Guides
Opening checks checklist for UK kitchens
Opening checks confirm the kitchen is safe to trade before service: equipment, hygiene, temperatures and anything that would block a clean start.
A good opening routine is short enough to finish under pressure and specific enough to catch real risks — not a novel nobody reads.
What opening checks usually cover
Typical areas include: personal hygiene readiness, handwash stations, cleaning status of critical surfaces, fridge/freezer temperatures, pest signs, waste and delivery areas, probe hygiene, and that critical equipment is working.
Your SFBB pack or HACCP procedures define the exact list. Customise for cuisine, layout and high-risk processes (for example raw protein handling).
How to run them well
Assign a named role (not “whoever arrives first”). Complete before food production starts. Record exceptions immediately and open a corrective action when a control fails.
Avoid “tick everything green from memory.” Contemporaneous records are the point of due diligence.
Digital opening checks in Complytio
Schedule recurring opening templates per branch, complete on mobile, and let managers see missed or failed openings without walking every site.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an opening check take?
If it regularly takes more than a few focused minutes, simplify fields or split tasks — long lists get skipped.
Who should sign off?
Usually the person completing the check; escalate failures to a manager according to your procedure.
Next step