Before you start

• •Espresso machine backflush tablet (brand-specific for your machine model)
• •Brush for group head cleaning
• •Sanitizer solution for milk station
• •POS access for cash close and reconciliation

The procedure

Step-by-step, in order. Each step has the action and the reason it matters.

1. 1

   Final call and last customer

   Announce last call 15 minutes before close for made-to-order drinks. After the last customer, flip signage and lock the front door. Note close time on the shift log.

   Why: Serving a customer who walked in 2 minutes before close without a clear cutoff creates rushed, poor-quality drinks and late closes.

2. 2

   Backflush the espresso machine

   Remove portafilter basket, insert blind basket. Add 1 backflush tablet per the machine manufacturer's recommendation. Run the automated backflush cycle (or manual if machine requires): 10 seconds on, 10 seconds off, repeat 5 times. Remove blind basket, run one clear flush cycle, reinstall portafilter.

   Why: Oil buildup in the group head degrades espresso flavor overnight and shortens gasket life. A machine not backflushed daily needs a professional service cleaning sooner.

3. 3

   Clean group heads and portafilters

   Scrub group head with group head brush, removing grounds and coffee oil from the screen. Remove portafilter baskets, soak in hot water with cleaner. Scrub baskets, rinse thoroughly, dry with a clean bar towel, reinstall.

   Why: Coffee oil on a portafilter basket adds bitterness to every shot pulled the next morning.

4. 4

   Clean the steam wands

   Soak wand tips in hot water for 5 minutes. Scrub with a dedicated wand brush. Purge each wand with steam to clear the tip. Wipe exterior with a damp cloth. Check: the wand tip holes should all be open and clear.

   Why: A clogged steam wand tip is undetectable until you're mid-steam on a busy morning order. It takes 5 minutes to clear at night and 10 angry customers to discover at open.

5. 5

   Milk station and refrigerator

   Dump any opened milk not re-used tomorrow. Wipe down milk station with sanitizer solution. Clean the refrigerator shelf where milk is stored — milk drips and sours. Restocking notes for tomorrow's opener.

   Why: Sour milk smell behind the bar is noticed immediately by customers. A dirty milk station is visible from the order counter.

6. 6

   Clean grinder

   Empty hopper of remaining beans (stale beans left overnight contribute to a stale first-shot problem the next morning). Run grinder purge tablets or brush out the burrs per manufacturer guidance. Wipe grinder exterior.

   Why: Day-old beans left in the grinder overnight go stale faster than beans stored properly. A fresh grinder at open means a faster dial-in.

7. 7

   Cash close and POS reconciliation

   Count the till. Print the end-of-day sales report. Reconcile cash to expected cash position. Drop to safe per your deposit procedure. Log any variance with a note. Reconcile credit batch total against POS report.

   Why: Unreconciled nightly closes compound into unresolvable monthly discrepancies.

8. 8

   Floors, counters, and final lockup

   Sweep and mop bar floor and dining area. Wipe all counters with sanitizer. Empty trash. Check: machine powered down correctly per manufacturer (many commercial machines have an overnight standby mode, not a full off). Lock front and rear doors. Set alarm.

   Why: A machine left in full-heat mode overnight shortens element life significantly. Manufacturer standby mode is the correct overnight setting.

Verify when done

• ☐Espresso machine backflushed
• ☐All steam wands cleaned and purged
• ☐Grinder hopper emptied
• ☐Milk station sanitized
• ☐Cash reconciled and dropped
• ☐Machine in correct overnight mode, not full off or full on

Common mistakes

• ✕Skipping the espresso machine backflush
• ✕Leaving opened milk in the station overnight
• ✕Leaving beans in the grinder hopper
• ✕Not reconciling the cash close before leaving

Trainer notes

Backflush is the single most skipped closing step. The consequences are invisible for weeks, then sudden: a bitter machine, a gasket that needs replacement, a service call. Make it non-negotiable.

Common questions