All scheduled closers, FOH and BOH, clock out together once all tasks are completed and have been checked out by the shift leader.
Never sacrifice quality food service over closing early. Doing things right does not mean we have to be there late.
The restaurant must appear open at all times. We do not close off sections, turn chairs up on tables, or do other visible actions to make the guest think we are closed or closing.
A team leader must check in and check out every team member as they enter and exit their shifts. Every team member owns their work area and should maintain it clean, organized, and stocked even if they are not closing.
Leaders own what is not done once they check out the team member or if they fail to check them out. It is not on the team member…ever.
The team must work cleanly, quickly, and together.
Maximize minutes and seconds throughout the shift and after closing. They add up to hours.
Manage the tensions of:
- BOH/FOH closing together and helping each other
- Day/Night tasks for cleaning “balance”
New dirt is ok and easy to clean, “old” dirt is not to be accepted and must be eliminated.
“Get back to zero” on all equipment and facilities each day.
Don’t just deal with broken equipment or missing small wares. Note issues daily.
Attack the process/system, not the person.
- A process/system is perfectly designed for the results it produces. If you want a different result then change the process/system.
Stay in uniform and maintain professionalism after closing.
No one stays behind alone. No one works off the clock.

Closing Roles

FOH

Bathrooms and Parking Lot (Pre-close)
Dishes
Ice Cream and Shakes
Dining room
Floors

BOH

Dishes
Machines
Floors
Trash

Closing timeline example

FOH

BOH

Pre-closing
- All areas must be well maintained and clean at all times.
- Floors should remain free of debris.
- Kanbans should be filled as they are emptied.
- Ensure secondary heated drawers are off and clean drawer inserts.
- Clean and polish ovens, prep refrigerators, ice machine, ice bin, and soup warmer.
- Deep cleaning tasks completed.
- Turn off the secondary bun toaster.
- Clean and polish the muffin toaster.
8:30 pm
- One pressure fryer (1st of 4 total) should be filtered and the fry pot cleaned. The exterior should be cleaned, sanitized, and polished.
- Turn off one grill (1st of 2 total) and allow it to cool. Scrape off the top and bottom grills to remove any build-up.
- Clean the secondary bun toaster. Clean and polish the exterior.
- All trash cans are moved to the back and fresh liners are placed in two (2) large trash cans. Place one large trash can near the primary side hand washing sink and the other by the dish area. All other empty, unlined trash cans are cleaned and stacked in the service yard.
8:45 pm
- Clean cooled-down grill. Clean and polish the exterior.
9:00 pm
- Clean centerline secondary side. Polish all vertical surfaces. Stock all areas.
- Another pressure fryer (2nd of 4 total) should be filtered and the fry pot cleaned. The exterior should be cleaned, sanitized, and polished.
- Filter and clean one primary side open fryer.
9:30 pm
- Turn off the centerline cold well.
9:45 pm
- Final drops of products should be cooked.
- Toast the final set of buns
- Turn off the primary toaster to cool down.
10:00 pm
- Assigned team member for "trash" then compacts all trash bags and boxes from FOH and BOH, transports compacted trash and boxes to the dumpsters, and cleans the service yard. (30 min task, 1 person)
- Turn off the last grill (2 of 2) and allow it to cool. Scrape off the top and bottom grills to remove any build-up. Clean cooled-down grill. Clean and polish the exterior. (10 min task, 1 person)
- Final 2 pressure fryers (3rd and 4th(Spicy) of 4 total) should be filtered and the fry pot cleaned. The exterior should be cleaned, sanitized, and polished. (20 min task, 1 person)
- Clean the primary bun toaster.
- All dishes moved to the dish area.
- Clean and sanitize all surfaces and polish all vertical surfaces
- Clean dishes.
10:30 pm
- Scrape out filter boxes for all open and pressure fryers.
10:45 pm
- Scrub, rinse, squeegee, and mop floors. (2 people, 20 min)

Page updated

Report abuse