Restaurant Opening Checklist

Read the walk-in thermometer and record the value. Cold-holding requires 41°F or below per FDA Food Code. If the reading is out of range, pull TCS items into a working reach-in and call refrigeration before opening.

Confirm whether the walk-in is at 41°F or below. A 'No' answer triggers the corrective-action workflow before service begins.

Move time/temperature-controlled-for-safety items (proteins, dairy, cut produce) into a working reach-in or low-boy. Note the time of transfer for the cooling/holding log. Place the service call before the rush.

Use a test strip on the sanitizer bay. Quat target is 200-400 ppm; chlorine target is 50-100 ppm. Record the reading on the sanitizer log.

States including MA, IL, MI, NY, and RI require an allergen-certified manager (PCFP or AllerTrain) on every shift. Confirm the certified manager is clocked in or arrange coverage before opening.

Light pilots on the six-burner and salamander, bring the flat top to target temp, and confirm fryer is at setpoint. Skim and filter fryer oil if it failed last night's quality check.

Sous chef walks each station with the prep cook against the day's par sheet. Flag shortages on the 86 board and adjust the menu before the FOH lineup so servers don't sell what we can't fire.

Write the 86 list on the expo board and 86 the items in Toast (or your POS) so servers see them at order entry. Servers selling 86'd items is the most common avoidable comp.

Pull use-by-dated items forward, push fresh deliveries back. Discard any item past its use-by per the cooling/holding log. FIFO discipline is the single biggest food-cost lever in the back of house.

Confirm detergent, rinse aid, and sanitizer levels in the warewasher. Run a test cycle with a thermolabel or thermometer to confirm the final rinse hits 180°F (high-temp) or sanitizer concentration meets spec (low-temp).

Roll silverware, fill water pitchers, refresh condiments, wipe menus, set tables to the floor plan. Track time spent — under FLSA's 80/20 guidance, non-tipped side-work above 20% of the shift can't be paid at the tip-credit rate.

Host walks Resy/OpenTable/SevenRooms for the day: large parties, allergies on the guest profile, birthdays, regulars. Build the section assignments around the cover count and pacing.

Walk the table layout, assign a lead server and a runner, confirm BEO or pre-fixe arrangements with the kitchen, and pre-stage glassware and silverware. Pre-bus support is the difference between an 8-top that turns and one that holds the section hostage.

Pull bar par from storage, restock well spirits and beer cooler, cut citrus, polish glassware. Confirm draft lines are pouring clean — a hazy first pour usually means the line needs purging.

Soap, paper, sanitizer, working hand dryer, no standing water. Sweep the entryway, wipe the door glass, confirm the open sign and posted hours match today's schedule.

Power on every Toast/Square/Aloha terminal, fire a $0 test ticket to each printer (kitchen, expo, bar), and run a $0.01 test charge on each card reader. Catch offline terminals before service, not after the first ticket.

Count each drawer to the standard starting bank, log the count and the bartender/server it's assigned to. Variance against this opening count is the audit trail for cash-out reconciliation at close.

Check the posted ABC license expiration date. An expired license caught on inspection is an immediate suspension. Renewal cadence is annual or biennial depending on state.

Cover features, 86s, large parties, VIPs, one training point, and the shift sales goal. Keep it to 10 minutes — lineups that run long are the ones servers stop showing up to.

Walk through today's allergen-flagged menu items and substitution paths. Re-state the kitchen protocol: dedicated board, dedicated tools, fresh gloves, separate fryer where applicable. Anaphylaxis from cross-contact is the one mistake the team can't recover from.

Write sections on the FOH board with server name, table numbers, and support assignment (busser/runner). Balance covers across sections based on the reservation book, not last week's pattern.

Manager walks every table: linen straight, candle lit, menus clean and current with today's insert, glassware spotless. Lighting and music levels set to service, not setup.

Manager-on-duty signs off that the line, FOH, and POS are ready for service. Note any open issues that carry into service so the closing manager sees them tonight.

Door unlocked at the posted opening time. Host at the stand with the reservation book open, first server in the window. The first guest of the day sets the tone for the shift.