Restaurant opening and closing checklist

Everything that needs to happen before the first cover and after the last one — every shift, without exception.

• Opening: temperature checks — Check and log all refrigeration and hot holding units before any food is transferred. Any unit out of range must be reported before the shift proceeds.
• Opening: station setup & mise en place — Each station is stocked, cleaned, and set to service-ready standard. Cover what 'ready' looks like for each area and who is responsible for confirming it.
• Opening: equipment checks & startup — Power on and check all equipment: espresso machine, grinders, fryers, ovens, POS terminals, and any other service-critical hardware. Log any faults before the shift opens.
• Opening: FIFO & product rotation — Pull stock from the walk-in and rotate using FIFO. Date-label anything freshly prepped. Discard anything past its use-by date before service starts.
• Opening: cash float & till setup — Count and confirm the opening float, set up tills, and confirm the POS is processing correctly. Any discrepancy must be reported before the first transaction.
• Opening: pre-service team briefing — Shift lead runs a 5-minute briefing covering specials, 86'd items, any service notes, and expected covers. All team members present before doors open.
• Closing: food storage & labeling — All remaining food is correctly labeled with prep and use-by dates, covered, and stored in the correct order (raw below ready-to-eat). Nothing left uncovered in the walk-in.
• Closing: cleaning & sanitizing — All surfaces, equipment, and floors are cleaned and sanitized to standard. Cleaning log completed with time, chemical used, and team member name.
• Closing: temperature log completion — Final temperature readings logged for all units. Any out-of-range reading documented and reported before the shift lead leaves.
• Closing: cash reconciliation & till closure — Count the till, reconcile against the day's sales, and complete the cash report. Discrepancies documented before cash is secured.

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