Order Accuracy Checklist
Order Entry at the POS
The server reads back every item, modifier, temperature, and side before sending. Catching a misheard mod here is far cheaper than a comp at the table. For phone orders, repeat back the full ticket plus the callback number.
Use the POS allergy modifier so the ticket prints with the allergen banner at expo. Do not rely on a verbal heads-up to the line. The allergen-aware manager on shift owns final review on these tickets.
Sub, add, no, side, on-the-side, well-done — every change goes in as a POS modifier, not in the open-text comment field. The comment field doesn't always print to the kitchen printer on Toast and Square; modifiers always do.
Apps fire on send; entrees on a hold-and-fire. Seat numbers drive food running and avoid the auctioning at the table. For four-tops and larger, confirm any split-check setup before sending.
Allergen Ticket Protocol
Expediter or sous calls out the allergen verbally to the affected stations the moment the ticket prints. Confirm dedicated cutting board, dedicated tongs, and a glove change before any prep on this ticket.
Dedicated plate, sanitized surface, no shared fryer for gluten-flagged tickets. PCFP-trained manager confirms the dish before it leaves the pass. This is the step where anaphylaxis liability is actually prevented — do not skip it under volume.
BOH Build Against the Ticket
Line cooks read the ticket left to right, build, and place on the pass under the matching ticket. Do not call "all day" counts from memory — the printed ticket is the source of truth.
No-onion, sub-fries, dressing-on-side, temp on the steak. The most common refire reason is a modifier missed at build, not an item missed entirely. Sous spot-checks during peak rush.
Garnish, sauce placement, and portion match the photo plate in the BOH spec binder. New line cooks should reference the binder by station; veterans confirm with a glance.
Soups, sauces, and held proteins probed before plating during line check; held items rotated per the 4-hour rule. A plate that sits in the window over 4 minutes goes back under the heat lamp or gets re-fired.
Expo and Final Review
Expediter touches every plate and matches each to a ticket line. Missing item, wrong temp, wrong side — caught here, not at the table. Expo also confirms seat numbers for runners.
Ramekins, dipping sauces, lemon wedges, and bread service plated and ready before the entree leaves the window. A runner returning to the kitchen for a side is the most common cause of cold food at the table.
Runner uses seat numbers from the ticket — no auctioning "who had the salmon?" at the table. For VIP or BNB-flagged guests, the server delivers personally.
Takeout and Third-Party Delivery
Dine-in, in-house takeout, or third-party (DoorDash, UberEats, Grubhub, Toast Online Ordering). Channel drives packaging, label format, and handoff procedure. Third-party tickets often arrive with abbreviated modifiers — confirm against the integration display.
Vented containers for fries and fried items, sealed for soups and sauces, separate bag for cold items and desserts. Tamper-evident seal on every third-party bag — required by DoorDash and UberEats merchant terms.
Sticker prints from the POS with item name, modifiers, and guest name. Hand-written labels are acceptable only when the printer is down. Allergen-flagged items get a separate red allergen sticker.
Manager or shift lead opens the bag, reads the ticket, and confirms every entree, side, drink, utensil pack, and condiment. Driver or guest signs or initials the ticket. This is the single highest-leverage step for reducing "missing item" chargebacks on third-party platforms.
Post-Service Follow-Up
Server returns within two bites or two minutes — whichever comes first — to ask if everything is correct and prepared as ordered. Catching a wrong temp here gives the kitchen time to re-fire before the guest is frustrated.
Manager approves and codes every comp and void with a reason — wrong item, wrong temp, allergen, guest-changed-mind. Comp and void percentages roll into the weekly GM report; uncoded comps make the variance untraceable.
Order entry, BOH build, expo miss, packaging, or guest-changed-mind. Tag the responsible station so the GM's weekly review can see whether errors cluster at sauté, garde, or order entry. Patterns drive coaching, not blame.
For dine-in, the receipt QR drops the guest into the SevenRooms or Toast survey. For third-party, monitor the DoorDash and UberEats merchant dashboards for ratings under 4 stars and respond within 24 hours.
Use this template in Manifestly
- Restaurant Hiring Checklist
- Restaurant Security Checklist
- Weekly Staff Scheduling Checklist
- Restaurant Closing Checklist
- Manager Daily Walkthrough
- Restaurant Opening Checklist
- Restaurant Employee Termination Checklist
- Restaurant Maintenance Checklist
- Food Safety Checklist
- Server Side Work Checklist
- Restaurant Closing Cleaning Checklist
- Weekly Inventory Management Checklist
- Daily Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
- Pre-Shift Meeting Checklist
- Staff Training Checklist
- Restaurant Opening Checklist
- Restaurant Inventory Count Checklist
- Restaurant Closing Checklist
- Restaurant Equipment Maintenance Checklist
- Food Safety and Hygiene Checklist
- Restaurant Employee Onboarding Checklist
- Front-of-House Operations Checklist
- Restaurant Cleaning Checklist
- Bar Opening and Closing Checklist
- Food Prep Checklist
- Table Setting and Presentation Checklist
- Food Waste Log Checklist
- Workplace Safety and Ergonomics Checklist
- Restaurant Bathroom Cleaning Checklist
- Cash Handling and Management Checklist
- Customer Service Excellence Checklist
- Food Ordering and Receiving Checklist
- Employee Termination Checklist
- Takeout and Delivery Service Checklist
- Morning Prep Checklist
- Perishables Stocking Checklist
- Restaurant Opening Checklist
- Food Allergy and Special Diets Checklist
- Kitchen Closing & Cleanup Checklist
- Restaurant Cross-Training Checklist
- Recipe Consistency Checklist
- Guest Experience Checklist
- Kitchen Deep-Clean Checklist
- Restaurant Safety Training Checklist
- Food Storage Checklist
- Staff Uniform Checklist
- Work Schedule and Shift Swap Checklist
- Table Setting Checklist
- Promotion and Discount Checklist
- Menu Knowledge Checklist
- Restaurant Tax Preparation Checklist
- Staff Training Program Checklist
- Food Presentation and Plating Standards Checklist
- Restaurant Closing Checklist
- Security System Check Checklist
- Beverage Quality Checklist
- Restaurant Insurance Review Checklist
- Restaurant Quality Control Checklist
- Wine and Beverage Inventory Checklist
- Annual Business Goals Review Checklist
- Employee Scheduling and Labor Management Checklist
- Restaurant HR Compliance and Record-Keeping Checklist
- Restaurant Partnership and Collaboration Checklist
- Supplier and Vendor Evaluation Checklist
- Daily Specials and Menu Update Checklist
- Weekly Cleaning Checklist
- End-of-Day Sales Reconciliation Checklist
- Daily Cleaning Checklist
- Prep Station Setup Checklist
- Vendor Order Checklist
- Monthly Maintenance Checklist
- Restaurant Payroll Processing Checklist
- Restaurant Technology Backup Checklist
- Private Event & Buyout Planning Checklist
- Restroom Refresh and Inspection Checklist
- Reservation Management Checklist
- Guest Complaint Resolution Checklist
- Service Timing Checklist
- Pre-Shift Employee Health Screening Checklist
- Health and Safety Compliance Checklist
- Health Inspection Readiness Checklist
- New Menu Item Development Checklist
- Restaurant Marketing and Promotion Checklist
- Restaurant Reservation Management Checklist
- Restaurant Emergency Procedures Checklist
- Point of Sale System Management Checklist
- Customer Feedback and Resolution Checklist
- Monthly Budget Review Checklist
- Restaurant Permit and Licensing Renewal Checklist
- Restaurant Event Planning Checklist
- Inventory Reconciliation Checklist
- Restaurant Technology Systems Checklist
- Restaurant Remodeling and Maintenance Checklist
- Kitchen Equipment Start-Up Checklist
- Restaurant Sustainability Practices Checklist
- Menu Engineering and Profitability Checklist
- Front-of-House Opening Checklist
- Front-of-House Shutdown Checklist
- Non-Perishables Restocking Checklist
- Food Safety Compliance Checklist
- Portion Control Checklist
- Beverage Restock Checklist
- New Hire Paperwork Checklist
- Restaurant Social Media Strategy Checklist
- Customer Loyalty Program Checklist
- Restaurant Policy Update Checklist
- POS System Update Checklist
- Supply Quality Checklist
- Kitchen Equipment Calibration Checklist
- Restaurant New Hire Checklist
- Uniform and Appearance Standards Checklist
- Restroom Cleaning Checklist
- Restaurant Employee Training Checklist
- Equipment Safety Checklist
- Daily Inventory Checklist
- Daily Prep Task Checklist
- Food Storage and Rotation Checklist
- Server Customer Service Training Checklist
- Guest Feedback Collection Checklist
- Digital Menu Update Checklist
- Taste Testing Checklist
- Employee Performance Review Checklist
- Restaurant Licensing Renewal Checklist
- Restaurant Marketing Plan Checklist
- Monthly Restaurant Inspection
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