Best AI tools for UK restaurants and pubs in 2026
Six AI tools for an independent UK restaurant or pub, scored on the jobs each covers, set-up, approval, support, a clear price and track record.
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Restaurants, pubs and small hotels
Guides to the admin that eats a venue's week, and reviews of the software that claims to fix it. 57 guides and 2 reviews so far.
Free toolsBest buysQuestions answeredKey factsGlossaryKey datesBookings, no-shows and functionsStaff, rotas and tipsAllergens, licensing and ratesRunning the venue
Free tools
Is it a qualifying tip, and what the venue must do with itFive questions on how a tip was paid, who shares it out and when, ending in one of six outcomes with the section of the tips law that applies to each.Which licence, notice or permission does this needFour questions on a late event, music, a television or pavement tables, ending in one of eight outcomes with the fee, the deadline and the rule for each.Rota cost calculator: this week's wages with employer NI, pension and holiday, per coverEnter hours, average rate and headcount to see the week's wage bill with employer NI at 15%, pension at 3% and holiday pay at 12.07%, and the cost per cover.Function enquiry reply and quote maker: the email, the sheet, the deposit and the datesMake the reply to a wedding, party or function enquiry with the quote, deposit, final-numbers date and cancellation terms filled in, ready to send the same day.Food hygiene rating appeal letter makerYou have 21 days from being told your food hygiene rating to appeal in writing. When to appeal, when to ask for a re-rating, and a letter to adapt.Admin scorecard for a restaurant or pub: the office hours a week that could be prepared by AI and checked by you, job by jobEnter the hours a week your venue spends on enquiries, the rota, reviews and invoices to see which jobs AI could prepare and what stays with you.Christmas 2026 closure and bank holiday notice to staff makerBoxing Day 2026 is a Saturday, so the bank holiday is Monday 28 December. The festive notice deadlines, bank holiday pay, deposit terms and tips date.Christmas trading checklist for a pub or restaurant26 steps to get a pub or restaurant ready for December: Temporary Event Notice dates, deposits, set menu allergens, rota rest rules and tips.Menu GP calculator: gross profit on a dish after VAT, and the menu price that hits your targetEnter a dish's ingredient cost and menu price to see its gross profit after VAT, the price that reaches your target GP, and what a 10% cost rise does to it.New starter checklist for a restaurant or pub23 steps for taking on a new member of staff in a restaurant or pub: right to work, day-one paperwork, rota limits, allergen training and tips.No-show cost calculator: what empty tables cost a year, and what a deposit may lawfully beEnter bookings, no-show rate, party size and spend to see the gross profit lost a year, what reminders would save, and whether a deposit per head is defensible.Booking confirmation and no-show policy message makerYes, with conditions: shown before booking, matching your real loss, waived if the table is re-let, never a penalty. The CMA's unfair terms rules, applied.Premises licence annual fee dispute letter makerA premises licence costs £100 to £635 to apply for and £70 to £350 a year, set by rateable value. The bands, the pub multiplier and the unpaid-fee rule.Restaurant and pub readiness check: ten yes-or-no questions on tips, rotas, no-show charges, allergens and the licenceTen yes-or-no questions for a UK restaurant or pub on tips, rest between shifts, no-show charges, allergen records, review replies and licence fees.Review reply writer: a reply to a Google or TripAdvisor review that an owner would signMake a reply to a Google or TripAdvisor review from the stars, the issue and what you changed, under 120 words and inside the rules on incentivised reviews.
Best buys
Best AI tools for UK restaurants and pubs in 2026
Six AI tools for an independent UK restaurant or pub, scored on the jobs each covers, set-up, approval, support, a clear price and track record.
Best EPOS systems for UK pubs and restaurants in 2026
Seven till systems for an independent UK pub or restaurant, scored on jobs covered, review evidence, published prices and table and kitchen features.
Bookings, no-shows and functions
Function enquiry reply and quote template: the email, the sheet, the deposit and the two dates that matter
Make the reply to a wedding, party or function enquiry with the quote, deposit, final-numbers date and cancellation terms filled in, ready to send the same day.
No-show cost calculator: what empty tables cost a venue a year, and what a deposit may lawfully be
Enter bookings, no-show rate, party size and spend to see the gross profit lost a year, what reminders would save, and whether a deposit per head is defensible.
Can a restaurant charge a no-show fee? What UK law allows, and the four rules that keep the charge
Yes, with conditions: shown before booking, matching your real loss, waived if the table is re-let, never a penalty. The CMA's unfair terms rules, applied.
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How ready is your firm for AI? Find out in 3 minutes.Take the 3-minute readiness scorecard
How ready is your firm for AI? Find out in 3 minutes.Take the 3-minute readiness scorecardStaff, rotas and tips
First aid in a pub or restaurant: do you need a first-aider, or is an appointed person enough? A 78-hour opening week checked against one trained member of staff
HSE sets no fixed number of first-aiders. What it does ask for, and how one trained bar worker covers only 32 of a pub's 78 opening hours.
Apprentice pay in a pub or restaurant: £8 an hour in year one, then the rate for their age, worked
An apprentice aged 19 or over is on £8 an hour only in the first year; a 20-year-old on 30 hours moves from £240 to £325.50 a week in year two.
Can a pub take a till shortage out of a bar worker's wages? The 10% cap per pay day, the 12-month limit and written consent, worked on an £85 shortfall
A till is £85 short; can it come out of a bar worker's pay? Consent, the 10% cap per pay day and the 12-month limit, worked for three rotas.
Employment Allowance for a pub or restaurant: the £10,500 off employer National Insurance, how to claim it, and when twelve part-timers use it up
Employment Allowance takes up to £10,500 off a pub's employer National Insurance. How to claim, who is out, and twelve part-timers worked week by week.
Workplace pension for bar and floor staff: the £10,000 trigger, age 22 and the 8% minimum, worked by weekly hours
Which pub or restaurant staff must be auto-enrolled? GOV.UK: age 22 up, £10,000 a year, 8% minimum, 3% from you. Worked for 8 to 30 hours a week.
Employers' liability insurance for a pub or restaurant: the £5 million cover, £2,500 a day fine and the certificate, worked for a first hire
A pub or restaurant needs employers' liability insurance once it employs anyone. GOV.UK: £5 million cover, £2,500 a day uninsured, £1,000 for no certificate.
Right to work checks for pub and bar staff: before the first shift, and keep the copy for 2 years after they leave, worked
A right to work check comes before a bar worker's first shift, and the copy is kept 2 years after they leave: exit in September 2026, keep to September 2028.
The £150 a head rule for a pub's staff Christmas party: what counts, and a £2,310 night worked per head
An annual staff party is tax-free at £150 a head or less if all staff can come. A £2,310 night for 14 staff and 4 guests is £128.33 a head.
Can a pub charge bar staff for a uniform? The minimum wage rule on required kit, with a £28 deduction worked through
Charging staff for a required uniform reduces minimum wage pay, even when bought from a shop. See the HMRC rule and a £28 uniform cost worked on a bar shift.
Guaranteed hours for zero-hours bar and kitchen staff: what the law says so far and the 12-week record to start keeping now
Guaranteed hours for zero-hours staff are not in force yet. Government prefers a 12-week reference period and an 8 to 20 hour threshold. A worked average.
Hiring a 16 to 20 year old for the bar in 2026: the three pay rates, the hours limits and who may approve their alcohol sales
Young pub staff cost £8.00, £10.85 or £12.71 an hour by age. A 20-hour week at each, the 8 and 40 hour caps, and who must approve a 17-year-old's pint.
Statutory Sick Pay for part-time bar and kitchen staff in 2026: no waiting days, no earnings floor, and the 80% rule
SSP is now paid from the first day and to staff on low hours. What a part-time bar worker is owed a week at £123.25 or 80% of earnings, with worked figures.
Does this payment count as a tip, and who gets it? Five questions for a pub or restaurant
Five questions on how a tip was paid, who shares it out and when, ending in one of six outcomes with the section of the tips law that applies to each.
Do you pay National Insurance on tips? Card tips, service charges and troncs, with one restaurant's year worked
National Insurance is due on tips the employer pays out or shares, and always on a mandatory service charge. HMRC's rules and one restaurant's sums.
Is rolled-up holiday pay legal for casual bar staff? The 12.07% rule, who it covers and one payslip worked
Rolled-up holiday pay is lawful for irregular hours and part-year workers at 12.07% of pay, shown on the payslip. Who qualifies, and one December payslip.
Rota cost calculator: what this week's rota really costs with employer NI, pension and holiday pay
Enter hours, average rate and headcount to see the week's wage bill with employer NI at 15%, pension at 3% and holiday pay at 12.07%, and the cost per cover.
Pub and bar staff rota template: a weekly rota with the legal rest checks, including the close-then-open shift
A weekly rota layout for a pub or bar and the five rules to check before you post it: breaks, 11 hours between shifts and the under-18 limits.
Christmas and New Year 2026 for a pub or restaurant: the bank holiday on Monday 28 December, the notice deadlines and the deposit rule
Boxing Day 2026 is a Saturday, so the bank holiday is Monday 28 December. The festive notice deadlines, bank holiday pay, deposit terms and tips date.
New starter checklist for a restaurant or pub: right to work, pay, rota, allergens and tips
23 steps for taking on a new member of staff in a restaurant or pub: right to work, day-one paperwork, rota limits, allergen training and tips.
Rota app prices for a pub team: RotaCloud, Deputy and Planday compared for 14 staff
What RotaCloud, Deputy and Planday publish for a 14-person pub team on 1 October 2026: £40 to £85.86 a month, and why the cheapest changes with headcount.
The tips law for restaurants and pubs: what the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 makes you do, and how a tronc fits
Since 1 October 2024 every tip and service charge must reach staff in full by the end of the next month, under a written policy with three years of records.
Allergens, licensing and rates
Does a pub kitchen need food hygiene certificates? What the law says staff must have, and the record count for 14 staff, worked
The hygiene regulation asks for supervision, instruction and training matched to the job, not a named certificate. Training records for 14 staff, worked.
Does a pub need a Legionella risk assessment? The 20°C, 50°C and 60°C figures and the record count for a pub with 14 outlets, worked
HSE says employers and those in control of premises must assess Legionella risk. The checks and the log entries a pub writes in a year, worked.
Fridge and hot-hold temperatures in a pub or restaurant: the 8°C and 63°C limits, the two-hour and four-hour defences and a weekly log count worked
What temperature must a pub or restaurant keep chilled and hot food at? The 1995 Regulations give 8°C and 63°C, with two- and four-hour defences.
Fire risk assessment for a pub or restaurant: the five GOV.UK steps, the written record and a staff training check worked for twelve people
Who is the responsible person for a pub or restaurant fire risk assessment? GOV.UK sets five steps, a written record and training. Worked for 12 staff.
Pavement licence for tables outside a pub: £500 first time, £350 to renew, and the 14 plus 14 day clock worked out
A pavement licence for outside tables costs up to £500 first time and £350 to renew in England. Counting 14 plus 14 days from 2 November 2026 gives 30 November.
The mandatory conditions on every pub's licence: free tap water, small measures, ID checks (now digital too), promotions and the price floor
Every alcohol licence carries the same mandatory conditions. All five, digital ID from September 2026, and the lowest legal price of a pint.
What is the penalty if a pub or restaurant gets an allergen wrong? The fine, the prison term and the paperwork that matters
The Food Information Regulations 2014 set a fine up to level 5, uncapped since 2015. The Food Safety Act adds prison. How they fit, with one menu worked.
Do tips and service charge count towards minimum wage? What a pub or restaurant must pay in base pay from April 2026
Tips, gratuities and service charges do not count towards minimum wage pay, so base pay must reach £12.71 (21+) alone. The check, with a worked shortfall.
Does a pub or restaurant have to put calories on the menu? The 250-employee test, how part-timers count, and what the label must say
Calorie labelling in England applies to out-of-home food businesses with 250 or more employees. Here is how to count heads, and what smaller pubs may do.
Registering a pub, cafe or restaurant as a food business: the 28-day deadline, who must do it and what the council can and cannot do
You must register a food business with the council at least 28 days before trading. It is free, cannot be refused, and a new operator must do it again.
Martyn's Law for pubs and restaurants: does your venue reach 200 people? The headcount, worked for three venues
Martyn's Law applies at 200 people, staff and beer garden included. Three venues counted, what the standard tier asks, and the 3-month notice.
Which licence does a pub need for this? Four questions on events, music, TV and pavement tables
Four questions on a late event, music, a television or pavement tables, ending in one of eight outcomes with the fee, the deadline and the rule for each.
Pub and restaurant business rates for 2026/27: the new hospitality multipliers, worked for three rateable values
From April 2026 the 40% hospitality relief is gone and two lower multipliers replace it: 38.2p under £51,000 and 43p up to £499,999. What a pub pays now.
How to appeal a food hygiene rating: the 21-day deadline, the letter, and when a re-rating inspection is the better route
You have 21 days from being told your food hygiene rating to appeal in writing. When to appeal, when to ask for a re-rating, and a letter to adapt.
Do pubs need a TV licence? What the £180 covers, when a screen needs none, and the rule for an inn with rooms
A pub needs a TV Licence, £180 a year, to show live TV on any channel or use BBC iPlayer. When a screen needs none, and the 15-room rule for inns.
Allergen matrix template for a restaurant or pub: the 14 columns, a filled-in example and how to keep it accurate
An allergen matrix template to copy: one row per dish, 14 allergen columns, the nut or cereal named in the cell, a version date and a check signature.
How much does a music licence cost for a pub in 2026? The PPL and PRS tariff lines, added up for one pub's year
A pub playing a radio pays £364.62 a year plus VAT for TheMusicLicence. The tariff lines for a TV, a music quiz and live bands, added up for one pub.
Natasha's Law for restaurants and pubs: what must be labelled, what must be said, and the change-control that keeps it true
Which pub food needs a full ingredients label under Natasha's Law, how allergen information is given for the rest, and keeping the matrix right as menus change.
How long does a personal licence take, and how long does it last? The £37 fee, the papers to send and the 14-day police window
A personal licence costs £37 and lasts indefinitely. What to send the council, the one-month DBS limit and what happens if your only holder leaves.
How much is a premises licence? The five fee bands for a pub or restaurant, the annual fee and the suspension rule
A premises licence costs £100 to £635 to apply for and £70 to £350 a year, set by rateable value. The bands, the pub multiplier and the unpaid-fee rule.
How long does it take to transfer a premises licence when you buy a pub? Same-day effect, the 14-day police window and the 28 days after a lapse
A premises licence transfer can take effect the day the council receives it. The £23 fee, the 14-day police window and the 28-day limit after a lapse.
Restaurant and pub readiness check: ten yes-or-no questions on tips, rotas, no-show charges, allergens and the licence
Ten yes-or-no questions for a UK restaurant or pub on tips, rest between shifts, no-show charges, allergen records, review replies and licence fees.
Temporary Event Notice for a pub: the £21 fee, the 10 working day deadline and the 21-day limit, with the dates worked
A Temporary Event Notice costs £21 and must reach the council 10 clear working days before the event. The yearly limits and two worked dates.
Running the venue
Hot takeaway food and VAT: why a takeaway toastie is 20% and a cold sandwich is not, worked for a cafe
HMRC tests decide whether takeaway food is hot for VAT. On a £5.50 toastie: £0.92 VAT a sale, £110 a week on 120 sales; a cold sandwich carries £0.
Simpler Recycling for a pub: are you under 10 full-time equivalents, and what changes on 31 March 2027
Workplaces with under 10 full-time equivalent staff must separate food and dry recycling from 31 March 2027. A pub with 16 staff can still be a micro-firm.
A pub fruit machine and Machine Games Duty: 5%, 20% or 25% of net takings, worked for a quarter
Machine Games Duty is charged on net takings at 5%, 20% or 25%, and the top-rated game sets the rate. A £150 week is £390 a quarter at 20%.
How much Alcohol Duty is in a pint of keg beer in 2026? The draught rate, the takeaway rule, and a 50-litre keg worked through
Draught beer in a keg or cask pays a lower Alcohol Duty rate. The 2026 rates, the duty inside a pint, and why takeaway pints and cans pay the full rate.
Admin scorecard for restaurants and pubs: how many office hours a week could AI prepare for you to check, job by job
Enter the hours a week your venue spends on enquiries, the rota, reviews and invoices to see which jobs AI could prepare and what stays with you.
Can a restaurant or pub use ChatGPT for menus, review replies and rotas? Plan prices, data terms and the one job to keep
Yes, for drafts. What ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini cost a small venue, what each does with your data, three prompts, and why allergens stay with you.
Christmas trading checklist for a pub or restaurant: licence, bookings, set menu, rota and tips
26 steps to get a pub or restaurant ready for December: Temporary Event Notice dates, deposits, set menu allergens, rota rest rules and tips.
Menu GP calculator: gross profit on a dish after VAT, and the price that hits your target
Enter a dish's ingredient cost and menu price to see its gross profit after VAT, the price that reaches your target GP, and what a 10% cost rise does to it.
Restaurant booking system prices: who publishes them, and what a 60-cover restaurant pays a year
What UK booking systems publish about price: ResDiary's reported tiers, Dojo's flat fee and the demo-only pages at OpenTable and SevenRooms.
Review reply writer: a reply to a bad Google or TripAdvisor review that an owner would sign
Make a reply to a Google or TripAdvisor review from the stars, the issue and what you changed, under 120 words and inside the rules on incentivised reviews.