Bar opening and closing checklists: free template + examples

Whether you manage a neighborhood bar, cocktail lounge, café, or restaurant bar, every successful shift starts and ends with a consistent routine.

Without clear checklists, important tasks get forgotten. A missed stock refill, an unlocked back door, or an unclean coffee machine can create unnecessary problems for the next shift.

That’s why many successful bars rely on opening and closing checklists instead of memory.

In this guide, you’ll find practical examples you can adapt to your own business.

Why every bar needs checklists

Even experienced employees forget things during a busy shift.

Checklists help ensure that every team member follows the same standards, regardless of who is working.

They help you:

• Maintain consistent service

• Reduce mistakes

• Improve cleanliness

• Speed up onboarding

• Hold everyone accountable

• Make shift handovers smoother

Most importantly, they allow managers to spend less time checking whether routine tasks were completed.

Bar opening checklist

Before the first customer walks through the door, your team should confirm that everything is ready for service.

General preparation

• Unlock entrances

• Disable the alarm

• Turn on lights

• Start music

• Adjust room temperature

• Check restrooms

• Empty overnight trash if needed

Bar setup

• Prepare garnish

• Slice lemons, limes, and oranges

• Fill ice bins

• Restock spirits

• Refill syrups

• Stock beer and soft drinks

• Prepare cocktail ingredients

Coffee station

• Turn on espresso machine

• Check grinder

• Refill coffee beans

• Prepare milk

• Test espresso quality

POS and payments

• Start the POS system

• Count the cash drawer

• Prepare receipt paper

• Test the card terminal

Dining area

• Wipe tables

• Arrange chairs

• Polish glassware

• Set menus

• Check reservations

Kitchen coordination

If your bar serves food:

• Review today’s menu

• Confirm stock availability

• Check for sold-out items

• Review daily specials

During-shift checklist

Not every checklist has to happen before or after service.

Simple reminders throughout the shift help maintain standards.

Examples include:

• Refill ice before it runs low.

• Restock glassware.

• Empty overflowing trash bins.

• Wipe sticky surfaces.

• Refill napkins and straws.

• Check restroom cleanliness every hour.

• Monitor low-stock items.

These small tasks prevent larger problems later.

Bar closing checklist

Closing properly is just as important as opening.

A rushed closing often creates extra work for the morning team.

Cleaning

• Wash bar equipment

• Clean cocktail tools

• Wipe counters

• Sanitize workstations

• Sweep floors

• Mop floors

• Empty trash bins

Restocking

• Refill refrigerators

• Restock beer

• Replace spirits

• Prepare garnishes if needed

• Refill paper products

Cash procedures

• Count cash

• Close the register

• Reconcile card payments

• Prepare deposits

Equipment

• Turn off coffee machine

• Turn off unnecessary equipment

• Clean beer taps if required

• Empty drip trays

Security

• Lock refrigerators if needed

• Close windows

• Lock storage rooms

• Set the alarm

• Lock all entrances

Manager closing checklist

Managers often have responsibilities beyond daily cleaning.

Examples include:

• Review daily sales

• Record incidents

• Approve shift notes

• Check inventory shortages

• Confirm tomorrow’s reservations

• Verify staff clock-outs

• Review maintenance issues

Keeping these tasks documented helps ensure nothing gets forgotten at the end of a long day.

Make checklists role-specific

Not every employee needs the same checklist.

For example:

Bartender

• Prepare cocktails

• Restock spirits

• Clean beer taps

• Refill ice

Server

• Set tables

• Prepare menus

• Clean dining room

• Restock napkins

Manager

• Cash reconciliation

• Security checks

• Team handover

• Daily reporting

Breaking tasks down by role makes responsibilities much clearer.

Digital checklists vs paper checklists

Many bars still rely on laminated paper checklists.

They work—but they also have limitations.

Paper checklists can:

• Get lost

• Become outdated

• Be completed without verification

• Be difficult to update

• Offer little visibility for managers

Digital checklists make it easier to:

• Update procedures instantly

• Assign tasks by role

• Track completion

• Attach instructions or photos

• Keep every location using the latest version

They’re especially useful if you manage multiple venues or larger teams.

Tips for creating better checklists

Keep your checklists simple.

A good checklist should:

• Be easy to read

• Use short action-based tasks

• Follow the order employees naturally work

• Focus on observable actions

• Be updated whenever procedures change

Avoid writing long paragraphs.

Instead of:

Make sure the bar is prepared correctly.

Write:

• Fill ice bins

• Polish wine glasses

• Restock vodka

• Test the card terminal

The more specific the task, the less room there is for misunderstanding.

Free bar opening and closing checklist template

Here’s a simple template you can customize for your business.

Opening

• ☐ Unlock premises

• ☐ Turn on lights and music

• ☐ Fill ice bins

• ☐ Restock drinks

• ☐ Prepare garnish

• ☐ Check coffee machine

• ☐ Start POS

• ☐ Count cash drawer

• ☐ Clean tables

• ☐ Review reservations

Closing

• ☐ Clean bar

• ☐ Wash equipment

• ☐ Restock refrigerators

• ☐ Count cash

• ☐ Turn off equipment

• ☐ Empty trash

• ☐ Lock storage

• ☐ Set alarm

• ☐ Lock doors

• ☐ Complete manager handover

Final thoughts

A checklist may seem like a small tool, but it can have a big effect on your daily operations.

It creates consistency, speeds up training, reduces mistakes, and helps every employee know exactly what’s expected of them.

Whether you’re running one neighborhood bar or managing several locations, having clear opening and closing checklists is one of the simplest ways to improve day-to-day operations and give every shift a smoother start and finish.