Before you start

• •Cash drop bag and deposit slips
• •Closing checklist printed (one per station)
• •Sanitizer buckets refilled
• •Trash bags pre-loaded at every station

The procedure

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

1. 1

   Last seating call

   Walk the dining room and bar. Tell every server: 'last seating in 30 minutes.' Update the host stand. No new tables seated past the cutoff regardless of slow business.

   Why: Discipline at last call protects the entire close timeline. One late seating shifts the whole crew home an hour late.

2. 2

   Begin line breakdown by station

   Cold side first (loses the least quality), then hot side, then fryers (last so they cool safely). Date and label everything going into the walk-in. Anything that won't survive tomorrow's service goes in the waste log with reason.

   Why: Wrong breakdown order ruins prep and produces avoidable food cost the next day.

3. 3

   Front of house reset

   Servers run the closing side work checklist by station. Bus tubs emptied, polished silverware to the tray, table reset for tomorrow morning. Bar ice dumped, mats washed, glasses polished.

   Why: FOH reset done at close means morning open is half done before the opener arrives.

4. 4

   Cash handling and drop

   Manager pulls each server's cash. Reconcile against POS. Run the deposit. Two-person count if revenue exceeded threshold. Drop in safe, log the time and the two initials.

   Why: Single-person cash handling at close is the #1 cause of theft accusations and insurance claims.

5. 5

   Equipment shutdown

   Reverse the morning power-up. Espresso machine first, then ovens, fryers (oil filtered if scheduled), grill, flat top. Hood ventilation last. Confirm every breaker is in correct position before walking away.

   Why: Wrong shutdown order leaves grease in hot lines and trips alarms overnight.

6. 6

   Sanitation walk

   Walk every station with sanitizer. Wipe every contact surface. Mop floors back-to-front from the kitchen out. Empty all bins. Replace liners at every station so morning crew doesn't start with a trash run.

   Why: Health inspectors arrive unannounced at open. A spotless line at unlock is a cheap insurance policy.

7. 7

   Security walk and lockup

   Walk every door (back, side, front), every window, the bathroom for sleepers. Set the alarm, log the set time. Manager exits last.

   Why: Skipping the bathroom check has been the cause of more than one overnight squatter incident.

8. 8

   Handoff note for the morning opener

   Write a one-sentence note for tomorrow's opener: anything that broke, anything they need to know (low par on a key item, equipment fault, customer complaint that may follow up). Leave it on the manager desk where they look first.

   Why: Handoff is the difference between a smooth open and the morning opener calling the GM at 6 a.m.

Verify when done

• ☐All temperature logs final-checked and signed
• ☐Cash deposit logged with two initials
• ☐Every door confirmed locked, alarm set time logged
• ☐Handoff note left on manager desk

Common mistakes

• ✕Single-person cash drop (theft risk)
• ✕Wrong shutdown order — leaves hot grease in lines
• ✕Skipping bathroom check during security walk
• ✕No handoff note — morning opener walks in blind

Trainer notes

The closer who skips the handoff note is the closer who gets called at 6 a.m. tomorrow. Make the note a non-negotiable on the checklist and check for it every morning.

Common questions