Restaurant opening checklist: log opening and closing checks

Opening a restaurant is a long list in one person's head: the alarm, the lights, the tables, the till, the specials. On a busy morning something slips. I would give the manager one short form to run through, then read it later.

Before service

The manager enters a name and the date, then picks opening. The opening jobs are the alarm and lights, the dining room set, restrooms stocked, the till float counted, specials agreed with the kitchen, fridge temperatures logged and the team briefed.

While the shift ends

For closing, the manager picks closing instead. The jobs are the till counted and takings secured, doors and windows locked and the alarm set. A box catches anything that needs attention.

A manager's AI might ask "Are you opening or closing?" Then "Is the alarm off and the dining room set?" Then "Is anything broken or missing?" It shows every answer and sends only after a yes. See agent-fillable forms.

After the shift

Download the CSV and sort by date and check type. Look for days with no closing entry, and compare the staff count with your rota. The back of house has its own kitchen cleaning checklist. Guests who want a table can use a restaurant reservation form. Afterwards, diners can reply on a restaurant feedback form. Browse forms for restaurants and food businesses and forms for IT and operations.

Questions

Can one form cover both opening and closing?

Yes. The first question asks whether this is an opening or a closing check. Filter the CSV on check_type to read each one separately.

Who should fill it in?

The manager on duty, or whoever opens or locks up. The name question shows who logged each check, so you can compare it with the rota.

How do I make sure nothing is skipped?

Leave the task boxes optional so the log stays honest. An unticked box shows as a gap in the CSV, and the issues box explains it. The form sends no reminders.

Or paste the JSON

Give this to your AI. It needs the AI Form API MCP server or an API key. It makes the form and sends you the link.

text

Create this form with the AI Form API create_form tool (or POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms with my API key). Then reply with the public_url.

{
  "title": "Opening and closing check",
  "description": "Pick opening or closing, then tick every job that is done. Note anything that needs attention at the bottom.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "manager_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "log_date",
      "label": "Date",
      "type": "date",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "check_type",
      "label": "Which check is this?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "Opening check",
        "Closing check"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "alarm_disarmed",
      "label": "Opening: alarm switched off and lights on",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "dining_room_set",
      "label": "Opening: tables, chairs and menus wiped and set",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "restrooms_ready",
      "label": "Opening: restrooms clean and stocked",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "till_float_ready",
      "label": "Opening: till float counted and POS logged in",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "specials_agreed",
      "label": "Opening: specials and sold-out items agreed with the kitchen",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "fridge_temps_logged",
      "label": "Opening: fridge temperatures checked and logged",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "team_briefed",
      "label": "Opening: team briefing done",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "till_cashed_up",
      "label": "Closing: till counted and takings secured",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "doors_locked",
      "label": "Closing: doors and windows locked",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "alarm_set",
      "label": "Closing: alarm set",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "staff_on_shift",
      "label": "How many staff worked this shift?",
      "type": "number",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "issues_noted",
      "label": "Anything that needs attention",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    }
  ]
}

Or call the API

bash

curl -X POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AIFORMAPI_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title":"Opening and closing check","description":"Pick opening or closing, then tick every job that is done. Note anything that needs attention at the bottom.","fields":[{"id":"manager_name","label":"Your name","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":100},{"id":"log_date","label":"Date","type":"date","required":true},{"id":"check_type","label":"Which check is this?","type":"single_choice","required":true,"options":["Opening check","Closing check"]},{"id":"alarm_disarmed","label":"Opening: alarm switched off and lights on","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"dining_room_set","label":"Opening: tables, chairs and menus wiped and set","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"restrooms_ready","label":"Opening: restrooms clean and stocked","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"till_float_ready","label":"Opening: till float counted and POS logged in","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"specials_agreed","label":"Opening: specials and sold-out items agreed with the kitchen","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"fridge_temps_logged","label":"Opening: fridge temperatures checked and logged","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"team_briefed","label":"Opening: team briefing done","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"till_cashed_up","label":"Closing: till counted and takings secured","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"doors_locked","label":"Closing: doors and windows locked","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"alarm_set","label":"Closing: alarm set","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"staff_on_shift","label":"How many staff worked this shift?","type":"number","min":0,"max":100},{"id":"issues_noted","label":"Anything that needs attention","type":"long_text","max_length":1000}]}'

JSON definition

json

{
  "title": "Opening and closing check",
  "description": "Pick opening or closing, then tick every job that is done. Note anything that needs attention at the bottom.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "manager_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "log_date",
      "label": "Date",
      "type": "date",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "check_type",
      "label": "Which check is this?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "Opening check",
        "Closing check"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "alarm_disarmed",
      "label": "Opening: alarm switched off and lights on",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "dining_room_set",
      "label": "Opening: tables, chairs and menus wiped and set",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "restrooms_ready",
      "label": "Opening: restrooms clean and stocked",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "till_float_ready",
      "label": "Opening: till float counted and POS logged in",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "specials_agreed",
      "label": "Opening: specials and sold-out items agreed with the kitchen",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "fridge_temps_logged",
      "label": "Opening: fridge temperatures checked and logged",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "team_briefed",
      "label": "Opening: team briefing done",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "till_cashed_up",
      "label": "Closing: till counted and takings secured",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "doors_locked",
      "label": "Closing: doors and windows locked",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "alarm_set",
      "label": "Closing: alarm set",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "staff_on_shift",
      "label": "How many staff worked this shift?",
      "type": "number",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "issues_noted",
      "label": "Anything that needs attention",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    }
  ]
}

A restaurant opening checklist for the front of house