The hospitality industry is subject to specific regulations. These include standards for cash register systems (SCE) in Belgium. Here's a quick guide.

Is a cash register mandatory?

Yes. Since 2016, the vast majority of hospitality businesses have been required to have a cash register system certified by the Ministry of Finance. This requirement applies to establishments with an annual turnover of €25,000 or more.

Consequently, restaurant or catering services must carry out an annual assessment of revenue from the consumption of meals on the premises. The following are excluded from the calculation of this amount:

• takeaway meals;
• delivered meals;
• and drinks.

Good to know: For operators of multiple hospitality businesses, turnover is calculated per establishment.

How do I know if my cash register complies with regulations?

To ensure that your cash register for restaurants in Belgium complies with regulations, check that your supplier is certified. For this information, visit the Federal Public Service Finance website and consult the official list of approved systems in the ‘certified systems’ section.

As a reminder, an SCE has three components, which must be approved by the FPS Finance:

• A cash register system: this is the software that manages data relating to orders and stock levels for your products.
• A Fiscal Data Module (FDM): this is the black box to which the cash register system must be connected.
• a VAT Signing Card (VSC): a smartcard to be inserted into the FDM module. You can order it free of charge online from SPF Finances.

Good to know: There are currently more than fifty approved SCE suppliers, including RESTOMAX.

Cash registers for the hospitality industry: what about the black box?

Also known as a black box or Fiscal Data Module (FDM), this small square device is connected to the cash register. Its role? It records every transaction made in the establishment: orders, payments, discounts, staff shifts, etc.

The existence of this equipment enables tax authorities to monitor restaurants more effectively. Furthermore, the black box is mandatory for hospitality businesses that are required to have a cash register.

Good to know: For the black box to be operational, a personalised activation card (VSC) must be inserted into it.

What about accounting operations?

Running a restaurant requires rigorous management. To comply with standards, hospitality establishments must, in particular:

• Give receipts to customers: although a receipt is not considered an invoice, it is proof of purchase.
• Set up a cash book: this is an accounting document that records all cash inflows and outflows in the establishment's cash register. These transactions must be recorded chronologically and in detail.
• Keep petty cash: this is a reserve of cash kept in the cash register. Petty cash has several uses. It is used in particular to give change to customers.
• close the Z register: this involves recording the end of the day in the accounts.

Please note: The cash register enables hospitality establishments to easily track all these accounting transactions.

In conclusion

The cash register and accounting operations of hospitality establishments are subject to specific rules. To help you manage your business, equip yourself with a certified, high-performance cash register system such as RESTOMAX.