Restaurant Operations SOP Templates: From Open to Close

Restaurants run on consistency. Customers return because they know what to expect. Staff turnover is high, which means new employees need to get up to speed fast. SOPs make both of these possible.

The average restaurant turns over 75 percent of its staff annually. Without documented procedures, you are constantly retraining from scratch.

Opening Procedures SOP

Kitchen Opening (Head Cook)

1. Arrive 1 hour before service
2. Turn on all equipment (ovens, grills, fryers, steam tables)
3. Check walk-in cooler temperatures (must be below 40F)
4. Check freezer temperatures (must be below 0F)
5. Pull prep list and begin mise en place
6. Check food freshness: smell, color, texture for all proteins
7. Verify all stations are stocked: plates, utensils, containers
8. Set up line: sauces, garnishes, sides in correct positions
9. Taste all soups and sauces, adjust seasoning
10. Confirm specials with management
11. Brief kitchen staff on specials, 86 items, and expected volume

Front of House Opening (Manager)

1. Unlock doors, disarm alarm
2. Turn on lights, music, HVAC
3. Check restrooms: stocked, clean, functional
4. Inspect dining room: tables clean, chairs aligned, floor swept
5. Check POS system: correct date, specials entered, printers working
6. Count opening cash drawer (must match bank count)
7. Review reservations for the day
8. Brief servers on specials, 86 items, VIP reservations
9. Unlock front door at opening time

Food Safety SOP

Temperature Logging

1. Check and log all cooler and freezer temperatures at opening
2. Check and log again at midday
3. Check and log at closing
4. Any temperature above threshold: notify manager immediately
5. If cooler above 40F for more than 2 hours: discard perishables
6. Keep temperature logs for 1 year minimum

Handwashing Procedure

1. Wet hands with warm water
2. Apply soap
3. Scrub for 20 seconds: palms, backs, between fingers, under nails
4. Rinse thoroughly
5. Dry with single-use paper towel
6. Use paper towel to turn off faucet

When to wash: Before starting work, after touching raw meat, after touching face or hair, after using restroom, after handling trash, after handling money, between tasks.

Service SOPs

Table Service Steps

1. Greet within 60 seconds of seating
2. Introduce yourself, offer water, present menus
3. Return within 3 minutes for drink orders
4. Deliver drinks within 3 minutes of order
5. Take food orders, noting allergies and modifications
6. Enter order into POS immediately
7. Deliver food within estimated time, confirm correct dishes
8. Check back within 2 minutes of food delivery
9. Pre-bus throughout meal
10. Offer dessert and coffee
11. Present check promptly when requested
12. Process payment, thank guest
13. Reset table within 5 minutes of departure

Handling Customer Complaints

1. Listen fully without interrupting
2. Apologize sincerely regardless of fault
3. Offer immediate solution (comp item, remake, discount)
4. If unable to resolve: bring manager
5. Follow up before guest leaves to ensure satisfaction
6. Log complaint in incident book with details and resolution
7. Discuss with team to prevent recurrence

Closing Procedures SOP

Kitchen Closing

1. Turn off all cooking equipment
2. Clean and sanitize all prep surfaces
3. Properly store all food (labeled with date and name)
4. Clean fryer (filter oil or change as needed)
5. Sweep and mop kitchen floor
6. Take out trash and recycling
7. Check walk-in: all items covered, labeled, dated
8. Final temperature check and log
9. Lock back door

Front of House Closing

1. Last call 15 minutes before close
2. Begin breaking down server stations
3. Wipe all tables and sanitize
4. Sweep dining room floor
5. Mop high traffic areas
6. Restock server stations for tomorrow
7. Run end-of-day POS reports
8. Count cash drawer (must match POS)
9. Complete cash drop
10. Set alarm, lock all doors

Creating Custom Restaurant SOPs

Every restaurant has unique processes. For anything involving your POS system, inventory software, or ordering platform, record your screen while demonstrating the process. Upload to ProcessReel and get a step-by-step SOP with screenshots.

This is especially useful for POS procedures that vary by system (Toast, Square, Clover, etc.).

FAQ

How do I train new servers quickly?

Give them the service SOP to study before their first shadow shift. They will absorb more because they have context.

Should BOH and FOH have different SOP manuals?

Yes. Kitchen staff need food safety and prep SOPs. Front of house needs service and guest interaction SOPs. Create separate documents.

How do I enforce SOP compliance?

Include SOP review in pre-shift meetings. Spot-check compliance during service. Make it part of performance reviews.

Document your restaurant operations from screen recordings. Try ProcessReel free