Kitchen SOP Examples for Restaurants: Cleaning, Hygiene & Opening

What is a kitchen SOP?

Full-service, fast food, and hotel kitchens share the same food code. The opening routine still differs by volume and concept. Use the kitchen SOP template when you want one document to copy, or pick the examples below and customize the labels in SOP Chef before you print.

Sample kitchen SOP (format you can copy)

Review against your local health code before use. Water temperature and timing follow the FDA Food Code. Your jurisdiction may differ.

Sample: Handwashing SOP

When to wash

• Before starting work and before putting on gloves
• After using the restroom
• After handling raw meat, poultry, or seafood
• After touching your face, hair, phone, or trash
• After handling chemicals or dirty dishes
• When switching tasks

Steps

1. Wet hands and forearms with warm running water (at least 100°F / 38°C).
2. Apply soap.
3. Scrub hands, between fingers, and under nails for 10 to 15 seconds.
4. Rinse thoroughly.
5. Dry with a single-use paper towel.
6. Use the towel to turn off the tap, then discard it.

The whole process should take at least 20 seconds. Gloves do not replace handwashing. The FDA Food Code calls for a 10 to 15 second scrub. The printable checklist uses a 20-second scrub as the shift rule, which covers that minimum.

Corrective action: If a hand sink is blocked, out of soap, or has no paper towels, stop, fix it, and tell the manager before continuing.

Sign-off

Get the print-ready version of this SOP (PDF)

Kitchen SOP format: what every SOP should include

Every kitchen SOP needs the same six parts, whether it is a handwashing sheet or an opening checklist. Purpose says why the task exists. Scope says who does it and when. Steps are the actions in order. Measurable fields are the numbers you write down, such as cooler temperature or scrub time. Corrective action says what to do when a number is out of range. Sign-off is the date, the shift, and the initials. The restaurant SOP format guide walks through layout in more detail. The sample above is the short version you can copy today.

Kitchen SOP checklist examples

Opening and closing checklists run at the start and end of every service day.

• Kitchen Opening Checklist. Fryer and grill startup, walk-in temps, mise en place, 86 list, opening briefing. ~25 minutes.
• Kitchen Closing Checklist. Equipment shutdown, walk-in closing temp, food storage, and sanitation. ~30 minutes.
• Kitchen Station Prep Checklist. Tools, mise en place, sanitizer, 86 list, and allergen flags before service.
• Fast Food Opening Checklist. QSR-specific: fryer prep, grill preheat, drive-thru readiness, speed targets.
• Fast Food Closing Checklist. QSR closeout: fryer filtration, hold cabinets off, drive-thru lockup.
• Cloud Kitchen Opening Checklist. Delivery-only: platform tablets, packaging, label printers, expeditor briefing.
• Cloud Kitchen Closing Checklist. Pause platforms, finish tickets, restock packaging, secure tablets.
• Hotel Kitchen SOP. Multi-outlet coordination for restaurant, banquet, and room service. See Hotel Kitchen SOP Examples for the full hotel set.
• Hotel Kitchen Closing Checklist. Banquet breakdown, room service pause, and multi-outlet shutdown.

See also the Kitchen SOP Guide for rollout tips and the full template grid.

Kitchen staff SOPs: hygiene, handwashing, and illness reporting

Inspectors treat these as non-negotiable.

• Handwashing SOP. Sink setup, 20-second scrub, shift acknowledgment. Post at every hand sink.
• Sanitizer Concentration Log. Bucket and three-compartment sink PPM with corrective action.
• Refrigerator Temperature Log. AM/PM walk-in and prep cooler readings with corrective action fields.
• Freezer Temperature Log. Walk-in and reach-in freezer readings with corrective action and manager sign-off.
• Food Receiving SOP. Delivery inspection, cold and frozen temps, rejection criteria.
• Allergen Handling Checklist. Matrix posted, separate prep, expo verification.
• Kitchen Staff Hygiene SOP. Illness screening, gloves, handwashing triggers, staff sign-off.
• Restaurant Food Safety Checklist. Daily HACCP-critical controls in one checklist.
• Kitchen Hazards Checklist. Slips, knives, burns, and chemicals before service. See Kitchen Hazards.

For a 30-day deployment schedule before inspection day, see How to Pass a Health Inspection with SOPs.

Cleaning and sanitation kitchen SOP examples

For rollout detail, chemical checkpoints, and warewashing depth, see Kitchen Cleaning SOP Examples.

• Kitchen Cleaning SOP. Prep surfaces, grill and fryer, floor drains, chemical storage. ~35 minutes daily.
• Deep Cleaning Checklist. Weekly hood vents, behind equipment, walk-in scrub, drains. ~90 minutes.
• Fryer Cleaning SOP. Weekly boil-out, rinse, refill, and temperature test before service.
• Grill / Flat Top Cleaning SOP. Cool-down, carbon scraping, degreasing, and sanitizing.
• Dishwasher SOP. Machine temps, three-compartment sink backup, warewashing shutdown.
• Restaurant Cleaning Checklist. Broader facility cleaning when kitchen and dining room share a closeout routine.

Run cleaning SOPs after lunch and dinner services, not only at close when everyone is tired and cutting corners.

Recommended cleaning frequency

The FDA Food Code requires food contact surfaces to be cleaned and sanitized after every use. Assign each cleaning task to a specific shift or day on your weekly schedule: vague “clean when needed” instructions are the leading cause of sanitation violations during inspections.

Dishwasher and warewashing SOP

The dish pit is where a kitchen either stays clean or sends dirty plates back to the line. A dishwasher SOP covers machine wash and rinse temperatures, the three-compartment sink when the machine is down, and shutdown at close. Post it at the machine, not in a binder in the office. Use the Dishwasher SOP for the print-ready checklist, including the backup sink and the manager sign-off.

Specialty kitchen SOP examples

• Catering Services SOP. On-site holding temps, allergen labeling, client sign-off for events.
• Daily Prep List. Forecast review, prep assignments, and line station sign-off.

How to use these kitchen SOP examples

1. Audit your highest-risk gap: failed inspection item, repeated 86, or new-hire confusion.
2. Pick one example: open in SOP Chef, adjust for your equipment.
3. Post at the station: walk-in door, hand sink, dish pit.
4. Manager sign-off daily for 14 days before adding the next SOP.

Launching twelve kitchen SOPs on Monday guarantees none of them stick. Sequence matters.

Kitchen SOP vs. full restaurant library

Related resources

• Kitchen SOP Guide: pillar page with template grid
• Ghost Kitchen SOP Guide: delivery-only kitchen templates
• Why Restaurant SOPs Matter: case for documentation
• Browse all templates: filter by category and station