Mastering the Art of Checklists at Your Restaurant

I know lots of restaurateurs who go around the bend from time to time. They are entirely overwhelmed by all the things that go south every day. It feels like the day-to-day process at the restaurant is never under control. Many managers honestly believe that they can't step out of their joint for even five minutes without risking ruin. And so many of them completely ignore a solution that can solve a huge part of their problem.

This solution is obvious. It's been tested many times in different contexts. It costs nothing. It's easily implemented. And it works. Actually, it can make a huge difference for any type of restaurant business. A pizza delivery? A burger joint? A fine dining restaurant? Doesn't matter. The fix is universal and applies to any place where people are supposed to do the same things day after day.

Here it is: take a moment to think about your day-to-day processes. List everything you should do every day at every stage of your operations. Print it out. Put it on the…