4 ways to automate food delivery checks

#1 - Simple log

Who it's for: Single-site kitchens where the chef or duty manager checks deliveries in themselves. No second checker, just a need to record that each delivery was inspected on arrival.

What it is: A food delivery check is a record of each incoming delivery and whether it was acceptable. This version keeps it to the things that belong to one delivery: the food and supplier, and three yes/no checks for packaging, temperature, and date codes. They sit together in one box so each delivery reads as one check. Catching a problem at the door, before stock is put away and used, is the cheapest and safest place to catch it.

Available on: Basic.

In practice: A single-site restaurant takes in the morning chilled delivery. The chef logs "Chilled meat, Brakes", ticks packaging yes, probes a box and ticks temperature yes, checks the dates and ticks yes. A clear record that the delivery was inspected, not just signed for and wheeled into the walk-in.

Why it works: The supplier and the three checks live in one box, so a delivery can never be logged without saying who it came from and what was checked. That is what makes it traceable if a batch is later recalled or linked to illness.

Steps included:

• 1 grouped check (one box per delivery) holding: food and supplier (text), packaging ok? (yes/no), temperature ok? (yes/no), dates ok? (yes/no)
• Duplicate the box for each delivery

When to upgrade:

1. Rota staff are signing for deliveries and don't all know what to reject
2. You want proof of a delivery's condition, not just a tick
3. You run more than one site and want a named sign-off

#2 - With guidance

Who it's for: Kitchens where rota staff or whoever is nearest signs for deliveries and needs to know what good and bad look like.

What it is: The simple check with a guidance note added to the box. The note states that chilled food should arrive at 8°C or below and frozen at -18°C or below, and to reject anything with damaged packaging, short dates, or signs it has been out of temperature, recording the rejection so a pattern with a supplier shows up.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A care-home kitchen runs this. A kitchen assistant takes a delivery, sees the note, probes a chilled box reading 11°C, ticks temperature "No", and rejects it on the spot rather than accepting borderline stock because the driver was in a hurry.

What it adds to the previous template:

1. The acceptable temperatures and rejection rules are on screen at the door
2. Staff who rarely take deliveries know what to turn away
3. Rejections get recorded, so a problem supplier becomes visible

Why it works: The guidance sits in the same box as the checks, so staff see it at the moment they inspect. It turns "use your judgement" into a clear standard anyone can apply.

Steps included:

• 1 grouped check (one box per delivery): food and supplier (text), packaging ok? (yes/no), temperature ok? (yes/no), dates ok? (yes/no)
• 1 guidance note in the box (acceptable temperatures and what to reject)

When to upgrade: When a tick is no longer enough and you want photo proof of the delivery (Delivery #3), or a named sign-off for a goods-in audit trail (Delivery #4).

#3 - With photo evidence

Who it's for: Kitchens that want proof of a delivery's condition on arrival, whether to defend a rejection or to back a claim against a supplier.

What it is: The guided check plus a photo of the delivery or the probe reading. A tick says the check happened; a photo of damaged packaging or 11°C on the probe is proof of why a delivery was rejected, which matters when a supplier disputes a credit.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A multi-site bakery photographs any delivery it rejects, with the probe or the damage in shot. When a supplier challenged a rejected chilled order, the photo of the probe at 12°C settled it without an argument.

What it adds to the previous template:

1. A photo of the delivery or probe reading, captured at the door
2. Proof of why a delivery was accepted or rejected
3. Evidence that backs a credit claim or a supplier dispute

Why it works: Evidence taken in the moment is far stronger than a tick recalled later. The photo ties the decision to the actual delivery and time.

Steps included:

• 1 grouped check (one box per delivery): food and supplier (text), packaging ok? (yes/no), temperature ok? (yes/no), dates ok? (yes/no)
• 1 guidance note in the box (acceptable temperatures and what to reject)
• 1 photo in the box (the delivery or probe reading)

When to upgrade: When goods-in records need a named, dated sign-off so an audit can see who accepted each delivery (Delivery #4).

#4 - With photo and signature

Who it's for: Multi-site groups where a duty manager signs off goods-in and the records have to stand up across sites and suppliers.

What it is: The photo check plus a signature. The person taking the delivery signs to confirm it was checked and the decision recorded. For a group buying centrally, that signature makes each site accountable for what it accepts.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A 20-site pub group logs every delivery with the checks, a photo, and a sign-off. The group's buyer can see across all sites which deliveries from which supplier were rejected and why, all timestamped, and use it in supplier reviews.

What it adds to the previous template:

1. A signature confirming the delivery was checked and the decision recorded
2. Named accountability for each site's goods-in
3. A complete record (checks, photo, signature) an auditor and a buyer can both use

Why it works: A signature turns a set of checks into a record someone has put their name to. With the photo and the checks, it is the full evidence an EHO, an auditor, or a supplier review needs.

Steps included:

• 1 grouped check (one box per delivery): food and supplier (text), packaging ok? (yes/no), temperature ok? (yes/no), dates ok? (yes/no)
• 1 guidance note in the box (acceptable temperatures and what to reject)
• 1 photo in the box (the delivery or probe reading)
• 1 signature in the box (sign-off)

When to upgrade: When you want Poppi to flag a rejected delivery to the buyer on its own, or pull every site's goods-in records into one supplier report. Those versions are coming in the next post update.

How to pick the right version

You don't need to know our product to choose. Just answer three questions about how your kitchen runs.

Is it just you taking deliveries, or do other people do it too?

If you take them yourself and know what to reject, a plain check is enough. The moment rota staff sign for them, the standard needs to be on the screen. If only you check, #1 is fine. If anyone else does, start at #2.

Do you need proof, or is a record enough?

A record tells you the checks were done. Proof is something you can put in front of an inspector or a supplier. If a record is enough, stop at #1 or #2. If you reject stock and want to defend it, #3 adds a photo.

Does someone need to sign off goods-in?

In one kitchen, the record speaks for itself. Across sites, an auditor or a buyer wants to know who accepted each delivery. If no sign-off is needed, #3 is enough. If you run more than one site, #4 adds a signature.

Related reading

• Fridge temperature check - where chilled deliveries go once accepted
• Freezer temperature check - the same for frozen deliveries
• Cooked food temperature check - the next link in the chain once stock is used

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should a chilled delivery be?

Chilled food should arrive at 8°C or below, and ideally 5°C or below. Frozen food should be -18°C or below. Probe a representative box rather than the surface of the packaging, and reject deliveries that arrive warm. A driver running late is not a reason to accept stock that has been out of temperature.

What should I reject a delivery for?

Damaged or open packaging, food above the safe temperature, short or passed date codes, signs of pest activity, or anything that does not match the order paperwork. Record the rejection and the reason so a recurring problem with a supplier becomes visible rather than getting waved through each time.

Do I need to check every delivery?

Yes, every food delivery should be checked on arrival. It is the cheapest and safest place to catch a problem, before stock is put away and mixed with good stock. A quick, recorded check at the door beats discovering a temperature or date problem mid-service.

Why record deliveries that were fine?

Traceability. If a product is recalled or a customer reports illness, your delivery records show what came in, from whom, and when, so you can act fast and prove you caught problems at the door. Recording only rejections leaves you unable to trace the stock you accepted.

Where to go next

The door is the cheapest place to catch unsafe stock, and a recorded check is the only proof you did. The versions above move from a simple check to a signed photo record, so the evidence is there when an inspector or a supplier asks.

Five more versions are coming in the next refresh that bring AI into the check. Poppi can flag a rejected delivery to the buyer, and pull every site's goods-in into one supplier report. Those need more review time and will land separately.

→ Build your own food delivery check on Pilla. The Basic plan unlocks the simple check today.