The QSR Growth Story: From Rapid Expansion to Reliable F&A Operations
Accounts Payables & Petty Cash Transformation for a Leading QSR Chain in India
A Case Study in Scaling Back-office Operations
- Invoice Processing (Capex/Opex)
- Rent & Utilities Management
- Revenue Reconciliation
- Bank Reconciliation (BRS)
- Vendor Payments
- Petty Cash Management
India's QSR Sector: A Story of Rapid Growth
India's Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector has been expanding rapidly, driven by changing consumer preferences, urbanization, and a growing middle class seeking convenient dining options. The market has witnessed double-digit growth rates, with national and international brands racing to capture market share across tier-1, tier-2, and tier-3 cities.
Our client—one of the country's prominent QSR brands—opened its first restaurant in November 2014 and, as of 2025, operates 500+ restaurants nationwide. This exponential growth from a single outlet to a national footprint in just over a decade represents a remarkable success story in India's competitive food service industry.
However, with rapid expansion comes operational complexity. Finance & Accounting (F&A) needed to scale proportionally with this growth. We partnered with them to establish a technology-enabled operating model for accounts payable (AP), petty cash management, vendor payments, revenue/bank reconciliations, and month-end close.
Growth Journey
From Startup to National Presence
First Restaurant Launch
Opened inaugural outlet in November 2014, marking the beginning of an ambitious expansion journey
Rapid Nationwide Expansion
Aggressive growth strategy across metropolitan cities, tier-2 towns, and emerging markets
500+ Restaurant Network
National presence with complex multi-location operations requiring robust F&A infrastructure
Managing Scale Without Systems
The company's rapid expansion exposed critical gaps in their finance and accounting infrastructure. With hundreds of restaurants generating thousands of transactions daily, the existing processes simply couldn't keep pace.
Repetitive, Non-Automated Invoice Processing
Manual invoice handling across 500+ locations created significant bottlenecks, with staff spending hours on data entry that could be automated.
Lack of a Scalable Model
Existing processes designed for a handful of outlets couldn't handle the exponential growth in transaction volumes as the restaurant network expanded.
Finance Bandwidth Tied Up in Operations
The in-house finance team was consumed by day-to-day transaction processing, leaving no capacity for strategic financial analysis and business partnering.
Weak Controls on Rental & Landlord Reconciliation
Little to no control over rental invoice collection and landlord reconciliation led to unutilized GST credits and significant cash-flow impact.
Need for Output-Driven Processes
The organization required clear SLAs, transparency, and measurable outcomes—not just activity tracking—to ensure accountability across all F&A operations.
Systematic Transformation in Three Phases
Rather than attempting a disruptive overnight change, we implemented a phased approach that allowed the business to continue operations while progressively improving processes, introducing technology, and establishing governance frameworks.
Shared Service Center (SSC) Setup
Built the initial F&A structure and centralized execution. This foundational phase established standardized processes and brought all finance operations under a unified delivery model.
Invoice Processing (Capex/Opex)
GRN/PO checks; GST & TDS validation
Rent & Utilities
Tracking and processing all bills
Revenue Reconciliation & Accounting
Daily sales reconciliation; commission validation; booking commission invoices; sales accounting in ERP
Receipt Application & Bank Reconciliation
Daily/weekly cadence
Vendor Payments
Due-date aligned disbursements; weekly petty cash replenishment for stores
Technology Enablement
Introduced MYND's proprietary technology platforms to automate repetitive tasks, improve accuracy, and enable real-time visibility across all F&A operations.
MYNDAPX
Digital invoice payables automation tool for Procure-to-Pay (AP/P2P), streamlining invoice workflows
MYNDSpendX (PCMS)
In-house SaaS petty cash management system with intuitive UI to monitor store expenses and reimbursements
SSC-Supported Scope
Verification of store expenses, follow-ups with stores/ops on differences, ERP posting, month-end petty cash certificates
Output-Driven Governance
Established comprehensive documentation, MIS frameworks, and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to ensure consistent delivery, transparency, and accountability across all F&A operations.
Process Documentation
Consistent implementation & compliance; standardized operating procedures across all functions
Stronger MIS
Clear visibility into operations with real-time dashboards and performance tracking
SLAs for Excellence
SLAs designed for timeliness, accuracy, and transparency across all F&A operations
Key Outcomes
The transformation delivered measurable improvements across speed, accuracy, cost efficiency, and strategic enablement.
Speed & Predictability
>98% invoices within TAT; >99% on-time vendor & utility payments
Accuracy
>99% revenue reconciliation accuracy (including food aggregators)
Cost Efficiency
~25% efficiency gain from automation; reduction in manual rework and errors
Financial Control
Improved landlord reconciliation reduces unutilized GST credits and cash-flow friction
Scalability
SSC model handled volume spikes without compromising SLAs
Strategic Shift
In-house finance team redirected to business partnering and strategy
Cost Model
Transition from fixed to variable cost base
Performance Visibility
Finer store-level P&L insight and stronger connect with business teams
Why This Matters for QSR Operators
The Quick Service Restaurant industry operates on thin margins and high volumes. Every efficiency gain directly impacts profitability, and every process gap creates compounding problems as you scale.
High-Volume, Multi-Location Realities
QSR chains with hundreds of outlets generate thousands of transactions daily. This demands centralized execution with strict SLAs—not ad-hoc processes that worked when you had 10 restaurants.
Disciplined Petty Cash Governance
Petty cash across 500+ stores can quickly become a leakage point. Proper governance curbs pilferage, accelerates reimbursement cycles, and ensures every rupee is accounted for.
Automation of Repetitive AP Tasks
With 56,000+ AP transactions annually, manual processing is unsustainable. Automation unlocks speed and accuracy at scale, freeing your team for value-added work.
Tight MIS & Documentation
Clear Management Information Systems create transparency for leadership decisions, enable faster month-end close, and provide the visibility needed to identify issues before they become problems.
Whether you operate 50 restaurants or 500+, the principles remain the same: centralized execution, technology enablement, and output-driven governance are the foundation of scalable F&A operations in the QSR industry. Learn more about our Finance & Accounts services.
The Strategic Impact
A comprehensive suite of F&A services delivered through our integrated approach
Invoice Processing
End-to-end Capex and Opex invoice processing with GRN/PO matching, GST validation, and TDS compliance
Learn MoreRent & Utilities
Complete tracking and processing of rental invoices, utility bills, and landlord reconciliation across all locations
Learn MoreRevenue & Accounting
Daily sales reconciliation, aggregator commission validation, and ERP-integrated sales accounting
Learn MoreReceipts & BRS
Daily/weekly receipt application and bank reconciliation statement preparation
Learn MoreVendor Payments
Due-date aligned disbursements ensuring on-time payments and healthy vendor relationships
Learn MorePetty Cash (MYNDSpendX)
Store expense verification, follow-ups, ERP posting, and month-end petty cash certificates via our SaaS platform
Learn MoreReady to Transform Your Finance Operations?
Whether you're a QSR chain, retail network, or any multi-location business facing similar challenges, MYND can help you build scalable, technology-enabled F&A operations that grow with your business.
