Restaurant new hire checklist

Everything a new team member needs to complete in their first 7 days — from Day 1 orientation to solo clearance.

• Day 1 welcome and orientation — Tour of the building, introductions to the team, where things live, and how the first week will go. The new hire should leave Day 1 knowing exactly what they'll learn and who their trainer is.
• Paperwork and food safety basics — Employment paperwork, food handler requirements, handwashing standards, and glove use. Done means demonstrated, not just acknowledged.
• POS and menu foundations — Clocking in, ringing a basic order, and the cheat-sheet version of the menu. Lowest-stakes skills first — confidence here makes everything after easier.
• First trainer-led skill session — One core skill for their role, taught by their assigned trainer: shown first, then done by the new hire, then checked. One skill at a time beats an information dump.
• Shadow shift with assigned trainer — A full shift working alongside the trainer with a written list of skills to introduce. The trainer works the floor; the new hire practices on real customers with backup.
• Reverse shadow — new hire leads — The roles flip: the new hire runs the station while the trainer watches, corrects, and scores. This is where you find out what actually stuck.
• Knowledge check with the trainer — A short verbal check covering the week: menu, safety, and the situations that go wrong. Spoken answers under light pressure tell you more than any written test.
• Final sign-off and solo clearance — The trainer signs off that every milestone was demonstrated — dated and recorded. Nobody works solo on hope.