Restroom Refresh and Inspection Checklist

Restroom sanitizer should match the BOH three-bay sink standard — quat at 200-400 ppm or chlorine at 50-100 ppm depending on the product. Log the ppm reading; this is the same documentation health inspectors check on the line.

Use the dedicated restroom brush and bowl cleaner — never the kitchen-side brushes. Cross-contamination between restroom and BOH cleaning tools is a frequent health-department write-up.

Each stall should hold one in-use roll plus one backup. Running out mid-service is the #1 guest complaint surfaced on Yelp and Google reviews for FSR restrooms.

Pull one sheet from each dispenser to confirm the roller engages. Jammed paper-towel dispensers drive guests to use cloth napkins or hand-dryers, neither of which is the design intent.

Top off bulk-fill dispensers from the labeled refill jug stored in the janitor closet. Never decant unlabeled chemicals into a dispenser — OSHA HazCom requires the secondary container to carry the product label.

Look for running toilets, dripping faucets, and pooling water at the base. A continuously running toilet wastes thousands of gallons per month and shows up on the water bill before anyone notices on the floor.

Log the location (men's, women's, ADA), the fixture, and a photo. The GM decides whether to call the on-call plumber or hold for the next scheduled visit. Do not attempt repairs beyond tightening a visible loose connection.

Restroom exhaust must run continuously during service per most local building codes. A non-functioning fan creates odor complaints and a humidity load that damages drywall over time.

Slip-and-fall claims are one of the top OSHA-reportable incidents in restaurants. The wet-floor sign must be visible from the doorway before mopping starts and stay up until the floor is fully dry.

Look for droppings, gnaw marks, drain flies, and grease buildup at the base of fixtures. Restroom drains are a common entry path for sewer flies in older buildings. Any sighting goes on the IPM log for the next pest-control visit.

Pest sightings during service require an immediate MOD escalation — they don't wait for the closing report. The MOD decides whether to close the restroom, call the pest-control vendor, or document for the next scheduled treatment.

Graffiti and gouges should be photographed and dated, then queued for the next deep-clean or paint cycle. Tracking visible damage prevents the slow accumulation that turns into a costly refresh between health inspections.

Sign-off goes on the shift checklist and the kitchen-side cleaning log. The MOD reviews completion at pre-shift and again at close; gaps are coached the same shift, not a week later.