Location audit
Bar Audit Checklist
- Who checks
- Bar manager, general manager or multi-unit operations manager
- When
- Weekly or monthly, unannounced, during trading hours
- Time
- ~75 min · 38 items
| Location | Date and time | Inspector | Signature |
The bar is the most profitable and the most vulnerable area of the venue. Over-pouring by a few milliliters, unrecorded comps, voided checks and bottles that "came from home" are invisible day to day but eat into margin. An audit shows where money leaks systematically and also covers what puts guests at risk: ice, prepped garnishes, broken glass and serving alcohol to minors.
Turn up unannounced during trading hours. Start by watching service from the guest's side for 15–20 minutes, then check pours and recipes, then do a spot count and review the paperwork. Record variances with numbers and photos, and for every critical issue assign a task with an owner and a deadline.
Service at the bar
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1
Guests at the bar are acknowledged within 30 seconds, even when the bartender is busy Watch 3–5 guests: the bartender nods, says "be right with you" or takes the order straight away.☐ Yes☐ No
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2
The bartender suggests a drink or recommends something from the drinks menu When asked "what would you recommend?", the bartender asks about preferences and names 1–2 specific drinks, not "everything is good."☐ Yes☐ No
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3
Cocktail ticket times meet the venue standard Time 2–3 cocktails from order to service; the bar sets the standard and may have a separate one for peak hours.☐ Yes☐ No
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4
Every drink is rung into the POS before or at the moment it is served Watch for 15–20 minutes: no drinks handed over with "I'll ring it in later," no orders without a check.☐ Yes☐ No
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5
Empty glasses and used napkins are cleared from the bar without prompting Empties do not sit in front of a guest for more than a few minutes; the bar top is wiped after guests leave.☐ Yes☐ No
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6
The bartender asks for ID when a guest's age is in doubt Check by observation or a test purchase; the bartender knows the legal drinking age under local law.☐ Yes☐ No
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7
The bartender knows how to refuse service to a visibly intoxicated guest Ask how they handle it: who they call, what they offer instead of alcohol, where they log the incident.☐ Yes☐ No
Pour accuracy and recipes
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8
The bartender uses a jigger for every cocktail and shot Watch 3–5 orders in a row: no free pouring or eyeballing unless the bar standard allows it.☐ Yes☐ No
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9
A test pour of a standard serve is within tolerance Ask for a spirit serve poured as for a guest and transfer it to a measuring cylinder; the variance is within the bar's tolerance.☐ Yes☐ No
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10
Wine by the glass is measured and the volume matches the menu Check the measured glass, fill line or wine jigger against the volume on the drinks list.☐ Yes☐ No
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11
Draft beer is poured to the fill line with the standard head Beer reaches the glass line, the head height meets the bar standard, and glasses are not topped up from another glass.☐ Yes☐ No
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12
A test cocktail matches its recipe card Order one best-seller: ingredients, glassware, ice and garnish match the spec card and photo standard.☐ Yes☐ No
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13
Bartenders can recite the specs for three best-selling cocktails unaided Ask for ingredients and measures; the answer matches the spec card.☐ Yes☐ No
Liquor inventory control
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14
A spot count of 5–10 items matches the inventory system within tolerance Pick fast-moving and high-value items, count full bottles and measure open ones with a single method (weighing or tenths of a bottle).☐ Yes☐ No
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15
Spot count variance, % or ml per item Record the variance for each sampled item; this is the basis for the review with the bar manager.
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16
Open bottles are counted the same way on every shift The bar has a scale and a tare weight table, or one agreed rule for estimating levels; bartenders describe the method the same way.☐ Yes☐ No
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17
Every transfer of liquor from storage to the bar is documented Check the last 2–3 transfers: each has a document with items, quantities and issued/received signatures.☐ Yes☐ No
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18
There are no bottles at the bar that are not in the inventory system Compare shelves and the speed rail with the item list; no outside bottles or bartenders' "personal" stock.☐ Yes☐ No
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19
Breakage, spoilage and comps are recorded on waste sheets signed by the manager Waste records for the last month exist, reasons are given, and volumes are plausible relative to sales.☐ Yes☐ No
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20
POS voids and refunds for the last 7 days are approved by a manager Pull the void report: each void has a reason and approval; there is no pattern of voids by one bartender at the end of a shift.☐ Yes☐ No
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21
The liquor store room is locked and the key is held by the designated person The door or cabinet is locked; the list of people with access is approved, and bartenders do not enter storage unaccompanied.☐ Yes☐ No
Bar hygiene and storage
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22
All prepped items at the bar are within their shelf life Check dates on juices, syrups, purées, garnishes and opened dairy.☐ Yes☐ No
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23
The inside of the ice machine bin is free of slime, mold and dark deposits Shine a flashlight on the walls and the ice chute curtain; deposits mean a missed cleaning.☐ Yes☐ No
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24
The ice machine is cleaned on the manufacturer's schedule The last cleaning and sanitizing date in the log falls within the interval in the manual.☐ Yes☐ No
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25
The beer line cleaning log has no gaps Cleaning dates over the last 2 months follow the supplier's or technician's schedule.☐ Yes☐ No
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26
There are no fruit flies around drains, garnishes or bottles Inspect sinks, fruit containers and bottle necks; if there are flies, look for the source — drains and mats.☐ Yes☐ No
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27
There is no standing liquid or odor under the rubber mats or in the bar sink drains Lift 1–2 mats and check the drains: the floor underneath is clean and water drains immediately.☐ Yes☐ No
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28
Glasses from the glasswasher are clean and odor-free Take 3–4 glasses from a freshly washed rack: no streaks, lipstick or chemical smell.☐ Yes☐ No
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29
Cleaning chemicals are stored away from food, ice and glassware Chemicals are in original containers, below and away from prepped items; no unlabeled spray bottles.☐ Yes☐ No
Equipment and safety
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30
All CO2 cylinders are secured and stored upright Including spares and empties: chained or strapped, kept away from heat sources.☐ Yes☐ No
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31
Outlets and extension cords near the sink are protected from water No extension cords on the floor in wet areas, no exposed wires, no uncovered outlets above the sink.☐ Yes☐ No
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32
Floor mats behind the bar are in place and non-slip The floor behind the bar is dry or covered with anti-slip mats across the whole work area.☐ Yes☐ No
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33
The bar has a stocked first aid kit with plasters and cut dressings The kit is easy to reach, nothing is expired, and bartenders know where it is.☐ Yes☐ No
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34
Broken glass goes into a separate closed container There is a labeled broken-glass container; shards are not thrown into a regular trash bag where they can cut the cleaner.☐ Yes☐ No
Licenses and pricing
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35
Liquor licenses and permits are valid and available on request Nothing has expired; documents are displayed or kept as required by local law.☐ Yes☐ No
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36
Alcohol is sold only during the hours permitted by local law Compare the time of the last alcohol sales in the POS report with local restrictions, if any apply.☐ Yes☐ No
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37
Prices and serve sizes on the drinks menu match the POS Check 5 random items: price and serve size are the same on the menu and in the POS.☐ Yes☐ No
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38
Staff work-eligibility documents are valid Health certificates and any other clearances required by local regulations are current for every bartender on the schedule.☐ Yes☐ No
This template is a starting point. Check the limits and wording against your local regulations, your company standards and the equipment manufacturers' instructions.
jeCheck · https://jecheck.io/en/templates/bar-audit
Common violations
- Inventory is only taken once a month, in full. The shortage shows up, but nobody can tell which week or shift it happened in. Spot counts of 5–10 items on every visit catch the problem earlier.
- Comps for guests and bartenders' "tastings" are not recorded. In the books they look like shrinkage, and real theft gets lost in the noise.
- Bartenders approve their own voids. The "ring it in, serve it, void it, pocket the cash" scheme goes unnoticed without a void report.
- The ice machine is only cleaned on the outside. Slime builds up on the curtain and walls inside and ends up in every drink with ice.
- The auditor only checks paperwork and storage without watching service. Free pouring and unrung drinks are only visible from the floor.
Frequently asked questions
The venue sets its own tolerance based on how open bottles are counted, evaporation and unavoidable pour loss. The trend matters more than the absolute number: if the variance on one item grows from audit to audit, it's time to investigate.
Part of the audit — paperwork and inventory — can be scheduled. Observing service and pours only makes sense unannounced; otherwise you'll see a performance, not the real thing.
Every critical item becomes a task with an owner and a deadline; recurring issues get a team debrief and training. Compare results between visits and across the bars in your group: that shows whether the problem is the people or the process.
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Run this inspection on your phone
Move the checklist into jeCheck: photos on every item, tasks for each issue with an owner and a deadline, and location comparison by results.