Restaurant Manager Daily Checklist

Section 1 — Opening Shift Checklist (Am)

Section 2 — Midday Operations Review (Lunch Shift)

Section 3 — Closing Shift Checklist (PM)

Section 4 — Staff & Operations Log

Section 5 — Daily Performance Summary

Section 6 — Priorities For Tomorrow

Section 7 — End-Of-Day Manager Reflection

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Date: _____________

Day: _____________

Manager On Duty: _____________

Weather / Events: _____________

Shift Overview

Field	Details
Time In
Staff Count
Expected Covers
Reservations Today
Deliveries Expected
Opening Concerns

1a. Pre-Opening Essentials

#	Category	Task	Priority	✓	Notes / Action
1	Pre-Opening	Arrive 30+ Mins Before Opening; Complete Full Walk-Through Of All Areas	High	☐
2	Pre-Opening	Check For Overnight Maintenance Issues — Leaks, Pests, HVAC, Broken Equipment	High	☐
3	Pre-Opening	Verify Security Systems And Alarm Logs Were Operational Overnight	High	☐
4	Pre-Opening	Confirm All Refrigeration Temps Logged — Coolers ≤40°f / Freezers ≤0°f	High	☐
5	Pre-Opening	Check Sanitizer Buckets At All Stations Are Filled To Correct Ppm Levels	High	☐
6	Pre-Opening	Verify All Fire Exits Are Unobstructed And Clearly Marked	High	☐
7	Pre-Opening	Confirm First Aid Kit Is Stocked And Accessible	High	☐
8	Pre-Opening	Check That All Health And Compliance Certificates Are Current And Displayed	Medium	☐

1b. Staff Readiness

#	Category	Task	Priority	✓	Notes / Action
9	Staff Readiness	Confirm Attendance Vs. Schedule: Arrange Replacements For No-Shows Immediately	High	☐
10	Staff Readiness	Assign Key Roles: Expediter, Floor Captain, Bar Lead, Host/Hostess	High	☐
11	Staff Readiness	Inspect Uniforms And Grooming Standards Across All Staff	Medium	☐
12	Staff Readiness	Verify All Staff Have Valid Certifications — Food Handler Cards, Alcohol Service Licences	High	☐
13	Staff Readiness	Confirm New Or Probationary Staff Are Paired With Experienced Mentors For The Shift	Medium	☐
14	Staff Readiness	Brief Any Temporary Or Agency Staff On House Rules And Service Standards	High	☐

1c. Facility Inspection

#	Area	Task	Priority	✓	Notes / Action
15	Dining Room	Table Setups, Glassware Polish, Menu Cleanliness, Candles/Centrepieces In Order	High	☐
16	Kitchen	Sanitised Surfaces, Prep Completion Confirmed, FIFO Stock Rotation Applied	High	☐
17	Bar	Fully Stocked, Clean, Ice Bin Filled, Garnishes Prepped, Glassware Polished	High	☐
18	Restrooms	Soap, Paper Towels, Odour Control, Cleanliness Check Completed	High	☐
19	Exterior	Sidewalk Clean, Signage Visible And Lit, Parking Area Tidy	Medium	☐
20	Storage / Walk-In	Organised, All Items Labelled And Dated, Temps Logged	High	☐
21	Pos / Tech	All Pos Terminals, Printers, and Payment Processors are tested and functioning	High	☐
22	Ambience	Music Levels, Lighting, And Temperature Set Appropriately For Opening	Medium	☐

1d. Operational Prep

#	Category	Task	Priority	✓	Notes / Action
23	Operational Prep	Review All Reservations — Flag Large Parties, Vips, And Dietary Restrictions	High	☐
24	Operational Prep	Check Inventory Of Critical Items — Proteins, Signature Cocktail Ingredients, Specials	High	☐
25	Operational Prep	Print And Distribute 86'd List; Confirm With Chef; Update Pos And Menu, Boards	High	☐
26	Operational Prep	Confirm Daily Specials With The Kitchen; Verify Pricing Is Correctly Loaded In Pos	High	☐
27	Operational Prep	Ensure All Side Stations Are Stocked — Condiments, Cutlery, Napkins, Bread, Etc.	Medium	☐
28	Operational Prep	Confirm Delivery Schedule And Expected Arrival Times For The Day	Medium	☐
29	Operational Prep	Brief Foh Team On Any Menu Changes, Allergy Alerts, Or Supply Shortages	High	☐

1e. Pre-Shift Briefing (10–15 Mins)

#	Topic	Priority	✓	Notes / Action
30	Highlight Daily Sales Goal And Upsell Targets (E.G., "Push The Ribeye Special Tonight")	High	☐
31	Communicate Active Promotions, Happy Hour Details, And Limited-Time Offers	High	☐
32	Share Vip Alerts, Regular Guest Preferences, And Any Birthday/Anniversary Tables	High	☐
33	Address Carry-Over Issues Or Unresolved Complaints From The Prior Shift	High	☐
34	Quick Morale Check — Acknowledge Recent Team Wins And Motivate For The Shift	Medium	☐
35	Confirm That All Allergen And Dietary Restriction Information Is Communicated Clearly	High	☐
36	Assign Table Visit Targets — Every Manager Should Personally Visit At Least 5 Tables Per Shift	Medium	☐

Shift Snapshot

Field	Details
Peak Time Observed
Avg. Ticket Time
Covers Served
Running Sales Total	$
Customer Feedback Trends
Equipment Issues

2a. Service & Quality Control

#	Category	Task	Priority	✓	Notes / Action
37	Service Quality	Monitor Wait Times — Target ≤15 Mins Seating / ≤20 Mins Food Delivery	High	☐
38	Service Quality	Adjust Staff Deployment In Real Time If Sections Are Overwhelmed	High	☐
39	Service Quality	Spot-Check 2–3 Plates Leaving The Kitchen For Portion Size, Temperature, And Presentation	High	☐
40	Service Quality	Taste-Test Specials And Any Replenished Batch Items — Soup, Sauces, Dressings	High	☐
41	Guest Experience	Personally Visit 5+ Tables To Gather Direct Guest Feedback	High	☐
42	Guest Experience	Resolve Complaints Immediately And With Empathy; Log All Comps And Voids Issued	High	☐
43	Staff Wellbeing	Confirm Breaks Are Being Taken On Schedule To Prevent Burnout	Medium	☐
44	Bar Operations	Monitor Bar Pacing — No Over-Serving; Confirm Id Checks Are Happening	High	☐
45	Kitchen Flow	Check In With Head Chef On Ticket Times And Any Items Running Low	High	☐
46	Communication	Update 86'd Items List In Real Time And Broadcast To Foh Immediately	High	☐
47	Hygiene	Spot-Check Handwashing Compliance And Glove Use In The Kitchen	High	☐
48	Atmosphere	Re-Check Lighting, Music, And Temperature — Adjust As The Room Fills	Medium	☐

2b. Financial & Operational Snapshots

Metric	Target	Actual	Variance	Action Needed
Labor % (Lunch)	≤25%
Sales Vs. Forecast
Avg. Check Size	$	$	$
Comps / Voids Issued	$	$
Items Running Low	—			Reorder? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Bar Revenue Contribution	%	%	%

Closing Shift Overview

Field	Details
Shift Lead
Closing Staff Count
Last Reservation Time
Estimated Close Time
Staff Callouts / Issues
Incidents To Document

3a. Evening Execution

#	Category	Task	Priority	✓	Notes / Action
49	Evening Ops	Confirm Kitchen Backups Are In Place — Sauces, Prepped Veg, Proteins Thawed	High	☐
50	Evening Ops	Check Bar Stock — Liquor Levels, Garnishes, And Clean Glassware	High	☐
51	Evening Ops	Monitor Ticket Times Throughout Service — Flag Delays Exceeding 30 Mins	High	☐
52	Guest Experience	Prioritise Table Visits For Large Parties And Celebratory Or Special Occasion Tables	High	☐
53	Kitchen Flow	Check In With Kitchen On Pacing And Remaining Inventory Levels	High	☐
54	Closing Comms	Communicate Last Call Times Clearly To Bar Staff And Foh Team	High	☐
55	Staff Readiness	Confirm Closing Staff Are Briefed On Their Specific Duties And Areas	Medium	☐
56	Atmosphere	Dim the lighting and adjust the music as the evening winds down for ambience	Low	☐

3b. Financial Closeout

#	Category	Task	Priority	✓	Notes / Action
57	Financial	Verify Cash Drops — Safe Count Vs. Register Reports	High	☐
58	Financial	Audit Voids And Discounts For Unusual Or Unauthorised Patterns	High	☐
59	Financial	Reconcile Credit Card Batch Totals With Pos Reports	High	☐
60	Financial	Record Final Daily Sales Total And Compare Against Forecast	High	☐
61	Financial	Prepare Bank Deposit If Applicable; Double-Check Amounts	High	☐
62	Financial	File All Receipts, Comp Authorisations, And Void Documentation	Medium	☐
63	Financial	Review Tip Pooling Or Distribution Records If Applicable	Medium	☐

3c. Closing Duties By Area

#	Area	Task	Priority	✓	Notes / Action
64	Kitchen	Walk-In Lockdown, Label And Date All Open Items, Log Closing Temps	High	☐
65	Kitchen	All Equipment Switched Off, Cleaned, And Signed Off	High	☐
66	Bar	Bottles Secured And Locked, Drains Cleared, Equipment Powered Off	High	☐
67	Bar	Bar Surface Cleaned And Sanitised, Garnishes Stored Or Discarded	High	☐
68	Dining Room	Tables Reset And Laid For Next Service, Chairs Tucked In, Floors Swept	High	☐
69	Dining Room	Menus Wiped Or Replaced; Salt/Pepper And Condiments Restocked	Medium	☐
70	Restrooms	Final Clean Completed; Restocked With Supplies For Next Day	High	☐
71	Security	Alarms Set, Back Door Locked, All Exterior Lights Switched On	High	☐
72	General	All Interior Lights Off; Final Full Walk-Through Of Entire Premises Completed	High	☐
73	Waste	Bins Emptied, Waste Disposed Of Correctly, Recycling Separated	Medium	☐

4a. Staff Feedback & Issues

4b. Training & Scheduling

Field	Details
Training Needs Identified
Staff Requiring Follow-Up
Scheduling Conflicts Tomorrow
Open Shifts To Fill
Performance Concerns To Escalate

4c. Maintenance & Repairs Log

4d. Vip & Regular Guest Intelligence

#	Guest Name	Preferences / Allergies	Occasion / Notes	Next Visit	Assigned Server
1
2
3

5a. Key Financial Metrics

Metric	Goal	Actual	Variance	Comments
Total Sales	$	$	$
Total Covers
Avg. Check Size	$	$	$
Labor Cost %	%	%	%
Food Cost %	%	%	%
Bar / Beverage Cost %	%	%	%
Comps / Voids Total	$	$
Delivery / Takeaway Sales	$	$	$
Online Review Score (If Tracked)

5b. Menu Performance

Category	Top Seller	Underperformer	86'd Items	Notes	Vendor Follow-Up?
Food					☐ Yes ☐ No
Beverage					☐ Yes ☐ No
Dessert					☐ Yes ☐ No
Specials					☐ Yes ☐ No
Kids' Menu					☐ Yes ☐ No

5c. Team Recognition

#	Standout Team Member	Role	Reason For Recognition
1
2
3

5d. Areas For Improvement

Area	Observation	Proposed Action	Owner	Deadline
Service
Kitchen
Sales
Staffing
Facilities
Guest Experience
Health & Safety

#	Priority / Task	Owner	Time / Deadline	Resources Needed
1
2
3
4
5
6

Staff Member

Feedback / Issue

Action Required

Follow-Up By

Status

Field	Details
Today's Big Win
Biggest Challenge
One Thing To Adjust Tomorrow
Any Incidents To Escalate To Owner / GM
Follow-Up Items For Next Manager On Duty
Manager Signature
Time Out