Opening and closing
Coffee Shop Opening Checklist
- Who checks
- Head barista or opening-shift barista
- When
- Daily, 30–40 minutes before opening
- Time
- ~20 min · 30 items
| Location | Date and time | Inspector | Signature |
The morning sets the tone for the whole day: if the machine hasn’t warmed up and the grind isn’t dialed in, your first guests get sour or thin espresso — and the 8 a.m. rush leaves no time to fix it. This walkthrough makes sure that by opening the espresso machine is at operating temperature, a test shot has been tasted and approved, the milk is fresh, and the pastry case and register are ready.
Work top to bottom: switch the machine on first and let it heat up while you set up the bar, milk and pastry case. Dial in last, once the group heads are hot. Anything not ready for opening should be logged with a photo and reported to the manager before the first guest arrives, not at the end of the shift.
Espresso machine
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1
The espresso machine is on and at operating temperature by dial-in time Warm-up time per the manufacturer, usually 20–30 minutes; group heads and portafilters are hot to the touch, the ready light is on.☐ Yes☐ No
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2
The steam boiler gauge shows working pressure Needle in the manufacturer’s operating range (around 1–1.5 bar on many machines, higher on some models); no errors on the display.☐ Yes☐ No
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3
Each group head has been flushed with water 2–3 seconds per group after warm-up; water flows evenly, no spitting or surges, no coffee particles.☐ Yes☐ No
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4
Portafilters are locked in, hot, dry and free of old coffee Check every basket: no puck from yesterday or dark residue, the handle isn’t loose.☐ Yes☐ No
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5
Steam wands purged and producing dry steam Open the steam for 1–2 seconds over the drip tray: condensate comes out first, then even steam with no milk spray.☐ Yes☐ No
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6
The drip tray is empty and the grate clean No water or grounds left from yesterday under the grate, the drain runs freely.☐ Yes☐ No
Grinder and dial-in
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7
The hopper holds enough beans for the first few hours, not the whole day Hopper partly filled per store standard; hopper lid closed.☐ Yes☐ No
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8
Beans come from an opened bag with a roast date within store standard Check the date on the bag: it must fall within the freshness window set by the store or the roaster; bag sealed with a clip or valve.☐ Yes☐ No
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9
The first doses after the night were purged 1–2 doses ground and discarded to clear stale grounds from the burr chamber.☐ Yes☐ No
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10
Test espresso parameters: dose, yield, time Record actual values from the scale and timer, e.g. “18 g / 36 g / 28 s”. Reference is the store recipe.
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11
The test shot is within recipe and approved by taste by the head barista Time and yield within recipe tolerance, balanced flavor with no sharp sourness or bitterness. If not, the grind is adjusted and the shot pulled again.☐ Yes☐ No
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12
The bar scale is on and reads 0.0 g with an empty platform Place and remove an empty pitcher: the reading returns to zero, battery not low.☐ Yes☐ No
Milk, syrups and fridge
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13
Under-counter fridge temperature, °C Record the thermometer reading inside the fridge. Typical target for milk, cream and dairy desserts is 2–5 °C (some national codes allow up to 6 °C, the US limit is 41 °F); follow the product label for exact conditions.
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14
No expired milk in the fridge Check dates on all dairy and plant-based milk and cream; anything expired is removed and written off.☐ Yes☐ No
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15
Opened milk cartons are labeled with the date and time opened Marker or sticker on every opened carton; after-opening shelf life per the manufacturer’s label.☐ Yes☐ No
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16
A separate, labeled pitcher is used for plant-based milk The pitcher differs by color or mark and is kept apart from dairy pitchers.☐ Yes☐ No
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17
Syrup and sauce bottles are labeled with the opening date Date on every opened bottle; after-opening shelf life per the manufacturer has not expired.☐ Yes☐ No
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18
Syrup pumps are clean, with no dried drips Pump nozzle and body not sticky, no sugary rings under the bottles on the bar.☐ Yes☐ No
Barista station
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19
The knock box is empty and washed No old pucks inside, the bar is not caked with grounds.☐ Yes☐ No
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20
Separate clean cloths are set out for the steam wand and the counter The steam wand cloth is damp and kept apart from the dry portafilter cloth and the counter rag; colors or spots set by the store standard.☐ Yes☐ No
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21
Cups, lids and sleeves in all sizes stocked for the first hours A supply of each size within the barista’s reach, lids fit the cups, backup box opened in the stockroom.☐ Yes☐ No
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22
The handwashing sink has liquid soap and paper towels Dispenser not empty, towels in the holder, sink not blocked by dishes or pitchers.☐ Yes☐ No
Pastry case
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23
The pastry case is set up per the layout before opening All items in place, no empty trays; take a photo of the whole case.☐ Yes☐ No
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24
Yesterday’s items removed or displayed per store rules Day-old pastries written off or kept in a separate, marked area if the standard allows it.☐ Yes☐ No
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25
Every item in the case has a price tag Walk along the case: every tray has a price tag that matches the price in the POS.☐ Yes☐ No
Register and seating area
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26
Opening cash in the drawer Count the float and record the amount; it must match the amount left at closing.
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27
The card terminal is online and prints receipts Terminal on and ready, receipt paper loaded.☐ Yes☐ No
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28
86’d items removed from sale in the POS and marked on the menu board Compare the 86 list with the POS and the board: guests won’t be offered what you don’t have.☐ Yes☐ No
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29
Tables and chairs in the seating area are clean and dry Run your hand over 3–4 random tables: no crumbs, stickiness or streaks.☐ Yes☐ No
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30
The guest restroom is ready: clean, with paper, soap and towels Toilet and sink clean, supplies stocked, bin empty.☐ 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/coffee-shop-opening
Common violations
- The first espresso goes straight to a guest with no test shot. The grind drifts overnight with humidity and temperature, and the first 10–15 guests get over-extracted or bitter coffee.
- The machine is switched on 5 minutes before opening. Group heads and portafilters aren’t hot, brew temperature is unstable and the taste is inconsistent for the whole first hour.
- Milk from last night is left on the bar or has no opening date. A guest will notice sour milk in a cappuccino before the barista does — a direct risk of complaints and food poisoning.
- The grinder hopper is left full overnight. Beans absorb odors and lose aroma, and oils build up on the walls and turn bitter.
Frequently asked questions
At least one per grinder and coffee, until the parameters hit the recipe. Dialing in usually takes 2–4 shots. They aren’t just dumped: the head barista tastes them and records the final values.
Don’t switch it off and on at random: check the water supply, the filter and any display errors, then call service per store procedure. Until the machine is at operating level, espresso drinks are not sold — log this in the checklist with a photo.
Whoever opens the shift: the head barista or a barista authorized to dial in. The manager reviews results remotely and spot-checks the pastry case and thermometer photos.
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