{"id":72217,"date":"2024-07-12T12:17:46","date_gmt":"2024-07-12T10:17:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=72217"},"modified":"2026-01-29T14:13:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T12:13:01","slug":"off-premises-dining-strategies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/off-premises-dining-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"Boost your restaurant profits with smart off-premises dining strategies"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBoost your restaurant profits with smart off-premises dining strategies\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2024-07-12T12:17:46+02:00\">July 12, 2024<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Boost your restaurant profits with smart off-premises dining strategies\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/off-premises-dining-strategies\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/author\/yassirmalik\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/03\/Yassir-Malik.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"yassir-malik-profile-picture\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Yassir Malik<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Picture this: Your loyal customers are craving your signature dishes, but they\u2019re cozied up at home or swamped with work at the office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s the solution? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Off-premises dining\u2014the secret ingredient that keeps your restaurant thriving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Off-premises dining isn\u2019t just a trend; it\u2019s a game-changer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s reshaping how restaurants connect with their hungry patrons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a world where convenience rules and tech-savvy habits prevail, the demand for off-premises options has skyrocketed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But fear not! I\u2019m here to guide you through the challenges and help you ride this wave of opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, let\u2019s roll up our sleeves and dive into the world of off-premises dining!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-here-s-what-we-ll-cover\">Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover<\/h4>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-the-pros-and-cons-of-off-premises-dining\" data-level=\"2\">The pros and cons of off-premises dining<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-the-upside\" data-level=\"3\">The upside<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-challenges\" data-level=\"3\">The challenges<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-metrics-you-need-to-track\" data-level=\"2\">The metrics you need to track<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-sales-volume\" data-level=\"3\">Sales volume<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-average-order-value-aov\" data-level=\"3\">Average order value (AOV)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-prime-cost\" data-level=\"3\">Prime cost<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-inventory-management\" data-level=\"3\">Inventory management<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-order-volume\" data-level=\"3\">Order volume<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-customer-acquisition-cost-cac\" data-level=\"3\">Customer acquisition cost (CAC)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-customer-retention-rate\" data-level=\"3\">Customer retention rate<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-delivery-time\" data-level=\"3\">Delivery time<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-a-systemic-approach\" data-level=\"2\">A systemic approach<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-point-of-sale-pos-systems\" data-level=\"3\">Point of sale (POS) systems<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-third-party-aggregators\" data-level=\"3\">Third-party aggregators<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-ghost-kitchens\" data-level=\"3\">Ghost kitchens<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-third-party-delivery-services\" data-level=\"3\">Third-party delivery services<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughts\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Sage Intacct<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discover how Sage Intacct takes the stress away and can make financial management fun and empowering.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/sage-business-cloud\/intacct\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tid=\"cta-id-68961\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-button-location=\"cta_box\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Find out how<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/08\/Fin24-Lifestyle-Image-1.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/08\/Fin24-Lifestyle-Image-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-pros-and-cons-of-off-premises-dining\">The pros and cons of off-premises dining<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-upside\">The upside<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-expanded-customer-base\"><strong>Expanded customer base<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>By embracing off-premises dining, you\u2019re not just serving people who walk through your restaurant doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, your reach extends to homes, offices, and beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a whole new audience hungry for your culinary delights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cost-savings\"><strong>Cost savings<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Less need for extensive dining space or front-of-house staff means reduced costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, you can focus on what you do best: cooking up deliciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tech-magic\"><strong>Tech magic<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Food delivery apps and online ordering platforms make connecting with patrons a breeze. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These tools simplify the ordering process for customers while opening up a fresh revenue stream for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-challenges\">The challenges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-takeout-tango\"><strong>Takeout tango<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Handling a surge in takeout and delivery orders requires some fancy footwork. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But fear not! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With smart planning and resource allocation, you can turn these challenges into opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-menu-mastery\"><strong>Menu mastery<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Your off-premises menu needs to shine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Curate a selection of dishes that survive the delivery journey with flavors intact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And yes, that means considering how your food travels\u2014no soggy fries, please!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-third-party-trade-offs\"><strong>Third-party trade-offs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>While third-party delivery platforms charge commission fees, they also put your food in front of hungry customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a balancing act, but one that pays off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To further capitalise on the off-premises dining opportunity while mitigating risks and controlling costs, it\u2019s essential to refine your strategy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider fine tuning your strategy by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Investing in quality packaging that keeps your food at the right temperature and texture. No one wants lukewarm pasta or squished burgers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Evaluating third-party delivery performance and negotiating better terms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creating a loyalty programme for your takeout and delivery crowd\u2014they\u2019ll keep coming back without those pesky app fees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using social media and your restaurant\u2019s website to promote your off-premises options. Direct orders mean more control over the customer experience and less reliance on third-party platforms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-metrics-you-need-to-track\">The metrics you need to track<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To make off-premises work, you need in-depth insights on both financial and operational data to ensure continued profitability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some key metrics to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sales-volume\"><strong>Sales volume<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Overall sales volume generated through off-premises channels (delivery, takeout, catering) on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Compare these figures to in-house dining sales to assess the contribution of off-premises dining to total revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-average-order-value-aov\"><strong>Average order value (AOV)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The average amount spent per off-premises order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A high AOV indicates that customers are ordering larger quantities or higher-priced items, which can boost profitability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-prime-cost\">Prime cost<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-food-cost-percentage\"><strong>Food cost percentage<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The percentage of total revenue spent on food costs for off-premises orders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Monitor ingredient costs, portion sizes, and menu pricing to maintain healthy profit margins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-labour-cost\"><strong>Labour cost<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Staff labour costs associated with off-premises dining, including staffing for order preparation, packaging, and delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Strive to improve staffing levels and workflows while maintaining service quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-inventory-management\"><strong>Inventory management<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep track of ingredient and packaging supply levels to ensure sufficient stock for fulfilling off-premises orders without excess waste or shortages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-order-volume\">Order volume<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Analyze trends in off-premises orders over specific time periods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Identify peak ordering times and adjust staffing levels and inventory accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-customer-acquisition-cost-cac\"><strong>Customer acquisition cost (CAC)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Calculate costs associated with acquiring new off-premises customers, including marketing expenses, discounts, and commission fees paid to third-party delivery platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Minimise CAC while maximising customer retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-customer-retention-rate\"><strong>Customer retention rate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Encourage repeat business by implementing loyalty programmes, promotional offers, and personalised marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enhance customer loyalty and reduce reliance on third-party apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-delivery-time\"><strong>Delivery time<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Efficient delivery times are crucial for customer satisfaction and retention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Measure the average time it takes to fulfill off-premises orders from placement to delivery or pickup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-systemic-approach\">A systemic approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Pulling together finance and operational data to make the most of the off-premises transformation requires the right tools to ensure everything is on the right path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-point-of-sale-pos-systems\">Point of sale (POS) systems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many operators integrate their point-of-sale (POS) systems with a financial management platform for real-time data visibility with minimal effort and errors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With delivery aggregators increasingly integrating with POS systems or operators opting to keep the ordering in-house, integrating the POS systems with the financial platform makes sense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In a fully integrated ecosystem where the financial management platform is the hub of transactional information<\/strong>, the restaurant can fully use reporting and dashboard capabilities with real-time data used to measure profitability, demand and ideal price point\u2014all while minimising error-prone data rekeying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-third-party-aggregators\">Third-party aggregators<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>By partnering with third-party delivery aggregators, not only do restaurants save on the costs of driver fleets, but they also expand their reach to customers who may not normally have dined with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In deciding whether to opt for in-house delivery, restaurants need to examine if the added labour and technology costs outweigh third-party fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Restaurants need tools to take a data-driven approach to understand the mix that works for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dimensions and custom reporting enable operators to quickly analyze the performance of cost and revenue drivers<\/strong>, so they can quickly understand what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With rolled-up summary views of entities at any time, you can keep visibility of programme performance in various locations\u2014to make sense of different customer behavior and price points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ghost-kitchens\">Ghost kitchens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ghost kitchens, facilities that solely produce food for off-premises orders, are growing in adoption as an offshoot of the off-premises trend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These facilities serve to reduce the strain of added delivery orders in a restaurant\u2019s kitchen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, ghost kitchens can help restaurants test new concepts without the typical costs of highly trafficked location rent and equipment. The costs associated with ghost kitchens are not as transparent as the name implies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>An accounting platform using dynamic allocations can help restaurants understand their true business performance in complex scenarios.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take for example a business that runs several delivery brands from a single ghost kitchen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Calculating complex cost allocations, creating journal entries and troubleshooting can take a few days per month when done in spreadsheets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Automating the cost allocation of overhead, such as fees, marketing expenses and non-hourly wages, saves time and gives the ability to get a more exact understanding of the profitability of each brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the steps to getting insights are simplified, it\u2019s easier to make dynamic, informed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-third-party-delivery-services\">Third-party delivery services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Third-party delivery services help restaurants reach customers they otherwise would not have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, these bring service fees that can range between 10% to 30% of orders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contract terms with third-party services dictate how restaurants should account for their sales and fees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throw loyalty programmes into the mix, and restaurants have new revenue recognition standards to grapple with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Only with visibility of current information can restaurants find ways to ensure profits, such as through higher prices on delivery items, delivery surcharges or unique delivery menus<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A best-in-class accounting platform simplifies these challenges through automation, allowing you to spend less time creating reports and more time on analysis and strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019ve just started to consider venturing into off-premises or have dived in and stood up your own delivery fleet, challenges lie ahead in tracking the added revenue streams against new costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sage Intacct provides the tools to understand restaurant performance in complex scenarios so you can set your restaurant business up for success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to learn more about gaining better insights into your off-premises transformation? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/sage-business-cloud\/intacct\/industries\/hospitality\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sage Intacct Hospitality<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice enewsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-84fe79b5-668d-41f8-a0cc-6229018c4ac9\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181404518-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1181404518-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/profit-loss\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tprofit &amp; loss\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/saving-money-in-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsaving money in business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/staying-competitive\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tstaying competitive\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-76286 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-data-analysis tag-financial-insights tag-making-financial-decisions tag-profit-loss tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1213\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--1213x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/11\/HR-and-Payroll-image--1213x810.jpg 1213w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-22T12:28:04+02:00\">May 22, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accounts-payable-reconciliation\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThe ultimate guide to accounts payable reconciliation\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tAre you a business owner or part of the accounting team? Discover how to take control of accounts payable reconciliation and optimise your payment process.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-76271 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-data-analysis tag-profit-loss tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accrued-expenses-vs-accounts-payable\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"people in office\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/07\/GettyImages-1252669747-2-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-22T11:35:30+02:00\">May 22, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tAccrued expenses vs accounts payable: Key differences\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-76206 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-financial-insights tag-profit-loss business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accrual-basis-accounting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1316107530-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-15T12:46:05+02:00\">May 15, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">16 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tAccrual accounting: What it is, benefits and examples\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-76031 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-news-insights tag-staying-competitive business_type-small-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/sage-accounting-roundtable\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/05\/Small-business-owner-on-ipad-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/05\/Small-business-owner-on-ipad-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/05\/Small-business-owner-on-ipad-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/05\/Small-business-owner-on-ipad.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-15T10:34:49+02:00\">May 15, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow accounting is changing for South African small businesses\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-76152 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-management tag-financial-insights tag-making-financial-decisions tag-profit-loss business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/accounts-receivable-turnover-ratio-how-to-calculate-it\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1459190037-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1459190037-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1459190037-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1459190037-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-01T16:45:51+02:00\">May 1, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">12 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tAccounts receivable turnover ratio formula: definition, importance, and examples\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover how off-premises dining is the secret ingredient that keeps your restaurant 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