Opening Visit Checklist for Restaurants

This opening visit checklist helps restaurant teams prepare the store for service. It covers exterior cleanliness, correct posters, and completion of prior-day paperwork and inventory variance checks. Verify equipment startup including lights, makeline, oven and hood, monitors, and open signs. Confirm staff arrival, uniform and grooming, and that food prep is done on sanitized surfaces with sleeves rolled above the elbow. Check dough management limits, gluten-free readiness, FIFO and date labels, and that makeline bins are stocked for lunch only. Review staffing schedules and counts for hot and cold bags, stretch table setup, sauces at room temperature, sanitation stations, and front counter supplies. Assign downtime duties, ensure cross-training, set up the 2-compartment sink, prep and top boxes, provide allergen leaflets, and report or follow up on maintenance issues.