Restaurant Cleaning Checklist: Steps for Your Entire Team

Cleanliness is essential in the restaurant industry. If you don't clean and sanitize your location on a regular basis, you could face fines, temporary closure, and a bad reputation in your community. Or even worse, you'll put your guests' health at risk. 

Of course, knowing you need to clean your restaurant and doing it effectively are different things. Good news: a restaurant cleaning checklist will help. 

In this guide we share restaurant cleaning tips you can implement immediately. Even better, we separate each tip by shift, area, and team responsibility—so nothing slips through the cracks. 

Restaurant Cleaning Checklist: Why It Matters 

A restaurant cleaning checklist will help you maintain compliance, protect guest health, improve efficiency, and create better dining experiences. That’s why it’s so important for all types of eateries. 

Protecting Guest Health and Meeting Regulations 

Regularly cleaning kitchen equipment, food prep areas, and dining rooms will help your establishment avoid foodborne illnesses that destroy the guest experience. 

You'll also stay compliant with laws and regulations, which is a big deal in the food service industry. By following health department guidelines, you'll make sure your restaurant earns a high score from health inspectors. Even if you weren't expecting them to show up for an inspection.  

Improving Efficiency and Accountability 

A restaurant kitchen cleaning checklist is good for employees as well. When employees know exactly what and how to clean, they become significantly more efficient. 

Checklists also simplify the employee training process. New hires won't have to memorize sanitizing techniques and cleaning schedules. They'll simply follow your checklist. The result? Faster training, greater consistency across shifts, and a cleaner restaurant. 

Improving the Guest Experience 

Imagine you walk into a new restaurant, and there's trash on the floor, stains on the upholstered seats, and crumbs on the tabletops. Are you still going to eat there? Probably not. 

Your guests feel the same way. If your restaurant isn't clean and sanitized, they won't stick around. After all, they might get sick. Clean dining rooms and restrooms build trust with guests and encourage repeat visits. In other words, they're vital to the success of your restaurant. 

Opening Shift Restaurant Cleaning Checklist 

Tackle these daily cleaning tasks before your restaurant opens. To make things easier, we've separated them into two categories: front of house (FOH) and back of house (BOH) tasks. 

Front of House (FOH) Tasks 

Follow this front of house cleaning checklist to ensure your dining room is sanitized on a regular basis. Doing so will improve the guest experience and encourage repeat visits. 

• Empty trash cans 
• Sweep and mop floors 
• Vacuum carpets (if applicable) 
• Wipe walls and dust light fixtures when necessary 
• Refill napkin containers, straw holders, and condiment bottles 
• Clean and polish windows throughout your entire establishment 
• Disinfect high-touch surfaces like tables, chairs, menus, POS systems, and door handles 
• Sanitize restroom surfaces and refill toilet paper and paper towel dispensers 

Back of House (BOH) Tasks 

Follow this back of house cleaning checklist to sanitize your kitchen every day. This will eliminate foodborne illness and help your restaurant maintain compliance. 

• Wipe down and sanitize splashes on walls 
• Wipe down and sanitize food contact surfaces 
• Wipe down and sanitize all sinks in your commercial kitchen 
• Clean ovens, grills, deep fryers and other cooking equipment 
• Wipe refrigeration units, coffee machines, ice machines, and similar tools 
• Clean walk-in refrigerators and food storage areas 
• Wash utensils, flatware, dishes, and cups used to serve guests 
• Wash rags, towels, aprons, and other fabric items 
• Sweep and mop floors and clean floor mats 
• Refill soap and paper towels dispensers 
• Empty trash and recycling bins 
• Clean and sanitize trash bins 

Mid-Shift Cleaning Tasks to Maintain Standards 

You'll need to clean your restaurant throughout the day. These two checklists—one for FOH tasks and another for BOH tasks—will help you develop an efficient mid-shift cleaning process. 

FOH and Dining Area Checklist 

The following cleaning procedures will keep your FOH areas clean between shifts: 

• Wipe down tables and booths between guests 
• Wipe down table accessories, like salt and pepper shakers, between guests 
• Spot-clean restrooms and replenish supplies throughout the day 
• Manage floor debris or spills as soon as they happen 
• Empty trash bins whenever necessary 

BOH and Kitchen Line Tasks 

This commercial kitchen cleaning checklist will keep your BOH areas clean between shifts: 

• Regularly sanitize prep surfaces 
• Swap out dirty utensils and cutting boards as needed 
• Sweep and mop kitchen spills immediately after they happen 
• Monitor food holding temperatures and cleanliness of hot/cold wells 

Closing Shift Restaurant Cleaning Checklist 

The workday is done. Now it's time to grab the cleaning supplies and do a kitchen deep clean, FOH closeout, and tidy up the restrooms. Here's an easy-to-follow checklist. 

Kitchen Deep Clean Checklist 

Deep clean your kitchen at the end of the day. Doing so will help you remove potentially hazardous food residue and ensure the ongoing health of your employees and guests. 

• Take out trash bins 
• Thoroughly sweep and mop floors 
• Remove grease buildup from grills, fryers, range hoods, and vents 
• Sanitize cutting boards, countertops, and storage bins 

FOH Closeout Tasks 

Restaurant deep cleaning doesn't end in the kitchen. You need to sanitize FOH areas too, so that your establishment is ready to receive guests the next day. 

• Empty drip trays (especially if you have a bar area) 
• Remove smudges from glass doors and/or windows 
• Disinfect surfaces, including chairs and POS screens 
• Sweep, mop, and vacuum floors throughout the restaurant 
• Restock supplies, like condiments and napkins, for the morning crew 

Restrooms 

Finally, sanitize bathrooms, clean various wash areas, and restock missing items. That way opening shift employees don't have to scramble to do it before guests arrive. 

• Use a specialized cleaning solution to disinfect toilets, sinks, mirrors, and floors 
• Take out the trash, restock soap dispensers, and refill paper goods holders 

Weekly and Monthly Cleaning Tasks 

We've covered daily cleaning tasks. Now make time for weekly cleaning tasks and monthly maintenance measures to ensure your restaurant hits peak performance. 

Weekly Deep-Clean List 

Use this weekly cleaning checklist to tackle "heavy-duty" tasks and make sure your restaurant is both sanitary and inviting for guests. 

• Check pest traps 
• Clean inside ovens 
• Sanitize walk-in refrigerators 
• Organize cabinets and under countertops 
• Power wash floor mats and back kitchen areas 
• Clean light fixtures, wall surfaces, windows, and glass doors 

Monthly Maintenance 

These monthly tasks will keep your restaurant clean and your commercial kitchen equipment in working order. As such, they're important to the success of your business. 

• Clean behind appliances 
• Inspect cooking equipment and food storage tools 
• Service grease traps and hood filters to ensure working order 
• Contact a professional pest control service to review pest control measures 

Assigning Responsibilities Across Your Team 

You've developed a comprehensive cleaning schedule. Now you need to delegate cleaning tasks to the most logical employees. These two tips will help: 

1. Designate Tasks by Role and Shift

First, assign tasks based on employee roles and schedules. For example, ask FOH employees to complete FOH cleaning tasks, while BOH employees complete BOH cleaning tasks. We also recommend using printed or digital cleaning checklists. This will increase accountability and make sure your restaurant is thoroughly cleaned each day. 

2. Incorporate Into Daily Prep and Shift Change Routines

Let your employees know: regular cleaning is part of the job, not an extra task. Once you've made that clear, align cleaning tasks with prep list, opening duties, and line checks. Then take things a step further and add signature boxes to your restaurant cleaning checklists. This will keep your employees accountable and make sure your restaurant is sanitized regularly. 

Digital Tools to Manage Your Restaurant Cleaning Checklist 

Software can help you develop an effective restaurant cleaning checklist—and make sure your employees actually use it. Here are eight tools we recommend. 

Use Task Management Software for Repeatability 

Task management software will help your team track completed tasks in real time. So, they'll never have to ask each other, "Did you sanitize the toilets?" They'll just look at the app. 

Just as important, you can use these tools to create recurring cleaning checklists tied to shifts. In other words, a BOH employee who works the closing shift won't have to sift through tasks that are only assigned to FOH employees who work the opening shift, and vice versa. 

There are plenty of task management apps for restaurants. Some of the more popular ones include 7shifts, Jolt, Connecteam, Trail, and GoAudits. 

Integrate Cleaning with Employee Training and Onboarding 

Digital tools can help develop robust employee training and onboarding programs that reinforce cleaning protocols. Popular options include Docebo, TalentLMS, and Litmos. 

Some employee training apps feature task management features that can be accessed via a mobile device. This means your team will be able to train and complete tasks on the same app. And they'll access the tool on the device they already have in their pocket. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Cleaning Checklists 

Still have questions about restaurant cleaning checklists? Here are the five we see most often. 

What's the number one rule of cleaning? 

Different people will tell you different things. But generally speaking, the number one rule of cleaning is, "Clean from top to bottom." In practice, this means that you clean walls before tables, tables before floors, and so on. This ensures dust and debris dislodged near the top of your restaurant don't fall on areas you've already cleaned, creating a sanitary environment. 

What's the correct sequence for restaurant cleaning? 

First, clean your restaurant from top to bottom. This will physically remove most dirt and germs from the premises. Second, sanitize high-touch areas, such as doorknobs, tabletops, and menus. This will further reduce germs on items that are often used by guests. Third, disinfect specific locations that attract the most impurities, like raw food prep areas and bathrooms.  

These methods will ensure personal and food safety for all. Be aware, you'll need different cleaning chemicals for each sequence above: clean, sanitize, disinfect. Cleaning is often done with soap and water, while a sanitizing solution or purpose-made disinfectant will be required for the other two. 

What are the five points of cleaning? 

The five points of cleaning are: 

1. Decluttering: Do this before you clean to increase efficiency 
2. Dusting: Do this second to dislodge debris that can be cleaned in future steps 
3. Vacuuming: Do this third to clean debris off of the carpets in your restaurant 
4. Mopping: Do this fourth to remove germs, stains, and other impurities from hard floors 
5. Disinfecting: Do this fifth, using strong cleaning supplies to disinfect high-touch areas 

What is the 3S cleaning checklist? 

The 3 S's stand for sort, set in order, and shine. In the "sort" phase, decide which items and/or tools your team uses on a regular basis. Remove the ones that aren't used. In the "set in order" phase, place all items and/or tools in their proper location. In the "shine" phase, clean the items and/or tools you keep, as well as the general areas around them. 

Keep It Clean: Your Restaurant Cleaning Checklist Can Set You Apart 

A strong cleaning checklist builds efficiency, safety, and guest trust. Fortunately, all you have to do to develop a cleaning checklist for your restaurant is follow the tips in this article. 

Remember: cleaning should be done on a regular basis. As such, it should become part of the culture of your restaurant, not only a task list. This will ensure it's done well. 

Looking for additional ways to improve your restaurant? Paytronix will help you streamline operations and empower your team with tools that boost accountability. Book a demo today.