Checklist

Opening shift checklist: station setup and first-guest readiness

Station-by-station interactive opening checklist that captures equipment, temperature, mise, portioning, FOH readiness, safety checks, and a short 5-minute pre-service huddle. Save sign-off, minutes to complete, and readiness rating to build location memory and improve consistency over time.

Interactive Tool

Opening shift checklist: station setup and first-guest readiness

Use this station-by-station checklist to start every shift ready to serve. Check each task as completed, run the short pre-service huddle, record how long the opening took, and sign off. Storing submissions builds a history you can review to find recurring problems and reduce slow starts.

How to use: Walk each station in a sensible order (cold prep, grill, fry, expo, beverage, FOH, dish). If a task fails (e.g., unsafe temperature, missing tools), uncheck and add a note so the issue can be resolved immediately.

Check each completed task; add a note below if anything is missing or out of spec.
Host, POS and dining room readiness
Record any deviations as notes so they can be corrected before service.
Run a short 3–5 minute huddle covering the topics below.
Quick bullets — what everyone needs to know for this shift.
Rate how ready the team is to serve the first guest (1=Not ready, 5=Fully ready)
1.0 10.0
Record time from start to sign-off (helps identify equipment or training delays).
List visible problems that need follow-up and who is assigned to fix them.
Name of the shift lead or opening manager.
If No, do not accept guests until critical issues are resolved.
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