PlateSense vs SynergySuite Labor & Scheduling

PlateSense is restaurant inventory and recipe-costing software that uses supplier invoices to update food costs. It extracts invoice items, quantities, units and prices, and sends entries needing a decision for review before they affect inventory. Kitchens can track ingredient stock, purchase and count history, average inventory cost and latest delivery cost. Reusable prep recipes and menu build sheets link ingredient costs to dish food cost and contribution margin, recalculating as costs change. Its assistant, Sage, answers questions about invoices, ingredients and recipe costs and can help users navigate the app. The free plan reads 15 invoices per month automatically and includes inventory, recipes, menu costing, price alerts and Sage. PlateSense Pro costs $59 a month, billed per location, and includes unlimited invoices, inventory, recipes and menu items for a team on one account. New kitchens get a 30-day trial with everything included and no card; afterward the account pauses while its data remains available. PlateSense runs on Android, iOS and the web, with invoice submission by upload or email forwarding. It does not currently compare expected ingredient usage from sales with actual usage.

SynergySuite Labor & Scheduling is cloud software for coordinating restaurant staffing across locations. Managers can create schedules using forecasted sales, review availability, send schedules and reminders, approve shift swaps, handle absences and time-off requests, and communicate with employees in real time. The Cover app lets employees view schedules, hours, and coworkers, update availability, request time off, and swap shifts. Labor compliance warnings flag potential overtime and possible breaches of federal, state, and local laws. A dedicated clocking app can restrict clock-ins by IP or Wi-Fi and support break clock-ins or automatic break deductions. Managers can validate and adjust clocking data before sending it to an existing payroll system. Integrations cover POS, accounting, payroll, supplier, and HR systems, with EDI suppliers or email ordering where applicable. Pricing is quoted per location per month and varies by location count and modules. A subscription requires at least three modules, including reporting. The company says customers typically have 20 or more locations to get the most benefit.