Restaurant Closing Checklist SOP Template

1.Purpose

To close the restaurant safely and accurately, with cash reconciled, the dining room reset, and the building secured before staff leave.

2.Scope

Applies to front of house closing tasks, including last call, cash reconciliation and locking up. Kitchen closing and cleaning are covered by their own procedures.

Definitions

Safe drop

Moving cash from a register to the safe during or at the end of a shift to reduce the amount kept in the drawer.

Till reconciliation

Comparing the cash and card totals in a drawer against the POS report to check for a match.

Walk-out

A guest who leaves without paying their bill.

3.Responsibilities

Shift Manager

Calls last order times, reconciles all cash drawers, and secures the building at close.

Server

Closes out remaining tables, resets their section, and turns in their cash and tips.

Host

Closes the reservation list, tidies the waiting area, and confirms no guests remain in the entrance area.

Bartender

Calls last call at the bar, closes the bar drawer, and secures liquor and bar equipment.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Closing checklist
• →Cash drawer reconciliation form
• →Safe drop bags
• →POS end-of-day report
• →Building keys and alarm code
• →Lost and found log

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Announce last order and last call

   Server

   At the scheduled time, servers announce last order for food and the bartender announces last call for drinks to all remaining tables.

2. 5.2

   Close the reservation list and waitlist

   Host

   The host closes the reservation system for new bookings, clears the waitlist app, and confirms no guests remain waiting in the entrance area.

3. 5.3

   Close out remaining guest checks

   Server

   Present checks to remaining tables, process payment, and thank each guest as they leave, watching for any unpaid table before they exit.

   Warning: Never let a guest leave the building before their check is settled if a walk-out is suspected. Flag the shift manager instead of confronting the guest.

4. 5.4

   Reset each server section

   Server

   Clear and wipe down tables, reset table settings to the opening standard, and stock service stations for the next shift.

5. 5.5

   Close and reconcile the bar

   Bartender

   Stop bar service after last call, count the bar drawer, log liquor levels for the night, and secure bottles and equipment.

   Checkpoint: Bar drawer total matches the POS report before the drawer is locked away.

6. 5.6

   Run the POS end-of-day report

   Shift Manager

   Once all checks are closed, the shift manager runs the end-of-day report from the POS to get total sales, tips and payment method breakdowns.

7. 5.7

   Reconcile each cash drawer

   Shift Manager

   Count each drawer against its POS report with a second person present, recording the counted total and any variance on the reconciliation form.

   Checkpoint: Each drawer count is within the acceptable variance set by house policy, or the variance is documented and explained.

8. 5.8

   Complete the safe drop

   Shift Manager

   Place cash beyond the next shift's float into a sealed safe drop bag, log the amount and bag number, and secure it in the safe with a second person witnessing.

   Warning: Never leave more cash in a drawer overnight than the amount set by house policy.

9. 5.9

   Tidy the host stand and waiting area

   Host

   Straighten menus, wipe down the host stand, and clear any items left in the waiting area before turning off entrance lighting.

10. 5.10

    Log lost and found items

    Server

    Record any item left behind by a guest in the lost and found log with the date, table number and description, and store it in the designated area.

11. 5.11

    Turn off systems and lighting

    Shift Manager

    Shut down POS terminals not needed overnight, turn off music and dining room lighting, and confirm all kitchen-facing pass-through areas are handed off.

12. 5.12

    Lock up and arm the alarm

    Shift Manager

    Confirm all staff have left, walk the building once more, lock all doors, and arm the security system before leaving.

    Checkpoint: The building is empty, all doors are locked and the alarm is armed before the manager leaves.

6.Quality checks

• →No guest check remains open after last order without a documented reason.
• →Every cash drawer reconciles within the acceptable variance or the variance is explained.
• →Safe drop amount and bag number are logged and witnessed.
• →Building is confirmed empty and alarmed before the manager leaves.

7.Records

• →Closing checklist
• →Cash drawer reconciliation form
• →Safe drop log
• →Lost and found log

8.KPIs

• →Cash variance per shift across all drawers
• →Time from last call to building locked
• →Number of unresolved lost and found items per month
• →Walk-out incidents per month

9.Common mistakes

• →Counting a cash drawer alone instead of with a second person present.
• →Leaving more cash in a drawer overnight than house policy allows.
• →Skipping the final building walkthrough before setting the alarm.
• →Forgetting to close the reservation and waitlist system for the next day.

10.Revision history