Restaurant Maintenance Checklist: Daily, Weekly, Quarterly

Many equipment failures in a food or convenience location give some warning. The compressor was louder last week. The door gasket was torn a month ago. The grease trap was due before the holidays. Somebody noticed, but nobody wrote it down, and nobody owned it.

A checklist fixes the "nobody wrote it down" part. This restaurant maintenance checklist is written for restaurants, quick-service locations and convenience stores, with a section for the equipment convenience stores have that restaurants do not. Copy it, edit it for your equipment, and run it at every site. Print this page or copy the lists into your own sheet; each line is one item to check off.

A note before you start: this is general operating guidance, not a code-compliance document. Health, fire and building rules differ by province, state and municipality, and your equipment manuals and local inspectors take precedence. Treat the frequencies below as starting points to adjust. If you operate in Ontario, the "Who to check with" section below lists where to start.

How to use this checklist

1. Assign an owner for each list. Daily belongs to the opening or closing manager. Weekly and monthly belong to the site manager. Quarterly belongs to the site manager with a contractor or regional lead.
2. Record exceptions, not ticks. A signed list with no notes tells you nothing. Anything that is off becomes a work order, with a photo from the person who found it.
3. Decide what stops service. Agree in advance which findings require action today (a cooler above safe temperature, a gas smell, a leak near electrical) and which can wait a week.
4. Keep the history. The second time something fails, the first repair note is the most valuable thing you have.

Daily checklist

Opening must-do (about 5 minutes, one person can do it)

• Walk-in cooler and freezer temperatures read and logged, using the thermometer inside, not just the display. A commonly cited target is 4°C (40°F) or colder for cold holding and -18°C (0°F) or colder for frozen; confirm the targets with your local public health unit.
• Cooler and freezer doors closing and sealing
• No leaks or standing water near cooling units, ice machines or electrical equipment
• Hand sinks working, with hot water, soap and towels
• Exits clear and exit signs lit
• Anything unsafe tagged out and the shift told

Full daily (another 5-10 minutes, opening or closing manager)

Refrigeration and food safety:

• Reach-in coolers, prep tables and display cases at your target temperature
• No ice build-up on door frames
• No unusual odours near the cooling units

Kitchen and equipment:

• Fryers, grills and ovens light and heat normally; no error codes
• Hood fans running; filters in place
• Dishwasher reaching temperature; rinse and sanitiser levels checked
• Floor drains clear, no slow drains or backing up
• Ice machine producing; no leaks underneath

Front of house and building:

• Lights working inside and in the parking lot
• Entry doors, locks and door closers working
• Washrooms: toilets, taps, hand dryers or towels working
• Thermostat reading reasonable and the HVAC system running

Close-out:

• Anything broken today logged as a work order before leaving

Convenience-store additions (daily)

Before you call your contractor, check who owns the equipment. In many convenience stores, a lot of the equipment belongs to a supplier or provider, and they arrange the repair. Calling your own refrigeration contractor for a supplier's cooler can cost you a visit and leave the real fault unfixed.

• Supplier-owned coolers (soft drinks, beer, dairy): temperature and door seal. If one fails, call the supplier listed on the unit.
• Frozen beverage and slush machines: running, no leaks, no error codes
• Coffee and hot-beverage equipment: heating, no leaks
• Roller grill and hot case: heating to setting
• Lottery terminal: working; if not, call the lottery provider's retailer support line
• ATM: powered and in service; faults go to the ATM provider
• Fuel dispensers and canopy (if applicable): no leaks, nothing obstructed, emergency stop accessible
• Propane exchange cage (if applicable): locked, undamaged, signage in place
• Air and vacuum machine, car wash (if applicable): running

Keep a one-page "who owns it, who to call" list at the counter for every item above.

Weekly checklist (20-30 minutes, site manager)

Cleaning that prevents breakdowns

• Condenser coils on refrigeration units checked and cleaned if dusty or greasy
• Walk-in door gaskets and hinges inspected; any tears reported
• Hood filters washed or swapped on the schedule your equipment calls for
• Fryer oil quality and filtering checked
• Ice machine exterior and drain area wiped down; look for slime or scale
• Floor drains flushed and cleaned

Look and listen

• Walk the kitchen with the lights on and the radio off; note any unusual noise, vibration or heat from compressors and motors
• Check under and behind equipment for leaks, pooling water or pest signs
• Emergency lighting test button, if equipped, at the interval your fire code requires
• Check roof access, back doors and dumpster area for damage or overflow
• Inspect the parking lot, sidewalks and entry for trip hazards, ice or standing water

Records

• Review the week's temperature logs for drift, not just failures
• Review open work orders: what is still waiting, and why
• Confirm every contractor visit has a close-out note, with a photo of the finished work where it matters

Monthly checklist (15-30 minutes, site manager)

• Fire extinguishers: visual check that each is in place, the gauge reads in range, the seal is intact and the tag is current, at the interval your fire code requires
• Grease trap or interceptor: check the level and pump-out records against the schedule your municipality and hauler set
• Ice machine water filter: check and replace per the manufacturer's instructions
• Hood filters: deep clean or swap
• Convenience stores: walk the supplier-owned equipment list and confirm each service contact is current

Quarterly checklist (1-3 hours, site manager and contractor)

Quarterly tasks are where contractors and planning matter. Schedule them; do not wait to remember.

Mechanical and refrigeration

• HVAC preventive service as a starting point: filters, coils, belts, condensate drains, thermostat calibration
• Refrigeration service: coils, fan motors, door seals, defrost cycles, refrigerant checks by a certified technician
• Ice machine descaling and sanitising, per the manufacturer's instructions
• Water heater: pressure relief valve checked by a qualified person per the manufacturer's instructions; look for corrosion or leaks

Cooking and ventilation

• Exhaust hood and duct inspection; schedule professional cleaning on the frequency your local code and insurer require
• Gas appliance check: pilot lights, burners, connections
• Fryer, grill and oven calibration and thermostat check

Building and safety

• Fire suppression system inspection status confirmed against its required schedule
• Backflow preventer and plumbing fixtures reviewed (certified backflow testing is often required annually by your municipality)
• Pest control service completed and documented
• Roof, gutters and downspouts inspected before seasonal weather
• Parking lot lighting and signage checked
• Emergency lighting and exit signs tested at the interval your fire code requires

Records and planning

• Review the quarter's work orders: repeat failures, repeat vendors, repeat cost
• Identify equipment on its third repair; get a replacement quote
• Confirm warranty and service contract expiry dates are on the calendar
• Update the equipment list: make, model, serial number, install date, and who owns and services it

Who to check with: an Ontario example

These are pointers to who sets the rules, not a summary of the rules. Check with each one for what applies to your site.

• Fuel dispensers, tanks and propane: check with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA).
• Electrical work and hardwired equipment: check with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA).
• Fire extinguishers, suppression systems and emergency lighting: check with your local fire department, which enforces the Ontario Fire Code.
• Food premises, holding temperatures and hand sinks: check with your local public health unit.
• Backflow testing and grease interceptors: check with your municipality.
• Lottery terminals: check with the lottery provider (OLG in Ontario).

In other provinces the same questions apply; the bodies have different names.

What to call a contractor for, not fix yourself

Staff can reset a breaker, clear a filter or wipe a coil. Some things are always a professional's job:

• Any refrigerant work (certified technician)
• Gas lines, gas smells or pilot lights that will not stay lit
• Electrical panels and hardwired equipment
• Hood and duct cleaning, and fire suppression systems
• Anything with water near electrical equipment
• Supplier-owned equipment: call the owner, not your contractor

If a finding is unsafe, stop using the equipment, tag it, and call. For how to dispatch that call so it actually gets answered, see how to manage vendors who refuse to log into another app.

Running it at more than one site

A paper list works at one store. Across several, use one template at every site and log each exception as a work order with a photo, so the fix is tracked to the end. In Concoct, checklists are on the Growth and Professional tiers; work orders, contractor dispatch and recurring preventive maintenance schedules are on every tier.

To see what that costs for your sites, prices are published on the pricing page. If you want to see the same checklist running across several stores, book a demo.

FAQ

How often should restaurant equipment be professionally serviced?

It depends on the equipment, manufacturer guidance, local code and your insurer. Quarterly service for HVAC and refrigeration is a common starting point, but confirm requirements for your location and equipment.

What temperature should a walk-in cooler be?

4°C (40°F) or colder is a commonly cited cold-holding target, and -18°C (0°F) or colder for freezers. Confirm the targets that apply to you with your local public health unit.

Who should own the daily checklist?

The opening or closing manager. If everyone owns it, no one does. Name the person on the schedule.

Can I use this checklist for a convenience store with fuel?

Yes, as a base. The convenience-store additions cover the common equipment, but fuel and propane carry their own rules. Check with your fuel regulator (TSSA in Ontario) and your insurer for the checks your site needs.

What belongs on a checklist versus a work order?

The checklist finds problems. A work order tracks the fix. Anything marked as an exception should become a work order with a photo and an owner.

Do I need software for this?

No. A printed list and a shared folder work at one site. Software starts to earn its place when you want the same list at every site and a single view of what is open.