Opening a New Location: Operational Launch Checklist (Pre‑open, Launch, First 90 Days)

Welcome — why this checklist exists

This checklist helps you reduce launch risk and shorten time to profitable weeks by making the essential operational steps explicit, assigning owners, and clarifying the acceptance criteria you can use to declare each area ready. Use it as a runbook for your opening week and a reference for the first 90 days.

How to use this checklist

• Assign an owner and target date to each line item.
• Mark items complete only when acceptance criteria are met.
• Keep a short notes column for blockers and mitigation steps.
• Hold short daily huddles in the last two weeks before opening to surface risks early.

Pre‑opening (8–12 weeks out → 0)

1. Permits, licenses & compliance
   • Confirm required permits (health, liquor, occupancy, signage, waste) and application/inspection dates — Owner: Regulatory Lead. Acceptance: official permit/inspection booking or issued permit.
   • Schedule health department pre‑inspection and walk‑through with head chef/manager present.
   • Document local waste, recycling and grease trap requirements; ensure vendor contracts are in place.
2. Lease, insurance & legal
   • Confirm lease start/move‑in dates and site access windows.
   • Obtain required insurance certificates (liability, workers comp) and add to vendor onboarding pack.
3. Vendor onboarding & supply chain
   • Create primary and secondary supplier list for key SKUs (protein, dairy, produce, disposables). Acceptance: signed terms or confirmed account setup.
   • Test receiving process with first vendor deliveries: check labeling, pack counts, temperature, invoice match.
   • Confirm delivery windows and parking/loading procedures with vendors.
4. Technology & POS
   • Install POS, network, Wi‑Fi, printers, handhelds and payment terminals. Acceptance: full transaction test (order → kitchen → payment → closing) with sample void/refund.
   • Integrate POS with inventory and labor systems where applicable; import menu items and happy‑path test reports.
   • Set up online ordering channels and test orders end‑to‑end.
5. Equipment, layout & safety
   • Verify equipment installation, run tests, and confirm spare parts inventory for critical items. Acceptance: operational checklists completed for each major piece.
   • Complete safety walkthrough and have first aid/evacuation plans posted.
6. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
   • Publish opening/closing checklists, cleaning schedules, cash handling, allergen protocols, and incident reporting flows. Acceptance: SOPs accessible to staff and reviewed in training sessions.

Menu staging & recipe readiness (4–2 weeks out)

1. Recipe cards & costing
   • Create standardized recipe cards with portion sizes, plating photos and prep times. Acceptance: two chefs reproduce dish within target portion/plate time and cost tolerance.
   • Verify PLU and POS mapping for every menu item.
2. Run test service
   • Conduct kitchen read‑throughs and timed mock services to identify bottlenecks in prep and plating.
   • Adjust mise‑en‑place and production schedules based on observed throughput.

Staffing & training ramp (6–0 weeks)

1. Hiring & documentation
   • Finalize staff roster, role descriptions, wage bands, and offer letters; confirm new hire paperwork and certifications (food handler, alcohol server).
2. Training plan
   • Schedule orientation, menu tastings, POS training, service role plays, and safety sessions. Acceptance: each hire completes checklists and passes a competency sign‑off (manager initials).
3. Staffing ramp schedule (sample)
   • Week −2: Core leadership + 30% team for process training.
   • Week −1: 60–80% schedule for dress rehearsals and soft openings.
   • Opening week: Full schedule with extra support (floats/external trainers) on first 3–5 days.

Soft opening & guest flow (1–0 weeks)

1. Soft opening script & runbook
   • Define soft opening format (invited guests, by reservation, paid ticket, friends & family). Outline service script for hosts, servers, and kitchen calls.
   • Include explicit feedback capture method (short survey, comment cards, QR link) and designate feedback owner.
2. Contingency plan for guest issues
   • Agree escalation steps for long waits, remakes, or food safety concerns. Assign manager on duty and communication script for guest recovery.

Supplier contingencies & first deliveries

• Create a prioritized substitute list for critical SKUs with ordering instructions and price expectations.
• Confirm emergency order process and payment terms for first 30 days.
• Establish contact tree for supplier issues (after‑hours contacts). Acceptance: second‑source accounts ready or documented emergency sourcing plan.

30 / 60 / 90 day measurement plan (metrics, cadence, owners)

Track a small set of daily and weekly metrics to spot problems early and guide improvements.

• Daily (Owner: Floor/Shift Manager)
  • Sales vs forecast (covers, average check) — flag >10% variance.
  • Ticket times / ticket backlog — target: baseline established in soft opening.
  • Remake rate and guest complaints — target: <5% remakes first 30 days.
  • Food temperature holding & safety checks — 100% completion.
• Weekly (Owner: General Manager)
  • Food cost % by menu category — compare to target. Flag >2–3 point deviation.
  • Labor % vs forecast and schedule adherence.
  • Inventory variance and spoilage incidents.
  • Guest satisfaction summary (survey + reviews) and top 3 issues.
• 30/60/90 checkpoints
  • 30 days: Operational stability — consistent service times, SOP adherence, supplier reliability, staff competency sign‑offs complete for core roles.
  • 60 days: Financial stability — sales trend vs forecast improving, food and labor targets near plan, turnover low.
  • 90 days: Profitability ramp — approaching forecasted sales and gross margin trajectory; formal review to update forecasts and staffing model.

Post‑launch cadence & continuous improvement

• Hold daily debriefs for the first 7–14 days; use a simple 10‑minute agenda: wins, blocks, safety, guest feedback.
• Weekly leadership review with data (POS, inventory, labor) and action tracker.
• Document lessons learned and update SOPs. Plan a 90‑day retrospective with operations and finance to adjust forecasts and standards.

Acceptance criteria & owners (example template)

• Item: POS go‑live — Owner: Ops Lead — Acceptance: all menu items ring correctly, payments processed, nightly close completes without errors.
• Item: Food safety checks — Owner: Kitchen Manager — Acceptance: first 14 days 100% temp logs completed, no critical violations in internal checks.

Attachments & templates to include with this checklist

• Vendor contact sheet and second‑source list.
• Recipe card template and cost calculator.
• Soft opening guest feedback form / QR link.
• Staff competency sign‑off template.
• Daily huddle agenda template and issue tracker.

Quick ready‑to‑use launch sanity check (one‑page)

1. All critical permits booked or issued
2. POS and payments fully tested
3. Primary & secondary suppliers confirmed
4. Core staff trained and competency signed off
5. Soft opening date and feedback capture in place
6. 30/60/90 metrics and owners assigned

Use this checklist as a living document. Copy it into your site or location domain and adapt owners, timelines, and targets to local realities. Update it after each opening so your next launch is smoother.