Checklist template

Shift management for full-service restaurants

A ready-to-use checklist with 111 items in 6 sections, covering Pre-shift setup, Staffing and stations, Floor management, Kitchen coordination, Guest recovery, Shift close-out. Use it as-is in InspectLoop, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 111 Items
  • 92 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 122 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Pre-shift setup 19 items

  1. The manager on duty completed the opening walk of the dining room, bar and restrooms before the doors opened Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The reservation book was reviewed before the shift for large parties and special requests Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Tables for parties of 8 or more are assigned on the floor plan before service starts Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Forecast guest count for this shift Number
  5. The forecast guest count is written on the pre-shift sheet Yes / No 1 pt
  6. A pre-shift meeting was held with the servers, hosts and bartenders on this shift Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The features of the day were described or tasted at the pre-shift meeting Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The list of unavailable (86'd) menu items was given to servers before the first table was seated Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Servers were told which limited-quantity items the kitchen has and how many portions remain Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The floor plan showing each server's section is posted at the host stand Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Opening side work (rolled silverware, stocked server stations, filled ice bins) was checked by the manager before service Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The rolled silverware on hand covers the forecast guest count Yes / No 1 pt
  13. A test ticket sent from each point-of-sale terminal printed at the correct kitchen or bar printer Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Handheld ordering and payment devices are charged before service Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Dining room lighting is set to the level specified for the daypart Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Background music is at the volume specified for the daypart Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Stained, torn or outdated menus were removed from the menu stack before service Yes / No 1 pt
  18. The bartender signed the bar opening checklist Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Readiness of the restaurant at opening time Rating
    • Fully set before the doors opened 5 pts
    • Minor setup finished after opening 3 pts
    • First guests seated in an unready room 1 pt

2. Staffing and stations 19 items

  1. The employees who started this shift match the posted schedule, name for name Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Every scheduled employee clocked in within the tolerance set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Each call-out on this shift was covered or the sections were redrawn before service Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Servers on the floor at the peak of the shift Number
  5. Line cooks on the line at the peak of the shift Number
  6. No server's section has more tables than the maximum set by company standard Yes / No 1 pt
  7. A host is stationed at the door through the peak period Yes / No 1 pt
  8. An expediter is assigned at the pass through the peak period Yes / No 1 pt
  9. A busser or server assistant is assigned to each dining room zone Yes / No 1 pt
  10. A named employee is assigned to takeout and delivery orders so that servers are not pulled off the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Trainees work alongside a certified trainer and do not hold their own section Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Every front-of-house employee is in the complete uniform described in company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Each break taken on this shift was covered by a named employee, so that no section was left without a server Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Employees who serve alcohol hold the responsible-service certificate required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Employees under 18 on this shift are released by the time local regulation requires Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Employees who will reach overtime this week are identified on the daily labor report Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Decisions to send servers home are based on the hourly sales report and the remaining reservations Yes / No 1 pt
  18. The manager on duty could state the labor percentage target for today Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Staffing level against the volume of the shift Rating
    • Matched to volume all shift 5 pts
    • Short or overstaffed for part of the shift 3 pts
    • Clearly short or overstaffed all shift 1 pt

3. Floor management 18 items

  1. The manager on duty stayed on the dining room floor through the peak period rather than in the office Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The host seats sections in rotation so that no server receives two new tables at the same moment Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Wait times quoted at the door were within 5 minutes of the actual wait for the parties sampled Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Longest wait time quoted during the visit (minutes) Number
  5. Empty tables are cleared and reset within the time set by company standard Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Empty tables left uncleared at the time of observation Number
  7. The manager visited every table in at least one section during the observation Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The manager checks the open-check report during service for tables with nothing rung in for longer than the time set by company standard Yes / No 1 pt
  9. When a server fell behind during the observation, the manager reassigned a table or sent a teammate to help Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The manager ran food when plates waited in the window, or cleared tables when they stood uncleared Yes / No 1 pt
  11. A second server or a server assistant is assigned to each large party Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Guests waiting for a table are offered the bar or a seat in the waiting area Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Restroom checks during service are initialed on the schedule posted at the restroom Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The bartender or server informs the manager before refusing further alcohol service to a guest Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Lighting and music were adjusted at the change from lunch to dinner or from dinner to late evening Yes / No 1 pt
  16. The entrance and waiting area are clear of strollers, boxes and staff belongings Yes / No 1 pt
  17. The average dining time on the table-turn report is within the target set for the daypart Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Control of the dining room during the peak period Rating
    • Calm and in control 5 pts
    • Stretched in one section 3 pts
    • Out of control in several sections 1 pt

4. Kitchen coordination 18 items

  1. The manager and the chef or kitchen manager completed the line check together before service Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Target ticket times for appetizers and entrees are posted at the pass Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Longest entree ticket time observed during the peak (minutes) Number
  4. Open tickets on the kitchen display at the time of observation Number
  5. The manager checks ticket times on the kitchen display or printer at least every 30 minutes during the peak Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The kitchen tells the expediter as soon as an item runs out Yes / No 1 pt
  7. An item that runs out is blocked in the point-of-sale system within 5 minutes Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The expediter compares each plate with the ticket before it leaves the pass Yes / No 1 pt
  9. No plate sat in the window for more than 2 minutes during the observation Yes / No 1 pt
  10. All plates for a table leave the pass together Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Allergy orders are flagged on the ticket and carried to the table by a manager or a designated employee Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Re-cooked dishes are called to the line as a priority ahead of new tickets Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The manager slowed seating at the door when ticket times went beyond the target Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The dish room kept up with service: no station ran out of plates, glasses or silverware Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Servers bring questions about an order to the expediter, not directly to the cooks Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Prep levels of the top-selling items were checked with the kitchen midway through the shift Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Items voided after being sent to the kitchen require a manager's approval Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Coordination between the kitchen and the dining room Rating
    • Smooth, with constant communication 5 pts
    • Occasional breakdowns 3 pts
    • Frequent breakdowns affecting guests 1 pt

5. Guest recovery 17 items

  1. Servers bring every guest complaint to the manager at the time it is made Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The manager went to the table in person for each complaint raised during the visit Yes / No 1 pt
  3. A returned dish is replaced as a priority order Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The replacement dish is brought to the table by the manager Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Servers asked could state what they may offer a dissatisfied guest without a manager's approval Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Only a manager's card or code can apply a comp or a discount Yes / No 1 pt
  7. A reason code is entered for every comp and discount Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Checks with a comp for a guest complaint on this shift Number
  9. Each complaint is recorded in the manager's log with the table number, the issue and the resolution Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Parties whose wait went beyond the quoted time were approached by the manager before they complained Yes / No 1 pt
  11. A guest who had a problem was visited again by the manager before leaving Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Contact details are taken when a problem cannot be resolved before the guest leaves Yes / No 1 pt
  13. A guest report of illness or allergic reaction is recorded on the company incident report Yes / No 1 pt
  14. A guest injury is recorded on the company incident report on the day it happens Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Guest reviews and survey comments from the last week are shared with the staff Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Repeated causes of complaints (the same dish, the same station) are reviewed with the chef weekly Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Handling of guest complaints observed or recorded on this shift Rating
    • Resolved at the table by the manager 5 pts
    • Resolved, but slowly or by the server alone 3 pts
    • Left unresolved 1 pt

6. Shift close-out 20 items

  1. Guests who arrived before the posted closing time were seated and offered the full menu Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The manager reviewed each server's checkout report (sales, tips, cash due) before the server left Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Each server's closing side work was checked by the manager before the server clocked out Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Every check is closed before the end-of-day report is run Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The manager reviewed and signed the void and comp report for the shift Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Tip pool distribution for the shift is recorded as company policy requires Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Every employee is clocked out before the manager leaves Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Missed punches from the shift are corrected in the timekeeping system before the manager leaves Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Net sales for the shift (dollars) Number
  10. Labor cost for the shift as a percentage of sales (%) Number
  11. Guest count for the shift Number
  12. The manager's log for the shift lists sales, guest count, 86'd items and incidents Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Equipment and building problems found during the shift are entered as repair requests Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Notes for the next manager on duty cover tomorrow's large reservations, low stock and call-outs Yes / No 1 pt
  15. The closing cook signed the kitchen closing checklist Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Liquor, wine and beer storage is locked at closing Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Every exterior door was checked locked by the manager before the alarm was set Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Name of the manager on duty Short text
  19. Overall management of the shift Rating
    • Manager directed the floor and the shift ran to standard 5 pts
    • Shift ran to standard with gaps the manager caught late 3 pts
    • Shift ran without direction from the manager 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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