Free checklist
Restaurant Shift Change Checklist
Run this checklist at every restaurant shift change to hand off cash drawer counts, food safety checks, and prep status between incoming and outgoing staff.
Count the drawer with both outgoing and incoming staff present, not after the fact
Log temps at the actual moment of handoff, not just the standard interval check
Get a sign-off, not just a verbal "we're good" between shift leads
What to include
- Cash drawer count with any discrepancy noted and flagged before the next shift starts
- Food safety temperature checks logged at handoff, not just at the scheduled interval
- Prep and stock status, so the incoming shift knows what's ready and what's still needed
- A manager or shift-lead sign-off confirming the handoff was completed, not just verbally passed along
The template
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Date & shift | 2026-07-12, Lunch → Dinner |
| Outgoing / incoming lead | Outgoing: C. Bianchi → Incoming: R. Nakamura |
| Cash drawer count | Drawer 2: counted $312.50, expected $310.00 — $2.50 over, noted |
| Food safety temps | Walk-in cooler 38°F, hot line 145°F — both within range at 16:00 |
| Prep / stock status | Diced onions and marinara low — prep list left for evening |
| Open issues | Table 12 booth seat torn, maintenance notified |
| Manager sign-off | Shift lead confirms handoff complete before leaving floor |
How CrewSignals replaces the static template
A downloaded template works until more than one shift needs it at once. CrewSignals keeps the same fields — priority alerts, open issues, follow-ups — as a structured, searchable record, with acknowledgment tracked automatically instead of chased down after the fact.
FAQ
Do we need this if we already do interval food safety temperature checks?
Yes — a handoff-specific check confirms the incoming shift starts with a verified baseline, rather than relying on a reading from an hour or more earlier.
What if the cash drawer count doesn't match?
Note the discrepancy immediately with both people present and follow your restaurant's cash-handling policy — don't let it get resolved verbally with no record.
Should this checklist be different for front-of-house vs. back-of-house?
Keep one checklist with sections for both — front-of-house (cash, seating issues) and back-of-house (temps, prep) — so the manager sign-off covers the whole handoff in one place.
How do we track recurring issues, like the same equipment problem every week?
A paper checklist doesn't show patterns across shifts. Logging handoffs in a searchable system makes it easy to spot that, say, the same cooler has been flagged three times this month.
Get started with the template
Download it as Markdown or CSV, or start running handovers in CrewSignals for free.
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