Operational Checklists and Forms
In this appendix, you’ll find all the checklists and forms you’ll need to begin, run, and manage your successful restaurant. Feel free to copy them and make them your own.
Department: FOH
Reports to: Manager on duty
Job Summary: The host or hostess’s job is to supervise and coordinate the activities of the dining room in a restaurant while being one of the first points of contact for the guest. The host/hostess provides professional, friendly, and responsive service to extend an exceptional dining experience to each guest. Every host/hostess’s primary objective is to create such an excellent dining experience that a guest will want to return again and again.
Qualifications
- 1 year of experience in host/hostess position and/or industry/operation
- High school or higher education
- Must have excellent customer service skills
- Must be organized and personable
- Must be able to communicate effectively with associates, management, clients, and vendors
- Able to work flexible schedule in order to accommodate busy periods
- Familiarity with reservation systems a plus
Essential Job Functions
Maintain professional communication etiquette while on the phone, and when speaking with customers and staff.
Maintain a professional appearance per company protocol.
Ensure all menus are clean and presentable, free of spots or stains, and complete.
Ensure all menus and specials are current and reviewed for incorrect information.
Ensure entry way, doors, windows, and floors are clean, free of debris, and inviting.
Check reservations for large parties and inform the proper staff, kitchen, servers, and management.
Answer any reservation messages and confirm the business for the current shift.
Confirm reservations for upcoming business in a polite professional manner.
Ask the kitchen if there are menu changes or problems that will affect business for your shift.
Customize the seating chart and organize the reservations.
Help arrange tables to accommodate the shift’s reservations needs.
Welcome guests, escort them to their table, and present menus to them.
Ensure servers know when guests are seated.
Keep track of server customer count and do the best to evenly seat servers.
Control the flow of business to ensure an efficient spacing of service, FOH, and BOH.
When needed, prepare the coat room for use by organizing the hangers and cleaning the space.
Be a point of contact for the lost and found efforts.
Know and follow all restaurant emergency and safety procedures.
Attend and participate in all scheduled meetings and training sessions.
Standards
- Protect the assets of the property.
- Maintain professional appearance and behavior when in contact with guests and associates.
- Follow policies and procedures found in training manuals and employee operations handbook.
- Always remember we are in a partnership with our guests, fellow employees, and owners to provide quality service and profitability.
- Regular attendance in conformance with the company standards, which may be established by the restaurant from time to time, is essential to the successful performance of this position.
I have read this job description and fully understand that failure to comply with any of the stated responsibilities is grounds for disciplinary action.
This job description is an outline of job requirements and may not include all job functions that may be required. This job description is subject to change without notice.
___________________ _________
Employee Signature Date
___________________ _________
Supervisor SignatureDate
Department: FOH
Reports to: Manager on duty
Job Summary: Restaurant bartenders are responsible for a positive guest interaction while accurately mixing and serving beverages to guests and servers in a friendly and efficient manner. At all times, bartenders are expected to be attentive to our guests’ needs and make them feel welcome, comfortable, important, and relaxed.
Qualifications
- 2 to 5 years of experience as a bartender
- High school or higher education
- Excellent oral communication skills
- Positive interpersonal skills
- Knowledge of wines, beers, and spirits
- Ability to communicate effectively with associates, management, clients, and vendors if necessary
- Able to work flexible schedule in order to accommodate busy periods
Essential Job Functions
Take beverage orders from customers and servers.
Prepare and serve alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks consistent with the company’s drink recipes.
Enter drink orders accurately and immediately after receipt into the POS system.
Check identification of customers to verify age requirements for purchase of alcoholic beverages.
Be responsible for an assigned house bank and for following all company cash-handling procedures.
Accept guest payment, process credit card charges, and politely return the proper change.
Learn the names and personally recognize the regular customers.
Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of company food and beverage items, menu items, and promotions.
Ensure that the assigned bar area is fully equipped with the tools and products needed for mixing beverages and serving guests.
Maintain bottles and glasses in an attractive and functional manner to support efficient drink preparation and promotion of beverages.
Prepare garnishes for drinks and replenish snacks and appetizers for customers when necessary.
Maintain cleanliness in all areas of the bar, including counters, sinks, utensils, shelves, and storage areas.
Receive and serve food orders to guests seated at the bar and to any restaurant customer when necessary.
Report all equipment problems and bar maintenance issues to the restaurant manager.
Assist the restocking and replenishment of bar inventory and supplies.
Frequently lift/carry up to 25 pounds, occasionally lift/carry up to 50 pounds.
Perform all reasonable requests by the management team.
Follow proper time-keeping policies and procedures.
Know and follow all the restaurant’s emergency and safety procedures.
Attend and participate in all scheduled meetings and training sessions.
Standards
- Protect the assets of the property.
- Maintain professional appearance and behavior when in contact with guests and associates.
- Follow policies and procedures found in training manuals and associate handbook.
- Always remember we are in a partnership with our guests, fellow associates, and owners to provide quality service and profitability.
- Regular attendance in conformance with the company standards, which may be established by the restaurant from time to time, is essential to the successful performance of this position.
I have read this job description and fully understand that failure to comply with any of the stated responsibilities is grounds for disciplinary action.
This job description is an outline of job requirements and may not include all job functions that may be required. This job description is subject to change without notice.
___________________ _________
Employee SignatureDate
___________________ _________
Supervisor SignatureDate
Department: FOH
Reports to: Manager on duty
Job Summary: Provide professional, friendly, and responsive service to extend an exceptional dining experience to each guest. Every server’s primary objective is to create such an excellent dining experience that a guest will want to return again and again.
Qualifications
- 2 to 5 years of server restaurant-related experience
- High school or higher education
- Ability to communicate effectively with associates, management, clients, and vendors
- Must possess excellent math skills, handle money, and have experience with credit card processing
- Experience with a POS system
- Able to work flexible schedule in order to accommodate business levels
- Able to work in a standing position for extended periods of time
- Ability to safely lift and easily maneuver trays of food and dishes weighing up to 30 pounds
- Punctuality and regular and reliable attendance
- Honesty and integrity are highly valued
Essential Job Functions
Have overall food knowledge with expert knowledge of the restaurant’s menus.
Have ability to welcome guests and make them feel comfortable.
Inform guests of specials and menu changes.
Make suggestions you feel your guests would enjoy, and avoid offering personal preferences or opinion.
Have ability to upsell food and beverage menu items using suggestive selling techniques.
Answer questions regarding regions where food products come from and how food is prepared.
Answer questions about the wine list with attention given to wine regions, vintages, aromas, and flavors.
Describe in detail tastes and textures.
Answer questions about the food, beverages, and other restaurant functions and services.
Show expert knowledge of table numbers and guest seat numbers.
Take and organize food and beverage orders from guests, and efficiently enter orders in the POS system.
Deliver food and beverage orders from the kitchen and bar to guests in a timely manner.
Maintain clean service areas.
Monitor and observe guests’ dining experience, ensuring that they are satisfied with their items.
Prepare and present the final bill to the guest, memorize types of payment the restaurant accepts, and make change when necessary.
Be ready, willing, and able to help other servers when the situation arises.
Be ready, willing, and able to assist server assistant with cleaning and resetting tables.
Thank guests for their visit and encourage a return trip.
Complete side work at the start and end of each shift as per schedule.
Be willing to fill in shifts as needed to ensure a smooth and efficient operation of the restaurant.
Accurately record reservations.
Help keep restrooms clean and stocked with necessary supplies.
Travel, as necessary, to different properties/venues for work.
Perform all reasonable requests by the management team.
Follow proper time-keeping policies and procedures.
Know and follow all the restaurant’s emergency and safety procedures.
Attend and participate in all scheduled meetings and training sessions.
- Protect the assets of the property.
- Maintain professional appearance and behavior when in contact with guests and associates.
- Follow policies and procedures found in training manuals and employee handbook.
- Always remember we are in a partnership with our guests, fellow associates, and owners to provide quality service and profitability.
- Regular attendance in conformance with the company standards, which may be established by the restaurant from time to time, is essential to the successful performance of this position.
EMPLOYEE’S STATEMENT:
I have read this job description and fully understand that failure to comply with any of the stated responsibilities is grounds for disciplinary action.
This job description is an outline of job requirements and may not include all job functions that may be required. This job description is subject to change without notice.
___________________ _________
Employee SignatureDate
___________________ _________
Supervisor SignatureDate
Department: FOH
Reports to: Manager on duty
Job Summary: A busser or server assistant’s role is a supportive one. You will assist with the activities of both front and back end operations and help expedite work. While this is a support role, by no means is it minor in essence as the operations of a restaurant cannot be carried out properly without assistantship.
Qualifications
- 1 to 2 years of experience in the food service industry
- High school or higher education
- State Food Handlers Certification a plus
- Friendly, efficient customer skills and customer knowledge are necessary
- Able to communicate effectively with associates, management, and customers
- Able to work flexible schedule in order to accommodate busy periods
Essential Job Functions
Organize and set tables efficiently without disturbing guests.
Serve water and refill glasses as needed.
Overall food knowledge with expert knowledge of this restaurant’s menus.
Expert knowledge of table and seat numbers.
Ability to professionally aid guests to locations within the restaurant.
Clean dining area and serving stations without disturbing guests.
Continuous cleaning of the dining area and serving stations during service.
Assist janitorial staff with trash removal.
Assist in cleaning up spills.
Greet guests with or in the absence of the hostess.
Make suggestions about menu selections when asked.
Ensure timely delivery of food orders.
Address customers’ queries and concerns efficiently.
Travel, as necessary, to different properties/venues for work.
Perform all reasonable requests by the management team.
Follow proper time-keeping policies and procedures.
Know and follow all the restaurant’s emergency and safety procedures.
Attend and participate in all scheduled meetings and training sessions.
Standards
- Protect the assets of the property.
- Maintain professional appearance and behavior when in contact with guests and associates.
- Follow policies and procedures found in training manuals and employee handbook.
- Always remember we are in a partnership with our guests, fellow associates, and owners to provide quality service and profitability.
- Regular attendance in conformance with the company standards, which may be established by the restaurant from time to time, is essential to the successful performance of this position.
EMPLOYEE’S STATEMENT:
I have read this job description and fully understand that failure to comply with any of the stated responsibilities is grounds for disciplinary action.
This job description is an outline of job requirements and may not include all job functions that may be required. This job description is subject to change without notice.
___________________ _________
Employee SignatureDate
___________________ _________
Supervisor SignatureDate
This is a daily opening checklist that shows how a restaurateur adapts the list with specific tasks related to setting the atmosphere.
Opening restaurant:
- ❏ Bar bank reconciliations counted
- ❏ Opening side work posted
- ❏ Check ice
Check set up:
- ❏ Check side station and hutches
- ❏ Check for bowl of oranges on service bar
- ❏ Check lemonade
- ❏ Check tables
- ❏ Check candles
- ❏ Check water, salsa, coffee, iced tea, and chips
Station chart: (Create on Sunday night)
- ❏ Check reservations
- ❏ Check bathrooms:
- ❏ Clean
- ❏ Stocked
- ❏ Writing on wall
- ❏ Two cords from patio near bathrooms
- ❏ One cord where fountain usually is
- ❏ One cord by antique podium
Turn on music:
- ❏ Check to ensure all volumes are on the first notch.
- ❏ Turn on all amps.
- ❏ Turn on sound mixer.
- ❏ Make sure sound mixer lever on far right is turned all the way down and volume knob is at first notch.
- ❏ Plug iPod into charger and into stereo. Choose restaurant playlist.
- ❏ Press play.
Outside by front doors:
- ❏ Check for sweeping
- ❏ Straighten mats
- ❏ Undo curtains
Walk outside and check cleanliness while light
Walk outside at dark to check light bulbs
Start session on POS
Check position of tables
Adjust lights:
- ❏ Turn on lights in mezzazine (two film lamps, not floor lamp)
- ❏ Check bar light levels and main light dimmer behind POS
- ❏ Turn on bathroom lights
- ❏ Adjust dimmers by main kitchen door and on back bar wall of service bar
Post side-work worksheet
Restaurant Manager’s Opening Checklist
- ❏ Check building exterior as you approach. Be on the lookout for broken windows, loitering strangers, or other signs of burglary, as well as any litter or debris.
- ❏ Unlock doors, enter building, disarm alarm system, and turn on lights as needed.
- ❏ Check overall appearance of kitchen and dining room. Be sure all closing tasks were completed to standard.
- ❏ Check the manager’s log for events, incidents, and information from previous night.
- ❏ Check to be sure all employees punched out appropriately from the previous night, and check labor hours.
- ❏ Be sure there are enough employees scheduled for the day’s shifts.
- ❏ Check email and voice messages.
- ❏ Be sure all equipment, especially refrigerators and freezers, are properly functioning.
- ❏ Be sure food orders are accurate, and double-check inventory levels to be sure the restaurant is prepared for the daily operations.
- ❏ Prepare for employees to arrive. Unlock employee entrance. Oversee employees as they punch in, and be sure they’re dressed appropriately for the shift.
- ❏ Assign opening kitchen workers their opening duties and side-work duties for the shift.
- ❏ Count the safe and assign cash drawers where needed. Check deposit slips and be sure all cash is in order from previous day’s sales.
- ❏ Review reservations book with host/hostess, making appropriate plans and changes for large parties or events.
- ❏ Be sure all opening duties have been completed, and turn on all lights and sound system for music.
- ❏ Give an instructional, energizing pep talk to all opening staff members. Unlock entrance for service at scheduled time.
Restaurant Manager’s Closing Checklist
- ❏ Cut labor as business slows, leaving enough staff for performing closing tasks.
- ❏ Check with kitchen manager to be sure all food orders have been completed.
- ❏ Check that all employees’ side-work tasks are satisfactorily complete.
- ❏ Collect all server checkout sheets, cash drawers, and tip reports.
- ❏ Count the safe.
- ❏ See that the server stations, bar, and other areas are restocked where needed.
- ❏ Close the kitchen and bar at scheduled closing times.
- ❏ Lock the front door after all guests have departed.
- ❏ Check restrooms for lingering guests, cleanliness, and trash.
- ❏ Turn off sound system and any lights not being used.
- ❏ Be sure bartender cleans and stocks bar for next shift.
- ❏ Be sure bussers complete their closing cleaning tasks.
- ❏ Be sure all kitchen staff have completed their closing tasks. Make sure kitchen manager is satisfied.
- ❏ Balance checkout sheets, send credit card report, and record daily sales information.
- ❏ Fill out manager’s log for the next day’s manager to read.
- ❏ Make sure safe is locked.
- ❏ Lock liquor storage room, walk-in coolers, and storage rooms.
- ❏ Lock manager’s office and all doors leading outside.
- ❏ Turn off all lights.
- ❏ Set alarm, exit building (in pairs or a group), and lock front door.
- ❏ Clean and reset tables.
- ❏ Clean chair seats, backs, and legs.
- ❏ Wipe windowsills, shelves, and server stations.
- ❏ Clean table bases.
- ❏ Empty and clean iced tea and soda station.
- ❏ Restock straws, beverage napkins, and sip sticks.
- ❏ Empty and clean coffee station. Place items in back fridge.
- ❏ Stock plates, silverware, to-go boxes, bottled water, etc.
- ❏ Clean and fill all condiment containers.
- ❏ Clean and fill all salt and pepper shakers.
- ❏ Inspect and clean floor.
- ❏ Complete additional assigned closing sidework duties as scheduled.
Use these weekly, monthly, and yearly cleaning checklists to keep your restaurant in tip-top shape.
Weekly Cleaning Schedule
- ❏ Dining room tables and chairs: Wipe down where necessary. Check undersides.
- ❏ Pictures and mirrors: Remove dust, dirt, and smudges.
- ❏ Walls and ceiling: Remove obvious dirt, wiping them down where necessary.
- ❏ Shelves, ledges: Brush down and wipe over ledges.
- ❏ Ventilation: Clean filters. Wipe down canopy.
- ❏ Refrigerators: Clean down racks. Wipe all surfaces. Defrost if necessary.
- ❏ Refuse: Disinfect bins.
- ❏ Cupboards: Remove contents and wipe surfaces.
- ❏ Dry goods store: Tidy up. Check for vermin.
- ❏ Changing room: Clean the walls and mop the floor.
- ❏ Lights: Brush fittings. Clean tubes and bulbs.
- ❏ Empty reach-in coolers: Wash and sanitize coolers.
- ❏ Sinks and faucets: Delime them.
- ❏ Clean coffee machine: Deep clean, soaking machine parts when necessary.
- ❏ Clean ovens: Deep clean all removable parts.
- ❏ Floor drains: Use drain cleaners on drains.
Monthly Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning List
- ❏ Wash behind the hot line (oven, stove, and fryers) to cut down on grease buildup, which is a major fire hazard.
- ❏ Clean freezers.
- ❏ Empty and sanitize the ice machine.
- ❏ Calibrate ovens.
- ❏ Calibrate thermometers.
- ❏ Sharpen the meat and cheese slicer.
- ❏ Deep-clean walls and ceilings.
- ❏ Wipe down the dry storage area.
- ❏ Change any pest traps.
- ❏ Restock your first-aid kit.
- ❏ Update your material safety data sheets. (They outline how to use cleaning chemicals safely in your restaurant.)
Yearly Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning/Safety List
- ❏ Check fire suppression system.
- ❏ Check fire extinguishers. (This may need to be done twice a year, depending on where you live.)
- ❏ Clean hoods twice a year. Hire a professional company—it’s very messy and time- consuming.
- ❏ Clean pilot lights on gas kitchen equipment. (Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instruction.)
