Front of house checklists should be reviewed at least once a month, or whenever there's a major change like a new menu, a change in staff roles, or updates in equipment. Regular reviews keep the checklists relevant and ensure they continue to meet the needs of your team and your service standards.
Common misunderstanding: Once a checklist is created, it doesn’t need to be changed unless there is a problem.
Even if no issues are apparent, regular reviews can uncover opportunities for improvement and adapt to subtle shifts in operations or customer expectations. It’s about proactive management, not just reactive fixes.
Common misunderstanding: Checklists only need reviewing annually.
Annual reviews might miss changes that affect daily operations. Frequent reviews help catch small issues before they become big problems and keep the checklist effective all year round.
Feedback from staff should focus on clarity, relevance, and practicality of the checklist tasks. Ask your team if there are any tasks that feel unnecessary, unclear, or consistently missed. Encourage them to suggest improvements and share whether the checklists help them in their daily roles or create unnecessary hurdles.
Common misunderstanding: Staff feedback on checklists is only about what’s wrong.
Positive feedback is just as valuable. Knowing which parts of the checklist work well can help you understand what to maintain during revisions.
Common misunderstanding: Only negative incidents should trigger feedback requests.
Regular feedback should be encouraged, not just feedback following issues. This continuous input can drive consistent improvements and staff engagement.
Checklists should be directly aligned with your venue's SOPs by using consistent language and steps as described in training and operational guides. If SOPs change, the checklists should be updated simultaneously to avoid confusion and ensure compliance. Regular training sessions can help reinforce this alignment.
Common misunderstanding: Checklists and SOPs are separate tools.
They should function together. A checklist is a practical application of SOPs, guiding daily actions based on broader operational policies.
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our founder Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.
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.
A comprehensive daily FOH cleaning checklist should include: wiping down the host stand and resetting menus, cleaning POS equipment, polishing door glass and handles, checking and cleaning toilets with necessary supplies, restocking napkins, condiments, and tabletop items, vacuuming or mopping key walkways and under tables, emptying bins and cleaning bin lids, and spot-cleaning walls, door frames, and baseboards. This ensures the front of house is welcoming and hygienic for guests.
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.