Working with Food and Beverage Industry Salary Tools

Use food and beverage industry salary tools to set your wages
By Tara McClendon, Freelance Writer/Editor Tara McClendon Choices abound  for food and beverage industry salary tools. You can start with free salary tools for basic information to decide if you are paying fair wages. Then, full-service software opens up a greater range of choices, thanks to the many providers who offer support for their products.

If you outsource your payroll to a CPA or a company specializing in food and beverage industry salaries, take advantage of tools available from associations.  Consider the following options to find the right system for your needs:

1. Use food and beverage salary tools to determine fair wages.

2. Work with vendors who offer full-service software and support.

3. Get discounts and help through associations geared to food industry occupations.

Use tools to help you set food industry salaries

Salary calculators for the food industry can help you determine pay scales for your employees. Many factors may affect wages, including your geographic location, your level of service and the type of experience or education you require.
Try:  Work with PayScale to determine wages based on the amount of time an employee has been with your business. The Economic Research Institute Salary Survey Software offers salary tools for a variety of positions including chef, chef assistant and buttermaker.

Work with vendors offering software for food and beverage industry jobs

Many restaurant owners and managers purchase software that comes with salary tools. Opt for one of the many companies who provide at least a year of free support, in case you need help to get systems running smoothly.
Try:  Execu/Tech Systems gives details on the features of its restaurant software, which includes back office accounting tools. Be sure to browse through the site to learn more about the company and the support it offers. Business Software Solutions has detailed descriptions of programs, support and services for its food service software, including payroll programs.

Find food and beverage salary guidelines and other tools through associations

Food industry associations offer members a variety of tools, from salary guidelines pegged to your location to discounts on payroll services. Many associations that partner with payroll companies will reveal details of their agreements, so you know what to expect before purchasing the service.
Try:  The Pennsylvania Restaurant Association and the Restaurant Association of Maryland both give member discounts for working with a payroll processing company. Check both sites for details of their respective services.  It pays to search for similar associations in your own geographic area for comparable deals.