Checklist template

Bar inventory and pour control for restaurants

A ready-to-use checklist with 119 items in 6 sections, covering Counts, Pour standards, Comps and spills, Storage security, Variance review, Receiving. Use it as-is in InspectLoop, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 119 Items
  • 99 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 129 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Counts 20 items

  1. A full inventory of liquor, beer and wine is taken on the company schedule (weekly or each period) Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Date of the last full bar inventory Date
  3. Open spirit bottles are measured in tenths or weighed on a scale, not estimated by eye as "half" or "full" Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The count is taken by two people, one of whom does not work behind the bar Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The count is taken while the bar is closed Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Count sheets list each spirit by brand and bottle size (750 ml, 1 L, 1.75 L) Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The count covers every location: back bar, wells, liquor room, beer cooler, wine storage and service bar Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Draft kegs are weighed or measured with a keg gauge Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Open bottles of wine sold by the glass are included in the count Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The highest-cost spirits are counted every day or every shift on a separate sheet Yes / No 1 pt
  11. A full bottle leaves the liquor room only in exchange for an empty of the same brand Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Each issue from the liquor room is recorded on a requisition Yes / No 1 pt
  13. A par sheet for the back bar is posted at the bar Yes / No 1 pt
  14. A spot count of 5 items in the liquor room during the visit matched the inventory record Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Items out of 5 spot-counted that differed from the inventory record Number
  16. Alcohol transferred to the kitchen (cooking wine, liqueurs for desserts) is recorded as a transfer Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Bottles lent to or borrowed from another restaurant are recorded as a transfer Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Empty bottles are kept until a manager has matched them to the requisition Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Every bottle behind the bar carries the house stamp or sticker, where the restaurant marks its bottles Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Count discipline at the bar Rating
    • Counted on schedule by two people 5 pts
    • Counted on schedule by the bar staff alone 3 pts
    • Counts late or estimated 1 pt

2. Pour standards 21 items

  1. The standard pour for spirits, for example 1.5 oz (45 ml), is written and posted behind the bar Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Bartenders observed measured every spirit pour with a jigger or a measured pour spout Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The jiggers at each well match the standard pour size Yes / No 1 pt
  4. A test pour by the bartender on duty was within the company tolerance Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Volume of the test pour (oz or ml) Number
  6. Wine by the glass is poured to a marked line, a carafe or a measured pourer Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The number of glasses poured from a bottle of wine matches the house standard Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Draft beer is served in the glass size that matches the price rung Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Draft beer pours without foam being run off into the drip tray Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Glassware in use for cocktails matches the recipe card Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Recipe cards for house cocktails are available at the bar Yes / No 1 pt
  12. A house cocktail made during the visit followed its recipe card Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Doubles and rocks pours are rung with their own key at the higher price Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The brand poured matched the brand rung on 5 drinks observed Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Every drink observed was rung before or as it was served Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Drinks for servers are made only from a printed or displayed bar ticket Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Every open spirit bottle in the wells has a pour spout of the same type Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Metered dispensing guns or towers are calibrated on the schedule set by the supplier or company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Bartenders are tested on pour accuracy at the frequency set by company policy, and the results are recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Date of the last recorded pour test Date
  21. Pour accuracy observed during the visit Rating
    • Every pour measured and to standard 5 pts
    • Mostly measured, some free pours 3 pts
    • Free pouring with visible over-pours 1 pt

3. Comps and spills 20 items

  1. A spill and waste log is kept behind the bar Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Each entry of the log gives the drink, the quantity, the reason and the bartender's initials Yes / No 1 pt
  3. A manager initials the spill log every shift Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Mistake drinks are logged and poured out, not drunk by staff or given to guests Yes / No 1 pt
  5. A returned drink is shown to a manager before it is remade Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Complimentary drinks are rung on the comp key before they are poured Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Each comp drink carries the name of the approving manager Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Drinks bought for guests by the bartender are rung, within the limit set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Tastings and samples poured for supplier representatives are recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Staff shift drinks, where company policy allows them, are rung on their own key Yes / No 1 pt
  11. No employee was seen drinking alcohol while on shift Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Beer lost at draft line cleaning and keg changes is recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Broken bottles are recorded and shown to a manager before the glass is discarded Yes / No 1 pt
  14. No counting aids (coins, stir sticks, bottle caps set aside) are next to the bar register Yes / No 1 pt
  15. The tip jar is kept away from the register drawer Yes / No 1 pt
  16. No personal or unrecorded bottle is behind the bar Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Happy-hour prices are applied by the system clock, only during the posted hours Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Entries in yesterday's spill log Number
  19. Complimentary drinks rung last week (dollars) Number
  20. Recording of spills and comps at the bar Rating
    • Recorded as they happen and initialed 5 pts
    • Recorded but incomplete 3 pts
    • No log or rarely used 1 pt

4. Storage security 19 items

  1. The liquor room is locked whenever no manager is inside Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Keys to the liquor room are held by managers only Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Keys to alcohol storage are signed out on a key log Yes / No 1 pt
  4. People who hold a key to the liquor room Number
  5. The beer cooler or the keg room is locked, or the alcohol in it is in a locked cage Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Wine storage is locked Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Bottles on the back bar are locked away or secured behind shutters after closing Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Requisitions are filled by a manager, not by the bartender alone Yes / No 1 pt
  9. A camera covers each bar register Yes / No 1 pt
  10. A camera covers the door of the liquor room Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Footage of the bar from a past date could be played back during the visit Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Reserve wines and allocated spirits are in a separate locked cabinet with their own count sheet Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Employee bags and coats are not kept behind the bar Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Empty kegs and returnable containers are stored in a secured area Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Portable and banquet bars are issued and returned on a signed count sheet Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Bottles left over from banquets are returned to the liquor room the same night Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Bottled beer in the bar's reach-in coolers is restocked to par at closing and the count is recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Patio and satellite bars are locked or emptied when unattended Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Security of alcohol storage Rating
    • Locked, keyed to managers and on camera 5 pts
    • Locked but keys widely held 3 pts
    • Unlocked or unsupervised 1 pt

5. Variance review 19 items

  1. Pour cost is calculated each period separately for liquor, beer and wine Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Liquor pour cost for the last period (%) Number
  3. Draft and bottled beer cost for the last period (%) Number
  4. Wine cost for the last period (%) Number
  5. Budgeted beverage cost (%) Number
  6. Actual usage of each item is compared with the usage expected from the drinks rung Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The 10 items with the largest variance are listed after each inventory Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Variances over the company tolerance have a written finding Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The yield of draft kegs is compared with the pints rung Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Variance results were reviewed with the bar manager and the bartenders, as shown in meeting notes Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Recurring variances are compared with the bartender schedule Yes / No 1 pt
  12. 5 drinks rung during the visit were charged at the menu price Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Recipe costs are updated when supplier prices change Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Date of the last update of drink recipe costs Date
  15. The void and no-sale report of the bar register for last week is initialed by a manager Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Over and short amounts of the bar drawer are recorded per bartender Yes / No 1 pt
  17. The result of the last bar integrity shop or mystery shop is on file Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Corrective actions from the previous variance review have been completed Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Follow-up of bar variances Rating
    • Investigated with written findings 5 pts
    • Discussed but not documented 3 pts
    • Not followed up 1 pt

6. Receiving 20 items

  1. Liquor, beer and wine are ordered by an authorized manager from the par sheet Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The order record is on hand when the delivery arrives Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Deliveries are checked in by a manager, not by the bartender on duty alone Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Cases are counted against the invoice before the driver leaves Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Brands, bottle sizes and vintages received match the order Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Sealed cases are checked for broken bottles and signs of tampering Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Shortages and breakage are written on the invoice and signed by the driver Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Credits owed by distributors are tracked until they are received Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Deliveries are moved to locked storage at once, not left at the back door or in a hallway Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Invoices are entered in the inventory system on the day of delivery Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Bottle prices on 5 invoices sampled matched the distributor's agreed price list Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Invoices on file show alcohol bought only from the sources allowed by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Emergency purchases are recorded with a receipt and the manager's name Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Keg deposits and returns are reconciled against the distributor's invoices Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Kegs are marked with the date received Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Bottled beer on hand is within the brewer's freshness date Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Older stock of beer and wine is placed in front of new stock Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Name of the bar manager Short text
  19. Overall control of bar inventory Rating
    • Strong 5 pts
    • Partial 3 pts
    • Weak 1 pt
  20. Corrective actions required Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the InspectLoop template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In InspectLoop you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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