Restaurant operating manual

This will save you answering the same question over and over again. This checklist lists cleaning and other tasks to be completed on a daily basis.

Laminate this checklist and use a narrow-tipped whiteboard marker to indicate when each task has been completed. This checklist lists cleaning tasks to be completed on a weekly basis. Laminate this checklist and use a narrow-tipped whiteboard marker to indicate when each cleaning task has been completed. This checklist lists cleaning tasks to be completed on a monthly basis. This form is for your staff to use in the absence of your functions coordinator. It is used to collect essential information required to book a function.

Leave this form around your main till area or somewhere easily accessible by all staff , so your staff can quickly access this form when they are talking to a customer. This form is for your staff to record any problematic items requiring maintenance. This could include damaged furniture, broken fittings or chipped paint work. This form is a template for your managers or supervisors to fill out on a nightly basis as a way of transmitting to you the events and characteristics of their shift.

Use this form to record information about your regular customers. Write down the drinks they like, and any other information required to offer supreme customer service. Use this form to record important information about your staff. Keep this in an accessible place in case of an emergency. Use this form to order your stock. Keep the par levels on the left and the number of items you need to order on the right.

This form means you can easily view the amount of stock you ordered on previous weeks. Staff Contact List Record staff phone numbers in case you need to contact them. Bar: Opening Procedures This checklist should include all daily tasks required to open your venue and prepare it for a maximum capacity service period.

Bar: Closing Procedures This checklist should list all tasks required to close your venue and prepare it for the following day. Bar: Order Of Service This checklist details the order and process of every action completed in your order of service. Bar: Miscellaneous Systems And Procedures This section lists any extra systems and procedures that must occur at your venue. Floor: Opening Procedures This checklist should include all daily tasks required to open your venue and prepare it for a maximum capacity service period.

Floor: Closing Procedures This checklist should list all tasks required to close your venue and prepare it for the following day.

Floor: Order Of Service This checklist details the order and process of every action completed in your order of service. Floor: Miscellaneous Systems And Procedures This section lists any extra systems and procedures that must occur at your venue. Unique Venue Qualities And Standards Record any unique qualities, standards and processes that make your venue different from other venues. Function Inquiry Form This form is for your staff to use in the absence of your functions coordinator.

Maintenance Request Form This form is for your staff to record any problematic items requiring maintenance. It may not be the most exciting book you'll ever write or read, but it's a crucial reference if you want to provide consistent quality over time. And it's even more important if you plan to expand operations beyond a couple of units. For example, an operations manual will make sure that the front-of-house staff always cleans tables and chairs in the same way, regardless of who is performing the task.

The problem with operations manuals is that their essence is in the details. That can require a lot of painstaking work, forcing you to think about how you want to run your restaurant and why in that way and not a different one.

If you think you can simply use those of another restaurant, it would mean your concept would also be the same. The best time to write it is before the grand opening , right after you have clarified the concept.

You can do that internally or hire a consultant. Whatever the case, make sure to involve your staff in the process. If employees get to bring their ideas to the table, they will be much more inclined to follow it. Also, remember that the manual is a living document that should be revised and updated as your procedures improve and evolve.

Although there is no standard format for an operations manual, it should at least cover the following areas:. These are just the basics. There are other aspects that could be included, such as hiring, training, marketing , record keeping and accounting, which can be produced as separate handbooks. An introduction with the WHY. If employees know why they're executing tasks in a certain way, they're more likely to comply.

Feel free to include statistics and quote studies or trends if you think they can build a stronger case. Detailed procedures. The difference between an operations manual that works and one that collects dust on a shelf is in its details. How many should you include? As many as you need to make your service stand out and fulfil your concept. You may want to describe the exact steps and what products to use.

There can be checklists for practically anything. They are particularly useful when important details might be overlooked. This is the manual's introduction, where you explain your restaurant's concept and the type of experience you want to provide to guests. Make it short but use precise language. Everything that follows will be consistent with it. This section will list every job position at the restaurant, explaining what is expected from them. Here you should include not only the tasks each one will be responsible for, but also things like:.

Before going into the details of customer service, you will want to stress the type of dining experience you want to provide and the importance of outstanding service. The part about procedures will describe what front-of-house staff are expected to do at each step of the cycle of service , such as:. Each of these steps will include details such as verbiage to use, when to make eye contact, distance to maintain, special attention to senior citizens, children, etc. Another part of this section will include non-customer-facing procedures that are also essential for operating the front of house efficiently, such as:.

Watch: How to manage restaurant capacity with Eat App. This section describes how to prepare and serve each dish on the menu. Having detailed step-by-step instructions will make sure your dishes always have the taste your customers know and expect no matter who cooks them. It will also keep food costs under control.