SOPStarter

Restaurant Opening SOP Template

I wrote this opening checklist as a procedure a duty manager can follow in order, from unlocking the building to turning the open sign. Change the times, equipment and limits to match your site.

Purpose

Open the restaurant the same safe, clean and fully stocked way every day, so service starts on time and nothing that affects guests or food safety is skipped.

Scope

Covers the opening duty from arrival of the opening manager until the doors open to guests. It applies to the kitchen, bar, dining room, toilets and entrance. Closing, deliveries and weekly deep cleaning have their own procedures.

Roles and responsibilities

RoleResponsibility
Opening managerUnlocks, runs the checks in this procedure, signs the opening log and decides whether the restaurant can open.
Head chef or kitchen leadChecks kitchen equipment and temperatures, sets the prep list and confirms the line is ready.
Front of house leadSets the dining room and bar, counts the float and briefs the floor team.
Opening team membersComplete the tasks assigned to them and report anything broken, missing or unsafe to the opening manager.

Prerequisites

  • Keys, alarm code and access card issued to the opening manager only
  • The closing report from the previous night, including any faults and the 86 list
  • Today's booking list, delivery schedule and prep list
  • Temperature log, cleaning checklist and cash float sheet
  • Gloves, probe thermometer, sanitiser and test strips in their usual place

Procedure

  1. Disarm and check the premises. Disarm the alarm within the time allowed, walk the entrance, dining room and kitchen, and look for signs of forced entry, water leaks, pests or anything out of place. If something is wrong, do not let the team in: call the owner and record it in the opening log.
  2. Read the closing report. Read last night's closing notes. Note broken equipment, products that ran out, spillages that were not finished and any guest incident that needs follow-up.
  3. Switch on equipment and lights. Turn on lights, extraction, ovens, grills, fryers, dishwasher, coffee machine and music in that order. Check that gas and extraction are running before anything is lit. Report any unit that does not start.
  4. Check fridge and freezer temperatures. Read every fridge and freezer display and confirm with a probe in one unit per area. Write each reading in the temperature log. If a unit is above your limit, move food to a working unit, quarantine anything held too warm and tell the head chef before service.
  5. Check stock and use-by dates. Walk the walk-in and dry store. Throw out or quarantine anything past its use-by date or unlabelled, rotate older stock to the front and compare what is left against the prep list.
  6. Set the prep list. Share the prep list with the kitchen team, assign each item to a person and agree a finish time for each. Mark allergen-sensitive prep and use separate boards and utensils.
  7. Hand hygiene and uniform check. Confirm everyone has washed their hands, wears clean uniform and has no open cuts without a waterproof dressing. Anyone with vomiting or diarrhoea symptoms goes home and is recorded according to your illness policy.
  8. Set up the dining room and bar. Wipe and set tables, check menus are clean and current, refill condiments, check toilets are clean and stocked, and prepare the bar, ice and garnishes.
  9. Count the cash float and test the till. Count the float in front of a second person, compare it with the float sheet, sign it, and run a test transaction on each terminal. Confirm the card machine connects.
  10. Hold the pre-service briefing. Tell the team today's bookings, special events, the 86 list, specials, allergens and who is covering which section. Give the team a chance to raise concerns.
  11. Final walk and open. Check the front door, signage and entrance, confirm the kitchen lead has said the line is ready, sign the opening log with the time, then unlock the doors.

Revision history

VersionDateAuthorChange
1.0[Date][Name]First version

Assign this SOP to your team and track who has read it

The Word export uses the docx library (MIT licence).

How it works, and what stays on your device

Download the template as a Word file or as Markdown. Both are built in your browser from the text on this page, so nothing is uploaded and nothing is sent to a server.

Copy to Google Docs puts the template on your clipboard as formatted text, then opens a new Google Doc in another tab. Paste it there with Ctrl+V, or Cmd+V on a Mac. Google only sees what you paste.

Fill in the square brackets, change anything that does not match how your team works, and add a row to the revision table each time you change it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use this opening procedure for a cafe or a bar?

Yes. Remove the kitchen steps you do not need, keep the premises check, temperature checks, cash float and briefing, and rename the roles to match your team.

Where do the temperature limits come from?

The template does not set limits. Use the limits in your own food safety plan and local rules, and write them into step 4 so the team sees them.

Who should sign the opening log?

The opening manager signs it with the time doors opened. Keep the log with your other food safety records for as long as your local rules require.

How do I add our own checks?

Download the Word version, add rows to the steps and keep the numbering. Put the revision date and your name in the revision table every time you change it.