Food Receiving SOP
Restaurant food receiving SOP: delivery inspection, cold and frozen temperature checks, rejection criteria, and FIFO labeling.
- Estimated time
- 15 min
- Frequency
- daily
- Business type
- restaurant
- Category
- food safety
- Role
- kitchen manager
- Role
- prep cook
- Role
- receiver
Purpose
Stop unsafe product at the loading dock before it enters your walk-in.
Complete this food receiving SOP for every delivery before product is accepted into storage. Reject items that fail temperature or packaging checks and log corrective action.
Delivery Inspection
Inspect truck and packaging before acceptance.
-
Delivery time and supplier logged
-
Delivery vehicle clean and odor-free
Pass / Fail
-
Packaging intact with no pest evidence
Pass / Fail
Temperature Checks
Verify cold and frozen items on arrival.
-
Record coldest cold item temperature
Recommended: 0-5°C
-
Record frozen item temperature
Recommended: -25--15°C
-
Rejected items logged and removed
Pass / Fail
Storage & Labeling
Store accepted product safely.
-
FIFO rotation applied in walk-in
-
Items labeled with receive or use-by date
-
Raw protein stored below ready-to-eat
Pass / Fail
-
Receiving notes or supplier issues (optional)
Note
Frequently Asked Questions
- What temperature should cold deliveries be at receiving?
- Cold items should be at 41°F (5°C) or below at receiving, per FDA Food Code guidance. Record the reading on every delivery before acceptance.
- Who should complete the food receiving SOP?
- The kitchen manager or designated receiver inspects each delivery. A manager signs off when product is accepted into storage.
- When should a delivery be rejected?
- Reject deliveries with torn packaging, off odors, pest evidence, expired use-by dates, or temperatures outside safe range. Document the rejection and contact the supplier.
- How does food receiving support HACCP?
- Receiving is a critical control point: you verify supplier safety before storage and prep. Signed logs prove you screened product on arrival.
- Should receiving logs be kept on paper or digital?
- Either works if records show date, time, temperatures, supplier, and receiver initials. Inspectors want complete records, not a specific format.