How to improve restaurant cash flow
Start by listing when cash is expected to arrive and when payments are due. Compare that forecast with actual bank activity. Investigate missing settlements, review purchasing needs and keep upcoming payroll, rent and other obligations visible. A profitable restaurant can still have a cash-timing problem.
Book a Free Working Session →No system access needed for the call.
From daily view to follow-through
- Morning ReceiptSee what changed across your restaurants. Your team runs follow-through.
- Morning Receipt + Marty AlertsSee what needs attention and who should act. Your team runs follow-through.
- Marty Operating TeamMarty manages review and follow-through with your managers.
A paid Cash Recovery Plan is an optional starting review. Scope and access are agreed before work begins.
What the Cash Recovery Plan includes
After agreed access is complete and usable data is available, you receive the Review within seven days: ranked findings by dollars and location, evidence supporting each finding, proposed owners, recommended fixes, a 30-day action plan, and a live leadership readout. You can run the plan with your own team; managed continuation is optional.
Profit and cash flow answer different questions
Profit compares revenue with expenses. Cash flow tracks money moving in and out. A sale recorded today may settle later. Buying equipment or repaying loan principal can reduce cash without being the same as an operating expense for that period.
Build a weekly view
List opening cash, expected receipts and planned payments by week. Include card and delivery settlements, supplier payments, payroll, rent, debt payments and other known obligations. Label uncertain receipts as estimates. Update the forecast with actual results.
Check settlement differences
Match the relevant sales records with processor or delivery settlement reports and bank deposits. Account for timing, fees, refunds and adjustments before calling a difference missing money. Assign unresolved differences to an owner.
The POS overage the safe's zero did not explain
A restaurant's POS cash summary showed a $5,748.39 overage in July 2026. The safe's check kept showing $0.00, including a run of 20 straight days. No bank statements were included in the review, so the difference remained unresolved and no dollar loss was claimed.
For a paid Cash Recovery Plan, Marty can compare the POS, safe, deposit and bank records you authorize. You or your bookkeeper get a list of differences and the entries supporting them, with missing records and unanswered questions left open. Ongoing help is optional and agreed separately.
Book a Free Working Session →Source: An anonymized Marty cash recovery plan dated September 5, 2026, examining June-July 2026 cash records. Bank reconciliation was still outstanding.
Match purchasing to expected demand
Review stock on hand, upcoming demand and delivery schedules before placing orders. Check slow-moving inventory and waste. Agree on any supplier-term changes with the supplier; do not assume payments can simply be delayed.
Separate a cash gap from a cost problem
A timing gap needs a forecast and a payment plan. A recurring operating loss needs a review of revenue and costs. Both can exist together. Work with your finance lead or accountant on financing, tax obligations and accounting treatment.
Track what changed
For each issue, record the evidence, owner, action and review date. Check whether the expected receipt arrived or the cost changed. Do not count an unresolved discrepancy as recovered cash.
Can profit improve while cash stays tight?
Yes. Receipts and payments can occur at different times from the revenue and expenses recorded in the accounts. Review both the profit report and cash forecast.
How Marty fits
Marty is your outsourced Chief Profit Officer for Restaurants. The Cash Recovery Plan examines operating records behind labor, food costs, comps and deposits, and proposes actions for your team. Discuss the scope of the review for your group.
Examples of What the Review Can Surface
Use your own accounting and bank records. Estimates and unresolved differences should remain clearly labeled.
Frequently asked questions
Can profit improve while cash stays tight?
Yes. Receipts and payments can occur at different times from recorded revenue and expenses. Review both the profit report and cash forecast.
Is the Cash Recovery Plan software I have to learn?
No. The Cash Recovery Plan is a done-for-you service. Our team uses Marty to review your existing restaurant data, identify issues, assign fixes, and verify follow-through.
What do I receive from the Review, and when?
After agreed access is complete and usable data is available, you receive the Review within seven days: ranked findings by dollars and location, evidence supporting each finding, proposed owners, recommended fixes, a 30-day action plan, and a live leadership readout.
What does the Cash Recovery Plan cost?
Pricing for the paid Cash Recovery Plan is confirmed after we understand your locations, systems, and scope. Scope, access, timing, and fee are agreed before the Review begins.
Do I have to continue after the Review?
No. Managed continuation is optional and is not required after the Cash Recovery Plan.
What access does the Review need?
The Review uses read-only access to the systems relevant to the work. Your team does not need to replace its systems or change its operating process, and Marty does not write back to connected systems.
Related restaurant profit guides
See how Marty works for your restaurants.
Pricing is confirmed after we understand your locations, systems, and scope. After agreed access is complete and usable data is available, our team delivers the Review within seven days using read-only access. Managed continuation is optional.
Scope, access, timing, and fee are agreed before the Review begins.
Book a Free Working Session →No system access needed for the call.