Daily Opening Checklist for Kitchens (Free)
Checklist – Daily Opening
Opening checks catch the problems that developed overnight – a chiller that died at 2am, a delivery left out, a cleaning job half done. Ten minutes with this checklist buys you a day without nasty surprises.
Instructions: Complete before food handling starts each day. Work through every item in order; don’t tick from memory. If anything fails, fix it or escalate before opening – a failed check you ‘deal with later’ is how incidents start. The supervisor reviews and signs the form daily.
Record details
- Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
- Opened by: [Name]
- Shift: [Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner]
Acceptance criteria
Anything outside these criteria is a deviation – act, record, and tell QA.
- Chillers <=5 °C, freezers ≤-18 °C
- Hot holding equipment preheated and at >=60 °C before food goes in
- Handwash basins stocked, hot water running
- No pest signs, no unknown items in food areas
Checklist
| # | Check item | OK? (Y/N) | Action taken if not OK | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All chillers <=5 °C and freezers ≤-18 °C (record temps) | |||
| 2 | No food left out overnight; everything labelled and covered | |||
| 3 | Handwash basins: soap, towels, hot water | |||
| 4 | Food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized | |||
| 5 | Probe thermometer checked (ice-point) and working | |||
| 6 | Sanitizer at correct concentration (test strip check) | |||
| 7 | No signs of pests; doors and screens intact | |||
| 8 | Date marks checked; out-of-date stock removed | |||
| 9 | Waste bins empty with fresh liners | |||
| 10 | Staff in clean protective clothing, fit for work |
Notes and corrective action
If a chiller failed overnight, don’t just note it – quarantine the stock and get QA to assess before anything is used. In our experience, the ‘it was probably only off for an hour’ assumption is wrong often enough to be dangerous.
- [Describe any deviation, action taken, and product disposition.]
Review
| Reviewed by (name / signature) | Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| [Name / Signature] | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [Comments] |