Closing Manager Checklist

Closing Manager Checklist Responsibilities

How do you keep all your managers on the same page? One way to do this is to use proven systems. Use the restaurant closing manager checklist to verify that management’s closing duties are complete. The Closing Manager Checklist will benefit new managers. They can use this checklist to get familiar with how to close the restaurant correctly and consistently.

Managers should do a pre-walk-through before the final walk-through. The manager should conduct a pre-walk-through and assign tasks to each employee to complete during the shift. This is a great time saver because this will ensure that the final walk-through it will not take as long to complete.

Prepare for success

Each manager is responsible to set up the shift for success. The manager begins the walk-through when the shift starts. He/she also continues to monitor the entire restaurant during the shift. At the end of the shift, the closing manager needs to perform tasks that assure the restaurant is clean and ready for the opening shift. In addition, each shift is prepared for whatever may come through your front doors.

The restaurant business is very unpredictable because employees call off, the projected sales may be higher than predicted. Being prepared is the key to provide excellent customer service that your customers deserve.

We recommend that the Owner or General Manager reviews the completed restaurant closing manager checklists and then file it for future reference. The Manager must secure the money in the safe, complete all closing paperwork, conduct a final walk-through, verify that all equipment is cleaned and turned off, lock the doors and activate the alarm system. Consistent use of the closing manager checklist assures that the manager has done all he/she can prepare for the next shift. When your manager uses the closing manager checklist it will organize the restaurants.

Be proactive and use the restaurant manager closing checklist consistently and correctly. Managers are the key players when it comes to your restaurant’s success!

Closing Manager Checklist
$3.99

Closing Manager Checklist – Page 1

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Other great resources are:

Server Closing Checklist

Do your morning servers come in and complain about all the things the closing servers left for them? Then they don’t leave the restaurant as they should for the evening servers… so the evening servers complain about the morning and don’t close the service aisle as they should… then the morning servers complain. You get the picture. Why not just use the server closing checklist to make sure the work is being done each night? Pair this with the Servers Side Work Chart and you’ll keep your service staff in line to provide top-notch service.

Use this checklist for the Service Aisle and Dining Room closing tasks. This is great to make sure everything is complete and ready for the morning. The closing Server verifies that the other servers have all completed their side work and closed down their sections properly. At the end of the night, the Manager confirms that all the tasks on the Closing Server Checklist are complete.

Servers Side Work Chart

Assign specific side work to servers. This will ensure that supplies and food levels are available during meal periods. Servers that don’t use some sort of side work charts will jeopardize customer service. During peak times you should never have to stock paper supplies, foods, drinks. If you find that you are running low on food items or supplies during the peak times, then the servers will be focusing on restocking those items instead of focusing on your customers.

The purpose of this particular form is that all food supplies and paper supplies are stocked up, so that your servers can focus on your customers. The servers should be checking their assigned side work before, during and at the end of their shifts.

The Kitchen Closing Checklist

Consistency is one of the most important factors in properly closing down the restaurant. How do I use the kitchen checklist? If you are a brand new restaurant or if you are an existing restaurant the best way to use this checklist is to work hands-on with the closers. By working hands-on with the closer’s you show them what you expect in closing down the kitchen nightly.  Basically, you are setting up the opening shift up for success.

What is expected?

• • • All kitchen equipment shut down and cleaned/sanitized.
    • All stocking as per the stocking levels completed in all reach-ins and freezer reach-ins.
    • Rotation/day dots
    • Paper supplies/ carryout containers stocked
    • Printer paper stocked – so that you don’t run out during a heavy peak time meal period.
    • Bread wrapped and rotated – teach the cooks not to tear open bread wrappers, but rather to open the bread by removing the ties. This method helps the bread keep fresh and not stale.
    • All transfer bowls, ladles, scoops, grill scrapers, grill spatulas, butter knives, steam table inserts returned to the kitchen and set up for the opening cook. If you use a steam table please clean out the inside and refill it with clean water, then set up the steam table with the containers/lids and ladles for the opening shift.
    • Empty all trash cans, clean them and replace the trash cans liners for the opening shift.

Why use this checklist?

A great closing shift prepares the restaurant for success the next day.  What if the opening cook calls out and management needs to cook? What if you are busier then normal. If you do not use a closing checklist, then it leaves the morning shift to do work that should have been done the night before. The opening cook will start to resent the fact that they are cleaning up from the closing shift and still need to set up the kitchen for the morning shift.  Be smart, be prepared!

Kitchen Side Work Chart

Assigning side work to each cook working on that shift will keep the stocking levels, clean as you go and other important task caught up throughout the shift. Believe it or not, using this chart will provide better customer service to your guest because you spend less time stocking and etc. The cooks assigned to this checklist should complete their assigned task at the very beginning of their shift, throughout the shift and at the end of the shift. As long as all task are caught up all throughout the shift, the cooks will become more focused on the guest checks rather than scrambling to get caught up on the side work chart. During the slow times, the cooks should focus on restocking and clean as you go. During the heavy peak times, the cooks should only be focusing on preparing food.