Restaurant opening checklist and procedure
A daily opening procedure for restaurants, from unlocking the building to opening the doors: security, kitchen equipment and temperature checks, prep, dining room setup and a short team briefing. Written for the opening manager and the first shift.
Process flowchart
Step-by-step procedure
What you need
- Keys and alarm code
- Temperature log sheet or app
- Probe thermometer
- Prep list for the day
- Till float
- Cleaning cloths and sanitiser
- 1
Unlock and disarm the alarm Opening manager
Arrive at the agreed time and look at the outside of the building for signs of a break-in or damage before you go in. If anything looks wrong, do not enter alone: call the owner or the police first. Then unlock, disarm the alarm and switch on lights and ventilation.
- 2
Walk through for safety issues Opening manager
Walk the kitchen, storeroom, dining room and toilets. Look for leaks, spills, blocked fire exits, broken equipment and signs of pests. Remove trip hazards straight away and note anything that needs fixing. Read the closing notes from the previous shift so you know about open issues.
- 3
Switch on and check kitchen equipment Chef
Turn on ovens, grills, fryers, the dishwasher and extraction in the order your kitchen uses them, so everything is at temperature before prep is finished. Check that gas appliances light properly and that nothing smells of gas. Report faulty equipment to the opening manager right away.
- 4
Check and log fridge temperatures Chef
Read the temperature of every fridge, freezer and chilled display, and probe a sample product if a display reading looks wrong. Write each reading in the temperature log with the time and your initials. Compare the readings with the limits in your food safety plan, which follow your local food safety rules.
Equipment and temperatures all within limits? Chef
- 5
Fix the problem or escalate Opening manager only if needed
Decide with the chef what to do: move food to a working unit, reset or adjust the equipment, call the engineer or take dishes off the menu. If chilled food may have been above its limit for too long, follow your food safety plan and throw it away when in doubt. Record what you did, then check again.
- 6
Work through the prep list Chef
Prepare for the day's covers and bookings: defrosted items, sauces, garnishes, portioned proteins and the mise en place for each section. Label everything you prepare with the product name and date. Check stock of key ingredients and tell the manager about anything that will run out during service.
- 7
Set up the dining room Front-of-house lead
Clean and set the tables to the floor plan for today's bookings, check chairs and high chairs, refill condiments and polish glasses and cutlery. Make sure menus are clean and current and put reserved signs on booked tables. Check that the toilets are clean and stocked.
- 8
Prepare the bar and till Front-of-house lead
Stock the bar fridges, cut fresh garnish and check the coffee machine and drinks dispensers. Count the till float, with a second person if your business works that way. Switch on the card terminals and check that they connect, then load today's specials and unavailable items into the till.
- 9
Brief the team before service Opening manager
Hold a five-minute briefing with everyone on shift: bookings and large tables, specials and items that are off, allergens in the specials, who covers which section and when breaks are. Ask the kitchen to confirm anything that changed during prep so front of house tells guests the right thing.
- 10
Final walk-through and open the doors Opening manager
Walk the guest route from the entrance to the tables and the toilets and look at it the way a guest would. Check music, lighting, room temperature and that the entrance is clean. Unlock the front door at the advertised opening time and switch the sign to open.
Checklist
About this procedure
Opening a restaurant well is mostly about doing the same things in the same order every day. When the opening routine lives only in the head of one experienced manager, steps get skipped on the day that person is off: a fridge reading is missed, the float is short or the team starts service without knowing about a large booking.
This procedure splits the opening into security, kitchen checks, prep, dining room and bar setup, and a short briefing. It has one decision point: if equipment or temperatures are not right, the problem is fixed or escalated before service starts. Use the flowchart to train new staff, the numbered steps as the reference and the checklist on the day itself.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the timing realistic
Most opening problems come from starting too late. Time how long each block really takes on a busy day, then set the start time for the first shift so prep is finished at least fifteen minutes before the doors open. That buffer absorbs a late delivery or a broken fryer.
Read yesterday's closing notes
A short closing note saves the opening team from surprises: what ran out, what broke and which bookings changed. Agree on one place for the notes, such as a notebook by the pass or a team chat, and make reading it part of the safety walk.
Log temperatures, do not just check them
A temperature that was checked but not written down does not help when an inspector or a guest asks. Record readings at the same times every day with initials, and write down the action you took next to any reading outside your limits.
Brief allergens every day
Specials and substitutions change the allergen picture daily. Use the briefing to name the allergens in today's specials and remind front of house to ask the kitchen whenever a guest mentions an allergy, instead of answering from memory.
How to adapt this template
- Match the step order and start times to your own kitchen and the time your doors open.
- Replace the roles with the job titles your team uses, such as head chef, sous chef or supervisor.
- Add the specific equipment you have, like a pizza oven, rotisserie or coffee machine, to the equipment step.
- Set the temperature limits and record keeping in your food safety plan according to your local food safety rules.
Laws and rules differ per country and region. Where a step depends on them, check what applies to your business before you use the procedure.
Frequently asked questions
How early should staff arrive to open a restaurant?
It depends on your menu and the number of covers. Kitchens with a lot of fresh prep often start two to three hours before service, while front of house usually needs 45 to 90 minutes. Time your opening for a week, then set start times so everything is ready with a small buffer.
Who should be responsible for opening?
Give one named person, usually the opening manager or a senior team member, overall responsibility for the checklist. Individual steps belong to the roles that do them, such as the chef for the kitchen checks, but one person signs off that the restaurant is ready to open.
What should I do if a fridge is too warm when we open?
Move the food to a working fridge straight away, work out how long it may have been warm and follow your food safety plan, which is based on your local food safety rules. When in doubt, throw the food away. Record the reading and the action, and call an engineer.
Should the opening checklist be on paper or digital?
Either works. Paper on a clipboard is quick, needs no device and a signed sheet is easy to keep. A shared digital checklist makes it easier to see across days or locations whether the opening steps are being done. Choose what your team will actually use every day.