CPA for Miami restaurants and hospitality.
Miami F&B operators deal with FICA tip credits, Florida sales tax, cash reconciliation, and multi-entity structures that a generalist CPA isn't equipped to handle at the return level. We work with Miami restaurants, bars, and hospitality operators year-round.
Who we serve
Four types of Miami F&B operators we work with.
Independent full-service restaurants
Miami full-service restaurants with tipped employees. We calculate the FICA tip credit (Form 8846) on mandatory and voluntary tips, reducing federal tax liability by the employer FICA paid on tip income above the federal minimum wage.
Catering and event operations
Miami catering and event operators with variable revenue and seasonal staffing. We set quarterly estimated taxes based on actual revenue — not a fixed number — and coordinate the S-corp salary with fluctuating distributions.
Multi-location F&B groups
Miami F&B operators with two or more locations under separate entities. We prepare entity returns for each location, consolidate the owner-level picture, and advise on whether a management company structure reduces tax exposure across the group.
Food trucks and QSR operators
Miami food truck operators and quick-service restaurants. We handle Schedule C or 1120-S preparation, Florida sales-tax compliance coordination, and the self-employment tax picture for operators who have not yet elected S-corp status.
Why a Miami-based CPA matters for restaurants
The FICA tip credit alone pays for a year of CPA service.
The FICA tip credit under IRC §45B is one of the most consistently underused tax credits in the restaurant industry. It is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in federal income tax — not a deduction — equal to the employer's FICA contribution on employee tips above the federal minimum wage. Miami restaurants with tipped employees who have not claimed the credit in prior years may be eligible to file amended returns and recover prior-year credits.
Florida's 6% state sales tax plus Miami-Dade's 1% discretionary surtax applies to food and beverages sold at restaurants and bars. The exemption for grocery-store food items does not extend to prepared food sold at a restaurant counter, deli, or catering service. Misclassifying taxable restaurant food as exempt grocery food is one of the most common Florida Department of Revenue audit issues for Miami F&B operators. We do not handle the sales-tax filings directly — that requires a sales-tax specialist — but we coordinate with your provider to ensure that sales-tax data flows correctly into the income tax return.
Miami restaurant owners who operate as sole proprietors or single-member LLCs pay self-employment tax (15.3% FICA on net earnings up to the Social Security wage base) on all business profit. The S-corp election — paying a reasonable W-2 salary and taking remaining profit as a distribution — reduces the FICA exposure on the distribution. For a Wynwood restaurant generating $200,000 of net income, the break-even analysis often shows a meaningful annual tax reduction from electing S-corp status.
How we work
F&B intake, bookkeeping, FICA credit, filing.
01
F&B intake
We collect POS system reports, tip records, payroll summaries, and prior-year returns. The intake identifies FICA tip credit eligibility, sales-tax filing frequency, entity structure, and any multi-location complexity before we open the return.
02
Bookkeeping and reconciliation
Daily sales reports from the POS system are reconciled against bank deposits. Cash transactions require a structured cash-to-deposit reconciliation. Food cost and labor cost percentages are tracked quarterly as a cross-check on profitability.
03
FICA tip credit and return preparation
We calculate the FICA tip credit (Form 8846) based on actual tip records. The credit reduces federal income tax dollar-for-dollar — not just as a deduction. Entity returns and the owner-level 1040 are prepared in the same engagement.
04
Year-round planning
Quarterly estimated taxes are set based on actual revenue, not a flat amount. S-corp comp is reviewed before year-end. Retirement-contribution timing is coordinated with the CPA before the calendar year closes.
Pricing
Restaurant engagements start at Growth.
Miami restaurant and F&B operators with a single location typically start at Growth ($449/quarter). Multi-location groups or operators requiring monthly bookkeeping, multi-entity returns, and monthly CPA check-ins usually fit Professional ($899/quarter). Bookkeeping is a monthly add-on priced separately. Full details at /pricing.
Your CPA
Cassandra de la Fe — Florida CPA for Miami F&B operators.
Cassandra de la Fe holds a Florida CPA license and prepares all F&B returns under her own EFIN. She is bilingual in English and Spanish, serving Miami's restaurant community — from Wynwood's independent operators to Brickell's hotel F&B groups. Read her full profile →
- Florida-Licensed CPA (DBPR)
- EFIN-Authorized (IRS)
- Bilingual — English & Spanish
Related services and neighborhoods
More from Precision Tax Partners for Miami restaurant operators.
Questions
Miami restaurant and F&B tax — frequently asked
The FICA tip credit and S-corp election are worth modeling.
Miami restaurant operators leave money on the table by not claiming the FICA tip credit. We run the numbers before you file. A Florida-licensed CPA on every return.