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How to manage restaurant opening and closing

Opening late or closing sloppily costs money. How to make opening and closing the same every day.

Opening late or closing sloppily costs money. How to make opening and closing the same every day.

Short answer: Use an opening and a closing checklist as recurring tasks, assigned to whoever is on shift, with photos of key steps like fridge temperatures and the locked back door.

Opening checklist essentials

  • Fridge and freezer temperatures checked.

  • Prep list started.

  • Front of house clean and set.

  • Till ready.

Closing checklist essentials

  • Food stored and labelled.

  • Equipment off and cleaned.

  • Cash secured.

  • Doors locked and alarm set.

Accountability without blame

When the checklist is a task, everyone knows who opened and closed. Problems get fixed instead of argued about.

Frequently asked questions

Who should own opening and closing?

The shift lead, named on the task each day.

Try it with your team

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