Bar Opening and Closing Checklist, Bartender Side Work, Bar Back Duties, Cleaning Schedule, Temperature Log, Printable and Editable

Open and close your bar the same way every shift, with nothing missed and a clear record of who did what. This pack gives you 12 printable checklists made for a clipboard behind the bar, plus an editable workbook with the same lists and a simple completion tracker.

What's in the pack

• Opening checklist for the bartender, in the order you actually work: safety and hygiene, ice and tools, garnish and prep, stock, then service and cash.
• Mid-shift checks: six timed rounds for ice, sanitizer, cloths, garbage, restocking and guest checks, initialled each round.
• Closing checklist: end of service, cash, product, cleaning and lock-up, ending with the handover note.
• Bar-back checklist: opening, during-service and closing jobs, so bar-back and bartender duties don't overlap or get dropped.
• Side-work by station: cocktail well, service well, draught, wine, glass and wash, back bar and storage, with a column for each day.
• Weekly deep-clean and monthly and quarterly deep-clean rotations with due day, date done, initials and a manager check, including the records worth filing.
• Bar line check: every prepared item (juices, syrups, dairy, garnish, batches), checked for label and date, temperature, quantity and quality.
• Temperature and sanitizer log: AM and PM readings for each fridge, freezer, glasswasher and sanitizer bucket, with space to write what you did when a reading is out of range.
• Incident report (facts only, written during the shift), shift handover note, and a blank checklist for your own routines.

Made for real use

• Big write-in boxes, Done, Initials and Time columns, and a manager sign-off on every sheet.
• The top of each page is left clear for a clipboard clip. US Letter, portrait, prints well in black and white.
• Food-safety tasks are tagged FS with the section of Ontario's Food Premises Regulation (O. Reg. 493/17) they relate to. The quick-start guide summarises each section in plain words, checked on 2026-10-20. It's a summary, not legal advice; your local public health unit has the final word.

The editable workbook

• Every task is an editable cell: rename, delete or add tasks, then print your own version.
• Each tab shows progress at the top (for example "24 of 26 done").
• The Temp Log checks each reading against the limits you set and flags anything out of range until an action and a re-check are written.
• The monthly Tracker scores how often each routine was completed, skips closed days, and shows which routines slip.
• Example data is included so you can see how it works. Built for Excel. Uses only standard functions, so it also opens in Google Sheets and LibreOffice.

What's included

• Printable checklist pack (PDF, 12 pages)
• Editable workbook (.xlsx) with 11 checklist and form tabs, plus Start Here, Settings, Tracker and a Licence tab
• 4-page quick-start guide (PDF)
• LICENSE.txt

Good to know

• This is a digital download; nothing physical will be shipped.
• Licence: one business, one location. Print as many copies as your staff at that location need. Not for resale or sharing.
• The lists describe common bar practice and are a starting point. Adapt them to your venue, your licence conditions and your equipment manuals.

Created with AI assistance. Every formula was tested and checked.

Questions? Send a message any time. I'm happy to help you adapt the lists.