Best restaurant HR and payroll support in NYC (2026)
By Dan MurphyUpdated 4 min read
Who provides HR and payroll support for NYC restaurants?
New York City restaurants can use a hospitality HR firm such as Empowered Hospitality or Humareso, a local payroll bureau such as Premier Payroll Solutions, a restaurant accounting firm that runs payroll such as FORCS, POS-linked payroll such as Toast, or an ASO such as Flex HR. Whichever you choose, confirm it administers both New York State and New York City rules.
New York City restaurants face some of the most detailed employment rules in the country. State and city rules both apply, and the city adds its own, such as Fair Workweek scheduling for covered fast food employers. An HR or payroll provider in NYC needs to know both sets of rules, not just one.
BOHO is not on this list, because it does not serve New York City today. Our NYC page explains why, and what an NYC operator should look for. The firms below do serve NYC.
How we chose
- Firms that state on their own websites that they serve New York City restaurants or businesses.
- Restaurant or hospitality experience where the firm states it.
- A mix of HR firms, payroll bureaus and software.
- No pricing, ratings or client counts.
The list at a glance
| # | Name | Type | Based in / serves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Empowered Hospitality | Hospitality-only outsourced HR | NYC metro area; works nationwide |
| 2 | Premier Payroll Solutions | Payroll bureau with HR add-ons | Massapequa, NY; serves NYC and Long Island |
| 3 | Humareso | HR outsourcing | Florida and New Jersey; works nationwide |
| 4 | FORCS | Restaurant accounting and payroll | New York, NY |
| 5 | Toast Payroll & Team Management | POS-integrated payroll software | Boston-based company; used nationwide |
| 6 | Flex HR | HR outsourcing (ASO, not a PEO) | Alpharetta, GA; works nationwide |
1.Empowered Hospitality
Hospitality-only outsourced HR · NYC metro area; works nationwide
A hospitality-only HR firm based in the NYC metro area. It offers fractional or fully outsourced HR, restaurant payroll processing, payroll system selection, and handbook and policy development.
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: senior consultants cost more, so a small single-unit restaurant may not need that level of help.
2.Premier Payroll Solutions
Payroll bureau with HR add-ons · Massapequa, NY; serves NYC and Long Island
A New York payroll company that says it serves hundreds of restaurants, offering payroll, HR and onboarding, benefits, time and attendance and recruiting.
Best for: NYC and Long Island restaurants that want a local payroll company with a named contact.
Worth knowing: it is payroll-led, so strategic HR and handbook work are not its focus.
3.Humareso
HR outsourcing · Florida and New Jersey; works nationwide
An HR outsourcing firm with a restaurant practice that says it can help with NYC Fair Workweek, alongside payroll processing and handbook management.
Best for: multi-state restaurant groups that include NYC locations.
Worth knowing: its offices are in Florida and New Jersey, so support is remote.
4.FORCS
Restaurant accounting and payroll · New York, NY
A New York restaurant accounting firm that runs payroll and tax for NYC restaurants, covering the city's minimum wage, tip credits, spread-of-hours and call-in pay, with sales tax reconciled to your POS.
Best for: operators who want payroll, sales tax and the books from one restaurant-focused firm.
Worth knowing: it is an accounting and payroll firm, so HR work such as onboarding files and handbooks is not its focus.
5.Toast Payroll & Team Management
POS-integrated payroll software · Boston-based company; used nationwide
Payroll built into the Toast restaurant platform. Toast's help documentation describes tips taken through the Toast POS flowing into Toast Payroll based on how shift review is set up.
Best for: restaurants already running on Toast POS.
Worth knowing: it is software: it processes what it is given, and someone still has to review timecards, tips and new-hire paperwork before each run.
6.Flex HR
HR outsourcing (ASO, not a PEO) · Alpharetta, GA; works nationwide
An HR outsourcing firm that is not a PEO and serves New York businesses as a back-office HR team, with payroll and benefits guidance.
Best for: restaurants that want outsourced HR without co-employment and do not need a restaurant-only firm.
Worth knowing: not a restaurant specialist, and it has no NYC office.
Questions to ask an NYC provider
Ask whether they administer New York State rules, New York City rules or both, and how they decide whether Fair Workweek applies to you. Coverage depends on definitions such as chain size. A provider that cannot give you a clear answer on that is not much use.
Where to go next
- NYC restaurant HR: the rules, and why BOHO does not serve NYC yet
- Best restaurant payroll software: if you would rather run payroll yourself
- HR vs PEO vs payroll software: which model fits
Keep reading
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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.