How to close out a restaurant cash register, step by step

It is midnight, the last guest has left and someone has to balance the register. If what is in the drawer does not match the receipts, the search begins: change given incorrectly? A card payment recorded as cash? A tip that stayed in the drawer?

Closing out the register is one of the most important tasks of the day and also one of the easiest to get wrong. In this guide we explain how to do it step by step and how to avoid discrepancies.

What a cash count is

The cash count compares the money that should be in the register according to recorded sales with the money that actually is there. The difference between the two is the discrepancy.

A good count does not just tell you whether money is missing or over: it helps you find out why, so it does not happen again.

Before you start: the register shift

A good close starts at opening. Every register shift should have:

• A person in charge. Whoever opens the register and is responsible for it until closing.
• A starting float. The cash the shift starts with, counted and recorded.
• An opening and closing time. So you know exactly which payments belong to that shift.

If several people take payments without a clear shift, finding the source of a discrepancy is almost impossible.

Closing the register step by step

1. Close all open bills

Before counting, make sure no table is still waiting to pay. An open bill is a sale that is not in the total yet.

2. Total sales by payment method

Separate what was paid in cash, by card and by any other method you use. The card total should match the card terminal's report; the cash total is what you will compare with the drawer.

3. Review cash movements

During the day there may be cash in and cash out that are not sales: paying a supplier, change brought from the bank, a last-minute purchase. Each one should be recorded with a reason.

4. Calculate expected cash

The formula is simple:

Expected cash = starting float + cash sales + cash in − cash out

5. Count the actual cash

Count notes and coins carefully, ideally with two people. Write down the total.

6. Compare and record the difference

If the actual cash matches the expected amount, great. If not, record the difference and the reason, if you know it. A small, occasional discrepancy is normal; one that keeps repeating is a warning sign.

7. Set aside the float for tomorrow

Separate the starting float for the next shift and store or deposit the rest according to your usual procedure.

The most common mistakes

• Payments recorded under the wrong method. A card payment marked as cash creates a shortfall that does not exist.
• Split payments recorded incorrectly. When a table pays part in cash and part by card, each part has to be recorded separately.
• Uncontrolled discounts. A discount applied by hand with no record lowers total sales without a trace.
• Cash out with no reason. If someone takes money for a purchase and does not record it, the close will never balance.
• Unexplained voids. A dish voided after being paid should be recorded with its reason.

How to avoid discrepancies

The best way to avoid discrepancies is to let the system do the math. A modern register system:

• Ties every payment to the register shift open at that moment.
• Lets you split a payment across several methods without manual calculations.
• Records every cash in and cash out with a reason.
• Controls discounts with codes, expiry dates and minimum spend.
• Calculates expected cash and the difference automatically at closing.

On top of that, a register report with sales by payment method, discrepancies and drawer movements lets you spot patterns: a shift that always comes up short, a payment method with errors or discounts that spike on certain days.

How it connects to the rest of the restaurant

The register does not live in isolation. When orders, kitchen and register are in the same system, every dish served appears on the table's bill without being copied by hand, and every void is recorded with its reason. To see how that connection works, read our guide on digital kitchen tickets and kitchen displays.

Close the register in minutes

In Bookeando the register is part of the same system as reservations, floor and kitchen. Each shift has its starting float and person in charge, payments can be split across several methods, cash movements carry a reason and the closing count compares expected with counted.

See the plans and pricing or request a demo to see it with your own menu.