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Whether you’re a one-man show or managing a bar staff of 50, these are the
top 25 opening and closing procedures you need to know.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
1. When you arrive, take a quick walk around the outside of your building and
clear any debris or unpleasantries from your entryways and windows
2. Open the door and note anything that immediately jumps out at you as
needing attention (odors, misplaced items, spills or things that need to be
cleaned)
3. Clean floors (you can never vacuum too much)
4. Wipe down countertops and tables
5. Replace and refill any condiments and tabletop items
6. Clear the beer lines by pouring out a few ounces of beer from the taps
7. Inspect all the taps for buildup and bugs (we suggest using a squirt bottle
with warm water in it)
8. Rinse all the drains
9. Taste the beers to check for infections or line defects
10. Check for lipstick on the clean glasses
11. Check your web, Facebook, Google, print and/or digital menus, update
as needed
12. Wash down your work space & empty the trash
13. Check dates on open wine bottles (don’t date your wine? you should!)
14. Set up clean towels so they’re easily accessible during your shift
15. Get the till ready to go
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
3. Dust all -window sills, wall edges, chairs, desks, tables and file cabinets.
4. Makes sure mirrors, furniture, floors, ashtrays, elevators and doors are
clean and mark-free.
5. Damp wipe floor spillages.
6. Thoroughly clean elevators, including floors, walls, and saddles.
7. Clean and disinfect drinking fountains.
8. Keeps the Back area of Front desk neat and clean.
9. Spot vacuum high-traffic areas.
10. Sweep and damp mop corridors and stairwells.
11. Periodically checks all lobby restrooms / wash rooms.
12. Restocks all supplies including toilet paper, soap and hand towels
in the lobby wash rooms.
13. Thoroughly vacuum all carpeting and clean floors.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
It’s Friday night and you’re rushing into a busy evening shift. When you step behind the
bar, you notice everything is in disarray. The garnishes are out of place, the house
liquor is all mixed up and the napkin holders are all out of napkins and straws.
You immediately feel stressed and annoyed. Is it too much to ask to walk into a clean
and organized bar?In the bar industry, you get what you give when it comes to
organization and bar maintenance, and good bartenders know a clean and organized
space is a safe haven and money magnet!
When the bar is clean and easy to navigate, you’ll be more efficient and attentive when
serving customers which equates to better and faster service, meaning higher tips.
What’s more — an organized bar reduces chaos and feelings of overwhelm because
you’ll always know where everything is meaning you’ll feel happier and more at ease
and your shifts will run smoother. Plus, you’ll be ready for any surprise health
inspections that may come your way!
Here are 5 ways you can work to keep your bar space clean, organized and
efficient while saving time and money in the process:
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Get your fellow bartenders and bar backs to agree upon a placement for all
displayed and house liquors, garnishes, bar tools, glasses, purees and anything else
that impacts your ability to stay organized.
This will keep everyone accountable and on the same page when it comes to where
things are and need to be. Then if you ever walk into a shift where things are out of
place, you can go directly to the person who was working before you and talk to
them about putting things back where they belong.
When you have multiple bottles open of the same wine, it gets confusing
for you and all of your co-workers and you all will probably be asking
yourselves these questions:
Which bottle was opened first?
Are they all still good?
Which bottle do I use first?
What if the wine is bad? Should I taste them all?
What’s more — it makes the bar look messy and may attract fruit flies. Ask your
fellow co-workers to keep open wine bottles to a minimum, and label any bottles
that are the same with open dates so anyone working can vouch for their quality.
If everyone at your bar has (and follows) an opening and closing checklist, things
will stay clean and organized, and everyone will be held accountable.
An opening and closing checklists is the most equitable way to ensure people are
cleaning up after themselves and maintaining the bar.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Most bars have a porter that comes in and cleans every morning before the bar
opens. Even still, these porters don’t necessarily deep-clean the bar. That’s why it’s
important to agree on a weekly deep cleaning schedule.
On a rotational basis, one bartender and barback should dedicate a few hours to
cleaning the bar. This means diving into the refrigerator and cleaning out any old,
expired products, washing underneath the bar mats where the glasses sit, washing
underneath the liquor bottles, deep cleaning around the bar sink and underneath it
etc.
Depending on how many other bartenders work at your venue, this might mean
doing a deep cleaning shift every few weeks, or every few months.
You know how when you go to a distant relative’s house you take your shoes off
before entering, put away everything you touch and always clean up after yourself?
If you can take that same mentality and apply it to your bar you’ll be able to create
and maintain a clean, inviting space for all of your customers and co-workers. This
means whenever possible (obviously there will be exceptions when the bar is
slammed) always put things back after you’re done using them, clean up after your
customers as soon as they leave, wash and restock dishes frequently and keep
things organized.
By honoring your workspace, you’ll attract customers who want to stay longer and
earn the respect of your manager and fellow co-workers.
Maintaining a clean and organized workspace will ensure you’re never wasting time
searching for items you need, restocking last minute during rush times, or
frantically trying to wash glasses, make change etc. Also, it will show your
customers you take pride in your job and are a true professional in this industry.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
create a high volume of filth in a night's work. If not cleaned properly, this high traffic
and high revenue area quickly becomes unsafe and unsanitary and could ultimately
drive business away. Here are some tips for tackling the bar area and removing the dirt
and bacteria for a proper restaurant cleaning.
In the course of an evening at the bar, you may witness drinks spilled, food
dropped on the bar chairs and floor, limes discarded on the ground, and even
cigarettes and other bar items thrown into the mix. A bar is the equivalent of
a wait station and a kitchen for cocktails combined.
Spilled drinks coat the surface of the floor and penetrate the porous grout
lines, while foot traffic grinds food particles between grout and tile in the
floor. Meanwhile, the fruits that garnish drinks attract fruit flies—as do the
liquors themselves, when left uncovered. The combination of food-related
soils, which tend to be oily, and liquids with high sugar content create a
particularly difficult environment to clean. On top of that, brisk bar business
tends to increase restroom traffic as well. Each of these areas, as well as the
refrigerators that hold beer and wine, must be addressed to maintain a high
level of cleanliness in your restaurants. To keep the conditions sanitary, you
have to properly clean the areas after every shift and be prepared to
maintain the level of cleanliness during service.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Rather than dragging dirt and contaminants from the restroom floor to the
bar area and possibly infecting patrons, Kaivac's cleaning system removes
soils and bacteria on the spot. There's no chance to carry contaminants
between restaurant areas, because the mops are eliminated. Using the
OmniFlex dispense-and-vac system, which is 30 times more effective than
the old systems, similar techniques are applied to the refrigerators behind
the bar, the ice bins, and other areas where germs can spread.
Bartenders begin the night knowing that the bar area is clean, and they can
keep it that way using Kaivac tools and disinfectant sprays. As with solutions
for commercial kitchen cleaning, maintaining a healthy environment is
typically less expensive than using the traditional methods. Kaivac takes
restaurants to a new level of clean.
All hospitality establishments and bars have a range of equipment: some are
static and other pieces are movable, some items maybe powered and others
un-powered.
It is imperative that equipment is only used after you have been trained in
the operations of the unit, and are familiar with the safety requirements for
safe usage.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Beer panels
Computerised tills
Sinks and draining boards
Temprites/heat exchange plates
Post-mix units
Electronic spirit dispensers
Shelving and cupboards
Work tops & benches
Espresso machine
Movable Equipment includes:
Blenders
Shakers
Drip trays
Glasses and glass racks
Bar runners
Ashtrays
Bar tools such as tongs, knives, spoons, garnish holders, nip pourers, etc.
Straws Jugs and ice buckets, Peanut/bar snack dispensers
Coasters and napkins, Decorative garnishes
During your shift you must constantly keep bar services glasses, utensils and
other beverage dispensing equipment clean and tidy. Tables must be cleared
and cleaned regularly of dirty dishes and glassware. When clearing surfaces
of used items, ensure customers are not inconvenienced and all safety and
hygiene practices are adhered to.
Stock levels must be maintained so that displays are held in good order, and
customers will be able to receive the beverage they have requested with
minimal delay.
What is 5S?
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
5S Translation
Seiri
Seiton
Seiso
Seiketsu
Shitsuke
Sort
Set in Order
Shine
Standardize
Sustain
Each S represents one part of a five-step process that can improve the
overall function of a business.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Benefits of 5S
Reduced costs
Higher quality
Increased productivity
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
The 5S concept might sound a little abstract at this point, but in reality it's a
very practical, hands-on tool that everyone in the workplace can be a part of.
Sort
The first step of 5S, Sort, involves going through all the tools, furniture,
materials, equipment, etc. in a work area to determine what needs to be
present and what can be removed. Some questions to ask during this phase
include:
These questions help determine the value of each item. A workspace might
be better off without unnecessary items or items used infrequently. These
things can get in the way or take up space.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Keep in mind the best people to assess the items in a space are the people
who work in that space. They are the ones who can answer the above
questions.
For cases when an item's value is uncertain—for example, a tool hasn't been
used recently, but someone thinks it might be needed in the future—use
the red tag method. Red tags are usually cardboard tags or stickers that
can be attached to the items in question. Users fill out information about the
item such as:
Location
Description
Name of person applying the tag
Date of application
Then the item is placed in a “red tag area” with other questionable items. If
after a designated amount of time (perhaps a month or two) the item hasn't
been used, it's time to remove it from the workspace. It's not worth hanging
onto things that never get used since they just take up space.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Set in Order
Once the extra clutter is gone, it's easier to see what's what. Now work
groups can come up with their own strategies for sorting through the
remaining items. Things to consider:
During this phase, everyone should determine what arrangements are most
logical. That will require thinking through tasks, the frequency of those tasks,
the paths people take through the space, etc.
Businesses may want to stop and think about the relationship between
organization and larger Lean efforts. What arrangement will cause the least
amount of waste?
Waiting time
Extra motion
Excess inventory
Overproduction
Extra processing
Unnecessary transportation
Unutilized talents
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Tip: For the purposes of 5S, specifically consider how the layout and
organization of an area could increase/decrease waiting time, motion, and
unnecessary transportation.
Shine
Everyone thinks they know what housekeeping is, but it's one of the easiest
things to overlook, especially when work gets busy. The Shine stage of 5S
focuses on cleaning up the work area, which means sweeping, mopping,
dusting, wiping down surfaces, putting tools and materials away, etc.
Shining the workplace might not sound exciting, but it's important. And it
shouldn't just be left up to the janitorial staff. In 5S, everyone takes
responsibility for cleaning up their workspace, ideally on a daily basis. Doing
so makes people take ownership of the space, which in the long run means
people will be more invested in their work and in the company.
Tip: How to clean may seem obvious, but make sure people know how to
properly Shine their spaces. Show employees—especially new employees—
which cleaners to use, where cleaning materials are stored, and how to clean
equipment, particularly if it's equipment that could be easily damaged.
Standardize
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Once the first three steps of 5S are completed, things should look pretty
good. All the extra stuff is gone, everything is organized, spaces are cleaned,
and equipment is in good working order.
The problem is, when 5S is new at a company, it's easy to clean and get
organized…and then slowly let things slide back to the way they were.
Standardize makes 5S different from the typical spring-cleaning project.
Standardize systematizes everything that just happened and turns one-time
efforts into habits. Standardize assigns regular tasks, creates schedules, and
posts instructions so these activities become routines. It makes standard
operating procedures for 5S so that orderliness doesn't fall by the wayside.
Initially, people will probably need reminders about 5S. Small amounts of
time may need to be set aside daily for 5S tasks. But over time, tasks will
become routine and 5S organizing and cleaning will become a part of regular
work.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Tip: Visual cues such as signs, labels, posters, floor marking tape, and tool
organizers also play an important role in 5S. They can provide directions and
keep items in place, in many cases without words.
Sustain
Once standard procedures for 5S are in place, businesses must perform the
ongoing work of maintaining those procedures and updating them as
necessary. Sustain refers to the process of keeping 5S running smoothly, but
also of keeping everyone in the organization involved. Managers need to
participate, as do employees out on the manufacturing floor, in the
warehouse, or in the office. Sustain is about making 5S a long-term program,
not just an event or short-term project. Ideally, 5S becomes a part of an
organization's culture. And when 5S is sustained over time, that's when
businesses will start to notice continuous positive results.
Tip #1: To help sustain 5S practices, make sure all new employees (or
employees who switch departments) receive training about their area's 5S
procedures.
Tip #2: Keep things interesting. Look at what other companies are doing
with 5S. New ideas for organization can keep things improving and keep
employees engaged.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Some people consider safety an outcome of performing the other five S's
appropriately, and as a result say a sixth S isn't necessary. They think if the
workspace is properly organized and cleaned and uses helpful visual safety
cues, a separate safety step is unnecessary.
________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________.
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
d) Standardize ___________________________________________________
e) Sustain ___________________________________________________
6. What will you use to clean and shine your counter if you run out of appropriate cleaning
agent?
______________________________________________________________________
__.
8. What will you do if the cleaning equipment malfunctioned while in the middle of the cleaning
process?_____________________________________________________________________
__.
10. How do you maintain and keep your stainless equipment shiny and avoid water spots?
____________________________________________________________________________
___.
Trainer
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector
BARTENDING STUDENT MODULES
Randy F. YU – TVET License Trainer and Accredited Assessor For Tourism Sector