Supply Quality Checklist

Receiving and quality-control workflow the kitchen manager runs on each vendor delivery — verifying truck condition, product integrity, storage handling, and supplier performance before the case is signed for.

5 sections 17 steps Collects data
1

Receiving and Inspection

  1. Inspect the delivery truck before unloading

    • Refrigerated trailers from Sysco, US Foods, or PFG should hold 41°F or below for cold product and 0°F or below for frozen. Check the trailer's posted temperature, look for visible filth or pest signs, and refuse the drop if the reefer was running warm in transit.

    Collects list
  2. Probe-temp the cold and frozen cases

    • Use a calibrated thermocouple between two cases — not on the surface. TCS items above 41°F or frozen items showing thaw/refreeze ice crystals are refusal triggers under the FDA Food Code. Log readings on the receiving sheet.

    Collects paragraph
  3. Check packaging for damage or tampering

    • Crushed cases, torn vacuum seals, swollen cans, leaking proteins, and broken pallet wrap all get pulled aside. Photograph damaged cases before the driver leaves — the credit memo depends on it.

  4. Count cases against the purchase order

    • Match line by line — item, pack size, quantity, brand. Substitutions and short-shipped cases are the most common variance drivers; flag them on the invoice before signing. Signing for 24 when the case had 22 is how shrink buries into food cost with no audit trail.

    Collects list
  5. Reject the delivery and notify the vendor rep

    • Note the refusal reason on the driver's BOL, take photos, and call your distributor rep the same day. A documented refusal is what keeps the credit from being contested later.

2

Product Quality Inspection

  1. Sensory-check proteins and produce

    • Color, texture, and smell — sour notes on poultry, slime on greens, off-color seafood, brown edges on lettuce. Sous reviews any borderline case before it gets put away.

    Collects list
  2. Check use-by and pack dates on every case

    • Short-dated product (under 5 days for dairy, under 3 days for fresh fish) gets flagged for prioritized use or refused. Distributors will occasionally clear short-dated inventory onto a smaller customer's order.

  3. Spot-check spec on key high-cost items

    • Weigh portion-controlled cuts (8oz filets, 6oz chicken breasts) on a tared scale — a 7.5oz cut delivered as an 8oz costs the kitchen on every plate. Verify grade stamps on beef (Choice vs Prime) and species labels on seafood per the FDA Seafood List.

3

Storage and Handling

  1. Log walk-in and freezer temperatures

    • Walk-in should read 41°F or below; freezer 0°F or below. Log the reading on the daily temperature sheet before the case goes in — the receiving log is your defense if a pathogen incident traces back to this drop.

    Collects number
  2. Rotate stock using FIFO

    • New cases go behind existing stock. Date-dot every case as it lands with the receiving date in marker. The most common waste driver in a tight walk-in is older product hidden behind newer.

  3. Store raw proteins below ready-to-eat items

    • FDA Food Code hierarchy: ready-to-eat on top, then whole seafood, whole beef/pork, ground meat, then poultry on the bottom shelf. Cross-contamination from drip is the top critical violation cited at routine health inspections.

  4. Walk the dry storage for pest signs

    • Droppings, gnaw marks, webbing in flour or grain, dead insects on glue boards. Anything found gets logged for the pest-control vendor (Orkin, Ecolab, Rentokil) on the next visit.

4

Documentation and Compliance

  1. File the signed invoice and BOL

    • Signed and dated invoice goes to the receiving binder or scanned into MarginEdge / Restaurant365 the same day. Unfiled invoices are the number-one reason food-cost variance can't be reconciled at month-end.

    Collects file
  2. Capture COAs and source documentation

    • Shellfish tags (required to be kept 90 days under the FDA Food Code), certificates of analysis for ground beef, and country-of-origin labeling for produce. Health inspectors pull these on routine visits.

  3. Request a credit memo from the vendor

    • Email the rep with photos, the invoice line item, and the quantity / reason. Most distributors require credits to be opened within 48 hours of delivery; after that the chargeback dies.

    Collects number
5

Supplier Performance Review

  1. Log on-time delivery against the window

    • Note arrival time vs. the scheduled delivery window. Chronic late drops from a primary distributor cascade into delayed prep and missed lineup.

    Collects list
  2. Update the supplier scorecard

    • Roll the week's receiving data into the vendor scorecard — fill rate, on-time percentage, credit-memo count, quality rejects. Review with the chef and beverage director monthly to decide which primary-vendor relationships need a conversation.

    Collects list Collects paragraph

Use this template

Copy it to your account, customize the steps, and run it with your team in minutes.

Use this workflow Start free trial
Sections 5
Steps 17
Category Restaurant
Price Free to start
Need a different process

Browse hundreds of free templates across every team and industry.

Back to template library

Related templates

More workflows your team can run.

Restaurant

Monthly Restaurant Inspection

View
Restaurant

Restaurant New Hire Checklist

View
Restaurant

Kitchen Equipment Calibration Checklist

View
Restaurant

Restaurant Sustainability Practices Checklist

View

Run Supply Quality Checklist with your team

Customize the steps, assign roles, set a schedule, and keep a complete record for every run.

Use this workflow Start free trial