Restaurant Policy Update Checklist

The GM checks the state health department site for the Food Code version currently adopted (often 2017 or 2022 FDA model with state amendments). Note any local addenda from the county or city health department — date them in the policy header so inspectors can see the version reference.

Confirm the policy reflects 140°F to 70°F within 2 hours and down to 41°F within 6 hours total for cooling, plus 135°F+ hot-holding and 41°F cold-holding. Sous chef walks the line check sheet to confirm thermometers are calibrated against an ice-bath reference.

FDA Food Code Big 6 (Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, Shiga-toxin E. coli, non-typhoidal Salmonella) must trigger exclusion from work. Confirm the policy names a manager who logs the report and the symptom-free hours required before return (typically 24 hours symptom-free for vomiting/diarrhea).

States including MA, IL, MI, NY, and RI require an allergen-trained manager (AllerTrain, PCFP, or state-equivalent) on every shift. Pull the cert roster, flag any expiring within 90 days, and add them to the training queue.

Book the lapsed managers into the next AllerTrain or PCFP session. Track completion in the cert log — a missing cert on inspection day is an automatic citation in covered states.

Confirm the wash-rinse-sanitize policy lists the current targets: chlorine 50-100 ppm, quat 200-400 ppm, or iodine 12.5-25 ppm — depending on the sanitizer the kitchen uses. Test strips must be on hand and dated within shelf life.

Dedicated cutting board (purple is the industry color for allergen), fresh gloves, separate fryer where possible, and an allergy ticket flagged through expo. Cross-contamination at plating is the most common civil-liability source in fine dining.

All TCS items must be date-labeled with prep date and use-by date (typically 7 days from prep at 41°F or below). The sous chef owns weekly walk-in rotation; the policy should name the role, not just the practice.

Hood and flue: quarterly by a certified vendor (NFPA 96). Walk-in coils and gaskets: monthly. Floor drains: weekly. Soda gun nozzles: nightly. The policy should specify cadence by zone and who signs off — vague "as needed" wording is a frequent health-inspection finding.

State ABC license must be posted in public view and current. Note the renewal date in the GM calendar 60 days out — expired license found on inspection means immediate suspension and no alcohol sales until cured.

Every bartender and server pouring alcohol needs a current responsible-beverage-service cert (TIPS, ServSafe Alcohol, or state RBS). Pull the roster from 7shifts or HR file; flag anyone within 90 days of expiry.

Visibly intoxicated patrons, minors, and ID-fail guests must be refused. Policy should name the on-shift manager as the escalation point and require an incident log entry — dram-shop suits hinge on whether the establishment had a documented refusal practice.

Hosts must keep at least the required percentage of seating accessible and an unobstructed 36-inch path to restrooms. Confirm any new banquette or merch display didn't narrow the path below the threshold — a frequent post-renovation finding.

FLSA requires advance written notice to every tipped employee before the tip credit applies; without it, the employer owes full minimum wage retroactively. Confirm CA, OR, WA, NV, MN, AK, MT operations don't apply a tip credit at all. Onboarding packet should include a signed acknowledgment.

If non-tipped duties exceed 20% of the shift, or run more than 30 continuous minutes, the tip credit can't be claimed for that time. Review closing side-work lists and rolling silverware time — these are the typical sources of back-wage claims.

Federal FLSA exempt threshold differs from state minimums (CA, NY, WA, CO, AK are higher). Pull payroll from Toast Payroll or Gusto and confirm every AGM/GM classified as exempt clears the applicable state threshold.

I-9 must be on file for every employee within 3 business days of start. E-Verify is mandatory in AZ, AL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN, UT and others above a headcount threshold — confirm the policy names the threshold by state.

Employers with 10+ employees must post the 300A summary from February 1 through April 30 in a conspicuous employee area. Easy citation if missing during a labor walk-through.

Reject any TCS delivery above 41°F (or 45°F for shell eggs), frozen items showing thaw-and-refreeze, dented cans, or torn vacuum seals. The Sysco, US Foods, or PFG driver waits while the receiver probes a representative case — the spec should name the role and the time allowance.

Case counts must be physically verified against the invoice before signing, not initialed-and-stored. Variances logged in MarginEdge or R365 within 24 hours so the rep can credit before the invoice ages out.

Every recurring vendor on-site (linen, hood cleaner, pest control, grease trap) needs a current Certificate of Insurance listing the restaurant as additional insured. Attach the COIs to the vendor folder; flag any expiring within 60 days.

Block a pre-shift lineup window for FOH and a separate prep-window for BOH so the kitchen doesn't lose service coverage. Post the schedule in 7shifts or HotSchedules with a required-attendance flag.

Every employee signs the updated handbook section — paper or e-sign through the HRIS. File in the employee record; missing acknowledgments are the first thing plaintiff's counsel asks for in a wage or harassment claim.

GM and owner-operator review the diff against the prior version, capture the effective date in the handbook header, and sign. The signed copy goes to the policy archive; the prior version is retained for 3 years per typical employment-claim statute of limitations.