The Ultimate Restaurant Cleaning Checklist [Free & Easy]

More than 90% of Americans consider the cleanliness of a business to be an important factor when deciding whether they’ll come back. Keeping your restaurant clean is a crucial aspect of running a food service business. That’s why we’ve prepared a comprehensive restaurant cleaning checklist for you!

The Importance of Cleanliness in Restaurants

Uncleanliness is one of the most common restaurant complaints and as such, bears great importance for the success and longevity of your restaurant.

Customers won’t return to a restaurant that’s not clean, never mind recommend it to their friends and family. They will most likely also leave you a bad review online, ensuring potential customers will also stay away.

To avoid all of that, you need well-established restaurant cleaning procedures. But before we get into that, let’s see why cleanliness is important in a restaurant.

It mirrors the quality of the food

If patrons can’t trust you to clean a table or disinfect the bathroom, how can they trust you to cook their food?

If your front-of-house looks unclean, they will assume the kitchen is too, and with good reason. Make a great first impression by presenting a spotless restaurant.

It’s an integral part of the dining out experience

One of the main reasons people dine out is because of the experience, not just the food. Cleanliness contributes to the restaurant ambiance and will be immediately noticed by customers.

It’s an example of excellent customer service

You want every customer who steps foot in your restaurant to have a wonderful experience, right? Cleanliness is a key factor. It shows you care about your customers and put their safety first.

In addition, considering the health of both customers and staff, as well as the environment. Integrating the use of an alternative non-toxic cleaning product in your cleaning regime can reduce toxic chemicals in water, contributing to a more sustainable practice. This can be particularly useful in food prep areas and surfaces where traditional cleaning agents may leave harmful residues.

Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

Daily kitchen cleaning checklist

Clean and sanitize sinks
Clean and sanitize counters
Clean and sanitize food prep areas
Degrease and clean appliances
Clean the fryer, grill, range, and griddle
Filter the oil in the fryer
Clean and disinfect cutting boards
Clean and sanitize knobs and handles
Wash all dishes and utensils
Wash towels and aprons
Clean the outside of the ice machine
Empty drinks trays
Clean the beverage dispenser heads
Sweep and mop the floors
Clean the floor mats
Take out the trash

Weekly kitchen cleaning checklist

Clean ovens
Clean refrigerators and coolers
Clean limescale off of sinks, faucets, and coffee makers
Replace the oil in the fryer
Clean out inventory
Unclog floor and sink drains
Wipe down the vent hoods

Monthly kitchen cleaning checklist

Clean the inside of the ice machine
Clean the vent hoods
Clean the fans
Clean the grease traps
Deep clean and sanitize the refrigerators and freezers
Clean the walls and ceiling
Clean behind appliances
Deep clean the floors

Front-of-House Cleaning Checklist

Daily front-of-house cleaning checklist

Clean and sanitize the tables, seats, and counters
Clean and sanitize railings and door handles
Clean and sanitize menus (or remove this concern entirely by using a digital QR code menu)
Sweep/vacuum and mop floors
Take out the trash and recycle
Clean glass surfaces for smudges, fingerprints, and streaks
Refill supplies (straws, napkins, etc.)
Wash dirty linens

Weekly front-of-house cleaning checklist

Clean windows
Clean mirrors
Clean the walls
Clean and sanitize doors
Dust signs, décor, and light fixtures
Wipe down the condiment shakers

Monthly front-of-house cleaning checklist

Deep clean light fixtures
Deep clean ceiling fans
Deep clean carpets

Restaurant Bathroom Cleaning Checklist

Daily restaurant bathroom cleaning checklist

Clean and sanitize toilets and urinals
Sweep and mop floors
Clean sinks and counters
Disinfect door knobs and stall locks
Take out the trash
Refill supplies (soap, toilet paper, paper towels)

Weekly restaurant bathroom cleaning checklist

Dust all surfaces
Wash the walls, stall doors, and stall partitions
Clean the mirrors, frames, and splashbacks
Clean drains
Clean the windows

Monthly restaurant bathroom cleaning checklist

Deep clean the walls and floors
Dust all overhead fixtures
Clean wall and ceiling trim, door tops, window frames, and baseboards

Bar Cleaning Checklist

Daily bar cleaning checklist

Clean and sanitize the bar and stools
Clean and sanitize menus
Sweep and mop the bar area
Clean the wine decanter
Clean the beer taps
Clean coffee machines
Wipe down the liquor bottles
Clean and sanitize the soda guns
Take out the trash
Rinse the drains
Wash drain covers
Clean the speed rails
Wash dirty linen
Wash the glasses

Weekly bar cleaning checklist

Clean coolers
Clean shelves
Clean storage equipment
Sanitize keg lines
Clean floor mats
Reorganize drawers and cabinets

Monthly bar cleaning checklist

Deep clean refrigerators and coolers
Clean behind the bar appliances
Dust overhead fixtures
Deep clean the bins
Polish windows

How to Maintain Cleanliness in Your Restaurant

To ensure you maintain restaurant cleanliness standards throughout the day and make your end-of-day work easier, here is an all-day restaurant cleaning checklist:

Run the dishwasher
Clean any spills
Wipe up any messes
Clean kitchen surfaces before moving on to different dishes
Clean and sanitize the food prep area after using raw meat
Brush the grill
Scrape the griddle
Wipe down menus
Wipe down tables between patrons
Tidy up tables and chairs
Wipe down bar surfaces
Replace beer mats
Clean away glasses from the bar and wash them
Wipe bathroom surfaces as needed
Check the bathroom for refills
Take out trash as needed

Implement a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist Today

A restaurant cleaning checklist can save you a lot of time during and after the workday. It will ensure you don’t miss any tasks and motivate you as you cross tasks off the list. Ultimately, it will help you improve customer experience and show patrons you take your restaurant’s cleanliness very seriously.

Laura-Andreea Voicu

Laura-Andreea Voicu is an experienced content writer with a knack for marketing and SEO. She creates guides and resources designed to help restaurants grow their presence online and boost sales.

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