The Owner's Notebook
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Operations

Operations is what stays consistent when you are not standing there. Written routines first, then the specific fixes for speed, service and the days that go sideways.

Start here

Read these 5 in order if the subject is new to you.

  1. Opening and Closing Checklists That WorkA good opening and closing checklist makes your restaurant run the same every shift. Here's how to build ones staff actually complete, plus a free template.
  2. Creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)SOPs make your restaurant run the same way whether you're there or not. How to write standard operating procedures staff actually follow, plus a template.
  3. How to Run an Effective Pre-Shift MeetingHow to run a 5-10 minute pre-shift meeting that actually improves service — specials, 86'd items, VIPs, and one focus point, without dragging on.
  4. How to Improve Table Turnover TimeFaster table turnover means more covers and more revenue from the same dining room. Here's how to speed up turns without rushing guests or hurting the experience.
  5. How to Handle a Health InspectionA health inspection doesn't have to be stressful. Here's how to prepare, what inspectors check, how to act during the visit, and how to fix violations fast.

Tools for this section

All 37 guides in this section

01 How to Create a Sick Employee Policy for Your RestaurantWrite a sick employee policy for your restaurant that protects guests, follows food safety rules and keeps shifts covered during cold and flu season. —3 min 02 How to Plan Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Service at Your RestaurantPlan Christmas Eve and Christmas Day service: decide to open or close, build a limited menu, schedule staff fairly and price the holiday for profit. —3 min 03 How to Prepare Your Restaurant for Winter Storms and Frozen PipesProtect your restaurant from frozen pipes, snow and ice with a pre-winter checklist, cold-snap steps, and a plan for staff, deliveries and insurance. —4 min 04 How to Plan Thanksgiving Day Service at Your RestaurantPlan Thanksgiving Day at your restaurant: decide whether to open, set a prix fixe, staff the shift, order food and take reservations. Free planner. Worksheet3 min 05 How to Extend Outdoor Dining Into Winter at Your RestaurantKeep your patio profitable in cold weather. Compare heaters, enclosures and layouts, check heater fuel costs, and use our free patio break-even calculator. Worksheet4 min 06 How to Plan a New Year's Eve Event at Your RestaurantPlan a profitable New Year's Eve at your restaurant: set ticket prices, build the menu, staff the night and sell it out, with a free pricing calculator. Worksheet4 min 07 How to Prepare Your Restaurant for a HurricaneA 72-hour hurricane plan for restaurant owners: what to freeze, how to protect payroll and data, and how to document food loss so your insurance claim pays. Worksheet6 min 08 How to Set Up Outdoor Dining at Your RestaurantPatio seats can add 20-40% more covers without more rent. Here's the permit path, buildout costs, service setup, and the payback math before you spend a dollar. Worksheet6 min 09 How to Start a Ghost Kitchen or Virtual BrandA virtual brand lets you sell a second concept from your existing kitchen. How to pick the menu, price it, launch in 30 days, and know if it's profitable. Worksheet5 min 10 How to Handle a Food Recall at Your RestaurantA supplier recall hits your walk-in at 4 p.m. The exact response order, what to pull and document, how to get credited, and how to protect your license. Worksheet6 min 11 How to Keep a Restaurant Kitchen Cool During a Heat WaveLine temperatures hit 110°F+ in a heat wave. Here's how to cool the kitchen, protect your crew, and keep service running without blowing up your utility bill. Worksheet5 min 12 How to Prepare Your Restaurant for a Power Outage or StormA power outage can cost a restaurant thousands in spoiled food and lost sales. Here's the outage plan, food safety rules, and generator math every owner needs. Worksheet5 min 13 Managing Third-Party Delivery LogisticsThird-party delivery can grow sales or quietly bleed your margins. Here's how to run the logistics tightly — staging, packaging, timing, and channel control. Worksheet4 min 14 Building a Reliable Opening Team RoutineA restaurant lives or dies by how it opens. Here's how to build an opening routine your team runs the same way every day, even when you're not there. Worksheet3 min 15 Managing Takeout and Delivery OperationsTakeout and delivery can boost revenue or wreck your kitchen flow. Here's how to manage off-premise operations for speed, accuracy, and profit. Worksheet4 min 16 Improving Speed of Service MetricsSpeed of service drives table turns, throughput, and guest satisfaction. Here's how to measure ticket times, find the bottleneck, and fix it. Worksheet4 min 17 How to Set Up a Reservation and Waitlist SystemA good reservation and waitlist system fills seats, cuts no-shows, and manages the rush. Here's how to set one up for your restaurant. Worksheet4 min 18 How to Run a Smooth Catering OperationCatering can be high-margin revenue if you run it right. Here's how to manage catering orders, prep, transport, and execution without disrupting your restaurant. Worksheet4 min 19 How to Reduce Energy and Utility CostsUtilities can eat 3-5% of restaurant sales. Here's how to reduce energy, water, and gas costs with low-cost habit changes and smart upgrades. Worksheet4 min 20 How to Prepare for a Busy Holiday WeekendA holiday rush can be your best weekend or your most chaotic. Here's how to prep staffing, inventory, and the menu so your restaurant handles the volume. Worksheet4 min 21 How to Audit Your Restaurant OperationsAn operations audit finds the money and time leaking out of your restaurant. Here's how to run a full operational audit, area by area. Worksheet4 min 22 Handling Supply Chain DisruptionsWhen a key ingredient vanishes or prices spike overnight, your restaurant needs a plan. Here's how to handle supply chain disruptions without wrecking your menu. Worksheet4 min 23 Creating a Positive Guest Experience ConsistentlyGreat guest experiences shouldn't depend on who's working. Here's how to make a positive restaurant experience consistent across every shift and guest. Worksheet4 min 24 Creating a Maintenance Schedule for EquipmentA preventive maintenance schedule keeps your restaurant equipment from failing mid-service. Here's how to build one that saves money. Worksheet4 min 25 Setting Up an Efficient Line During ServiceAn efficient kitchen line means faster tickets and less chaos. Here's how to lay out stations, stage mise en place, and set the line up to move during a rush. Worksheet4 min 26 Restaurant Safety and Accident PreventionRestaurants are full of burn, cut, slip, and fire hazards. Here's how to prevent the most common accidents, protect staff and guests, and lower your liability. Worksheet4 min 27 Opening and Closing Checklists That WorkA good opening and closing checklist makes your restaurant run the same every shift. Here's how to build ones staff actually complete, plus a free template. Worksheet4 min 28 Managing Reservations and No-ShowsNo-shows leave empty tables you can't sell. Here's how to manage reservations, cut no-shows with confirmations and deposits, and fill seats when they happen anyway. Worksheet4 min 29 Kitchen Cleaning and Sanitation SchedulesA kitchen cleaning schedule keeps your restaurant safe, passing inspections, and running smoothly. How to build daily, weekly, and monthly schedules that stick. Worksheet3 min 30 How to Reduce Wait Times During a RushLong waits during a rush cost you tables and repeat guests. Here's how to speed up service without cutting corners, from prep to POS to table turnover. Worksheet3 min 31 How to Manage Multiple LocationsRunning more than one restaurant multiplies the complexity. Here's how to standardize operations, empower managers, and use data to run multiple locations well. Worksheet4 min 32 How to Improve Front-of-House and Back-of-House CommunicationWhen FOH and BOH don't communicate, orders get wrong and tempers flare. Here's how to build systems that keep servers and kitchen in sync every shift. Worksheet4 min 33 How to Handle Customer Complaints GracefullyHow you handle a complaint decides whether a guest returns or warns others away. Here's a proven framework for turning complaints into loyal customers. Worksheet4 min 34 How to Handle a Health InspectionA health inspection doesn't have to be stressful. Here's how to prepare, what inspectors check, how to act during the visit, and how to fix violations fast. Worksheet4 min 35 How to Streamline Your Kitchen WorkflowA streamlined kitchen sends food out faster with less stress and waste. How to organize stations, tighten prep, and fix the bottlenecks that slow your line. Worksheet4 min 36 How to Improve Table Turnover TimeFaster table turnover means more covers and more revenue from the same dining room. Here's how to speed up turns without rushing guests or hurting the experience. Worksheet4 min 37 Creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)SOPs make your restaurant run the same way whether you're there or not. How to write standard operating procedures staff actually follow, plus a template. Worksheet4 min
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