Starting and ending the day with a clean front of house (FOH) is crucial for maintaining a welcoming environment. Your daily FOH cleaning checklist should cover all areas that impact guest perception and hygiene. Here’s what you need to include:
Common misunderstanding: A quick tidy-up is enough for opening and closing.
Simply tidying up isn't sufficient. A thorough clean, following a detailed checklist, ensures that every area meets high standards of cleanliness and readiness for guests.
Common misunderstanding: Cleaning once per day is enough.
Cleaning both at opening and closing is essential. This not only maintains standards throughout the day but also prepares your space for the next business day, ensuring a consistently clean environment.
Cleaning toilets at both the start and end of every shift is vital for maintaining hygiene and guest comfort. Toilets are high-traffic areas and can quickly become unsanitary. Regular cleaning prevents the buildup of germs and ensures a pleasant experience for every guest.
Common misunderstanding: Cleaning toilets once a day is sufficient.
Given the frequency of use and the potential for quick contamination, toilets need attention multiple times a day to maintain the necessary hygiene standards.
Common misunderstanding: Guests don’t notice the cleanliness of toilets as much as other areas.
Guests often judge the cleanliness of the entire venue based on the state of the toilets. A clean toilet area significantly impacts their overall impression and trust in your hygiene practices.
Daily cleaning tasks in the FOH area are critical for making a good first impression. When guests see a clean and well-maintained environment, it builds their confidence in your service and cleanliness, directly impacting their overall experience and satisfaction.
Common misunderstanding: FOH cleanliness is only about aesthetics.
While a clean FOH looks good, it also plays a crucial role in hygiene. Regular cleaning reduces the risk of cross-contamination and ensures a safer dining experience.
Common misunderstanding: Infrequent deep cleaning is enough to maintain standards.
Daily cleaning tasks are necessary to address the gradual buildup of dirt and wear that occurs with regular use. This maintains high standards consistently, rather than relying on periodic deep cleaning which might leave issues unaddressed in the interim.
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Weekly cleaning tasks to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in the front of house (FOH) of a restaurant include: deep vacuuming of carpets, scrubbing hard floors, dusting light fittings, cleaning skirting boards, and wiping down furniture. It is also important to clean high-touch areas like chair legs and bar stools. Schedule these tasks during quieter periods or when the restaurant is closed for efficient cleaning without disrupting service.
Monthly cleaning tasks in a restaurant's front of house are important for maintaining a professional appearance and ensuring long-term cleanliness.
After each guest, it is important to reset the area promptly to ensure cleanliness.
To encourage a culture of pride in front-of-house cleaning, it's crucial to make staff feel valued and show how their efforts contribute to the restaurant's success.
If your front of house appears clean but customers or staff report issues, this may suggest a problem with your cleaning schedule.
Assigning cleaning tasks to specific roles is crucial to ensure all tasks are completed consistently and efficiently.
To clearly write FOH cleaning tasks, it's important to provide specific and detailed instructions to avoid confusion and ensure consistency in cleaning standards.
To prioritise Front of House (FOH) cleaning tasks effectively, begin by identifying areas most visible to guests or those that could pose hygiene risks.