Restaurant Checklist
4.8/5 with 376 votes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Our Restaurant Checklist is designed to guide you through the critical steps of opening and operating a successful restaurant. From choosing a concept and location to marketing strategies and staff training, this template covers all essential areas to ensure you’re well-prepared. Use our Checklist App to save and customize your checklist, sync tasks across devices, and collaborate with your team effectively. Streamline your operations and stay organized as you turn your restaurant vision into reality.
What's included
Save the full checklist and customize it later.
0 of 53 completed
- Starting out
- Choose a concept.
- Consider buying a franchise.
- Develop a business plan.
- Choose a name.
- Choose a location.
- Choose design and layout.
- Decide how much seating will be needed.
- Decide on lighting and music.
- Determine what licenses are needed and apply for them.
- Choose equipment.
- Choose food service.
- Choose menu and decide on pricing.
- Calculate start-up costs.
- General Operations
- Assemble restaurant tool kit.
- Set up labor control tools.
- Decide what the hours of operation will be for each meal period.
- Decide equipment layout in all service stations.
- Test all equipment.
- Set up exterior landscape service.
- Purchase misc
- Kitchen Operations
- Prepare chart showing order & delivery dates from vendors.
- Finalize opening supplies orders.
- Provide list of all primary and backup vendors.
- Determine your needs for linens.
- Finalize all order books by product and purveyor & backup.
- Finalize beer and wine selections.
- Clean, organize and label all shelving.
- Set up dish machine service.
- Schematic all kitchen stations & service stations.
- Buy quality knives and slicer blades.
- Develop table numbers and seating charts.
- Set up soda system installation.
- Finance
- Obtain federal tax number, employer and employee tax numbers.
- Open bank account.
- Set up POS charge system.
- Set up opening budget for tracking.
- Staffing
- Develop projected list of employee needs.
- Develop pay scales for all crew work groups.
- Review staffing manual for interviewing and hiring procedures.
- Identify dates of training.
- Validate service sequences.
- Document and train management and staff.
- Marketing
- Hire local PR firm.
- Set up your website.
- Send out press releases to all local media.
- Organize pre-opening press event.
- Decide any other pre-opening events.
Download or Print this Restaurant Checklist
Get a printable version of this checklist in your preferred format: PDF, Word, Excel, or print directly from your browser.
Presented by:
Campbell Rodriguez
Stats
Views
936
Views: 936
Uses
56
Uses: 56
Tasks
53
Tasks: 53
Who it's for
This Restaurant Checklist is for teams that want consistent execution, less rework, and clear ownership.
- Standardize quality - run the same Restaurant steps every time, regardless of who executes
- Save time - reuse a proven Restaurant workflow instead of rebuilding processes from scratch
- Improve accountability - assign owners and see what's done vs. what's pending
- Onboard faster - use the Restaurant checklist as the SOP and training guide
- Coordinate across roles - handoffs are clear and everyone works from the same source of truth
How to use it
How to use this Restaurant Checklist:
- Start by saving it - save as a Template if you'll reuse it, or as a Checklist if it's a one-off project.
- Customize it once for your workflow - remove what doesn't apply and add your team-specific steps.
- Assign ownership and execute - set owners/due dates where needed and track completion as work happens.
- Reuse without rebuilding - when Restaurant comes up again, start from your saved version and run it with clear ownership.
Rate this Checklist
5 stars
Scores 4.80 with 376 votes