Ah, June. School’s out, the sun’s out, and whether your fast food franchise is bracing for a summer sales spike or preparing for a seasonal slowdown, there’s one thing you shouldn’t ignore: your books.

June is more than just the halfway point of the year. It’s a key opportunity to reset, review, and refine your financial strategy before Q3 kicks off. Whether you’re experiencing higher customer volume or noticing a dip in foot traffic, smart bookkeeping will help you navigate the season with confidence—and stay profitable no matter what summer throws your way.

Let’s walk through the bookkeeping moves every franchise owner should be making this month.

 

Know Your Summer Pattern: Spike or Slump?

Before diving into the numbers, ask yourself:
What does summer usually look like for your business?

Some franchises see a surge in sales thanks to longer days, summer tourism, or students on break. Others slow down as families leave town or routines change. If you’re unsure, your past sales data holds the answers.

👉 Pull last year’s June–August revenue trends to see what to expect.
👉 Compare it to Q1 and Q2 to spot seasonality and prepare.

This knowledge is power—it tells you whether to staff up, tighten budgets, or double down on marketing.

 

Tighten Up Inventory Controls

Summer often brings menu promotions, new product launches, and bulk orders for high-demand items (hello, milkshakes and iced drinks!). But it can also bring higher waste, spoilage, or unexpected shortages if you’re not tracking closely.

Here’s what to do:

  • Audit your current inventory and compare it to sales volume

  • Set par levels that reflect summer demand—not your March baseline

  • Watch for waste trends and spot where over-ordering might be hurting your margins

Pro tip: If you’re not already reconciling inventory weekly, now’s the time to start. Shrinkage and spoilage can quietly eat into your profits.

 

Review Labor Costs Against Sales Volume

With changing customer volume often comes shifting staffing needs. Are you adjusting labor in real-time, or just sticking to a template schedule?

Ask yourself:

  • Are you overstaffed during slow periods or understaffed during peak hours?

  • Is overtime sneaking up on you and hurting your margins?

  • Are you using seasonal or part-time help efficiently?

Smart labor planning starts with your point-of-sale (POS) and bookkeeping data. Look at your labor as a percentage of sales and set a benchmark to keep staffing costs in check without burning out your team.

 

Reconcile Promotions and Discounts Carefully

Summer promotions can bring in new customers—but they can also tank profitability if not tracked properly.

If you’re running:

  • BOGO offers

  • Limited-time summer menu items

  • Combo meal discounts

…make sure you’re recording those promotions clearly in your books. You want to measure:

  • Sales lift from the promo

  • Impact on food cost percentage

  • True margin after the discount

Many franchise owners accidentally inflate their perceived revenue by not separating promo sales from full-price sales—make sure your reports tell the real story.

 

Revisit Your Marketing ROI

June is the perfect time to ask: is my marketing budget paying off?

Franchise owners often follow national marketing calendars, but local advertising, loyalty campaigns, or social media boosts might also be in play. Pull your YTD marketing expenses and ask:

  • Which campaigns brought actual foot traffic or online orders?

  • What’s my cost per acquisition (CPA)?

  • Am I allocating my marketing budget where it actually moves the needle?

If you’re spending $1,000 a month and seeing little to no uptick, it might be time to redirect those dollars to something with a clearer return.

 

Prep for Mid-Year Franchise Reporting

Many franchises require mid-year financial reports to monitor royalties, marketing contributions, or compliance. Even if yours doesn’t, June is a smart time to make sure your finances are in order.

Check the following:

  • Are your books fully reconciled through May?

  • Have all royalty fees, marketing contributions, and franchise fees been recorded correctly?

  • Are you tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) required by the franchisor?

If your books are messy or inconsistent, don’t wait until year-end. Cleaning them up now can save you time and stress down the road.

 

Cash Flow: Plan for the Next 90 Days

Whether you’re heading into your busiest stretch or a quieter quarter, you need a cash flow forecast for the next 3 months.

Include:

  • Expected sales (based on trends and any upcoming events)

  • Recurring and seasonal expenses (payroll, utilities, supply costs)

  • Any large or one-time expenses (equipment repairs, back-to-school promotions)

Cash flow is the #1 thing that can make or break a small business—especially one with high fixed costs like rent and royalties. Don’t just track it. Plan for it.

 

Let Your Bookkeeper Help You Strategize

As a franchise owner, you’re juggling a thousand things: operations, customer experience, hiring, compliance—and bookkeeping is just one more spinning plate.

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to go it alone.

A bookkeeping and accounting team that specializes in franchise businesses can help you:

  • Stay on top of weekly and monthly reconciliations

  • Monitor labor and food cost percentages

  • Track promotional profitability

  • Forecast cash flow

  • Prepare compliance-ready reports for your franchisor

Most importantly, they help you make better decisions with real-time, accurate numbers.

 

Summer Success Starts with Smart Books

Whether your franchise is booming or slowing down this summer, clean, clear financials are the key to staying profitable and stress-free.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the numbers—or just want a second set of eyes—we’re here to help.

📞 Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and get your franchise’s financials in top shape for the summer season and beyond.