service first.
By Dan MurphyUpdated 5 min read
What are the HR outsourcing options for an independent restaurant?
Independent restaurants can outsource HR in four ways: a PEO such as BBSI, which becomes a co-employer; an ASO-style firm such as Flex HR, which does the HR work while you stay the employer; a restaurant HR firm such as Empowered Hospitality, Restaurant HR Group or Humareso; or an administration service such as BOHO. Match the model to your problem.
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.
"HR outsourcing" covers several different setups. A PEO becomes your co-employer. An administrative services firm does the HR work while you stay the only employer. A consultancy answers questions and writes policies. An administration service runs the weekly paperwork. For an independent restaurant, the right choice depends on which of those you need, not on which firm has the longest feature list.
This list includes one of each, and says which is which.
How we chose
- Firms that offer outsourced HR to independent restaurants, checked on their own websites.
- Restaurant or hospitality experience stated on the firm's own site, or a clear note where it is not.
- The model is named plainly for each: PEO, ASO, consultancy or administration service.
- No pricing, ratings or client counts.
The list at a glance
| # | Name | Type | Based in / serves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Back of House Ops (BOHO) | Restaurant HR administration and payroll coordination | Massachusetts |
| 2 | Empowered Hospitality | Hospitality-only outsourced HR | New York, NY; works nationwide |
| 3 | Restaurant HR Group | Restaurant-only HR outsourcing | Mount Prospect, IL; works nationwide |
| 4 | Humareso | HR outsourcing | Florida and New Jersey; works nationwide |
| 5 | Flex HR | HR outsourcing (ASO, not a PEO) | Alpharetta, GA; works nationwide |
| 6 | BBSI | PEO (co-employment) | Vancouver, WA; works nationwide |
| 7 | HM Hospitality Consultants | Hospitality HR consulting | Palm Springs, CA |
1.Back of House Ops (BOHO)
Restaurant HR administration and payroll coordination · Massachusetts
HR administration for independent Massachusetts restaurants: onboarding files, personnel records, handbook upkeep, WOTC screening and payroll preparation on a weekly cycle, all under your approval. You stay the only employer. A flat monthly retainer with no per-employee fee means a busy summer does not raise your bill.
Best for: Massachusetts independents that want the HR paperwork handled without giving up the employer role.
Not the right fit if: you want someone else to become the employer (that is a PEO), you want benefits bundled in, or you operate outside Massachusetts. BOHO is not a PEO, not the employer of record and not a law firm, and it serves Massachusetts restaurants only for now. The scope page lists what it does and does not do.
2.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.
3.Restaurant HR Group
Restaurant-only HR outsourcing · Mount Prospect, IL; works nationwide
An HR outsourcing firm that serves only restaurants, from quick-service to fine dining, and describes HR, payroll, benefits administration and compliance support on its site.
Best for: restaurants that want HR and payroll handled together by a firm that does nothing but restaurants.
Worth knowing: it is based in Illinois, and handing it payroll means moving your payroll to it rather than keeping your current setup.
4.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.
5.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.
6.BBSI
PEO (co-employment) · Vancouver, WA; works nationwide
A professional employer organization with a hospitality practice. As a PEO it provides HR, payroll, benefits, workers' compensation and safety under a co-employment arrangement.
Best for: restaurants that want benefits and workers' compensation bundled with HR, and are comfortable with co-employment.
Worth knowing: co-employment means sharing the employer role. If you want to stay the only employer, a PEO is the wrong structure.
7.HM Hospitality Consultants
Hospitality HR consulting · Palm Springs, CA
A small hospitality HR consultancy offering affordable HR help to small and independent businesses, led by a SHRM-CP certified principal with independent restaurant experience.
Best for: independents that want a hospitality person for specific HR projects rather than an ongoing retainer.
Worth knowing: a small firm based in California, so check its availability and its knowledge of Massachusetts rules.
Match the model to the problem
If you want benefits and workers' compensation bundled, and you are comfortable sharing the employer role, a PEO such as BBSI is the honest answer. If you want HR handled while you stay the employer, look at an ASO-style firm or an administration service. If you mostly need policies and occasional answers, a consultancy costs less.
Our comparison of HR services, PEOs and payroll software goes through the trade-offs, and the PEO alternatives list covers the non-PEO options in more depth.
Where to go next
- How BOHO works: the weekly cycle and the approval step
- Service scope: what BOHO does and does not do
- Restaurant HR owner checklist: what has to be owned, whoever does it
Keep reading
Related resources
Restaurant HR administration
Restaurant HR support, a PEO, or payroll software: what changes
Restaurant HR support vs. a PEO vs. payroll software: what changes?
8 min read · Updated
Restaurant HR administration
The people-operations checklist a restaurant owner reviews monthly
What HR items should a restaurant owner review each month?
6 min read · Updated
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.