Checklist for Temporary Kitchen Closures

Date postedMarch 18, 2020
Restaurant Operations,

Source: 86 Repairs

This is a challenging time for our industry. As restrictions and guidelines change on an almost minute-by-minute cadence, restaurants are forced to adapt to ensure the health and safety of our employees and communities. As a result, many have made the decision to scale back operations and shut down a portion of their kitchen as they shift exclusively to delivery and takeout models, or temporarily close their doors.

Even if the reason for temporarily closing is new, the process for managing a temporary closure is not. We compiled this guide to help restaurants navigate this unchartered territory. While none of us knows exactly what the future holds - we are certain that the restaurants we love to support will emerge on the other side of this crisis. 

Taking these steps now will help you get your kitchen back up and running quickly when you're ready to reopen. If you have any questions about an item on this list, or are in need of a trusted service provider in your network to help you temporarily close down our kitchen, please let us know. We’re here to help.

- The 86 Repairs Team

Thank you to the following best-in-class service providers for their willingness to share their expertise and help our team build this list: Mike Cnossen (Armock Mechanical Contractors), Joe Davita (Restaurant Systems Management), and Jason Freeman (Technical Hot and Cold).

  
1. Remove grease from frying units
2. Shut off water heaters
3. Shut off gas hookups to equipment
4. Check for gas leaks 
5. Idle HVAC in the 50's
6. Remove grease from frying units and thoroughly clean
7. Move remaining food to walk-in coolers
8. Shut down small refrigeration units and freezers and sanitize interiors
9. Flush your beer taps
10. Cover and seal liquor bottlesFull Instructions

Hot-Side
  • Remove Grease from Frying Units
    You’ll want to remove all grease from frying units and grease cooking units. Your frying units hold a lot of excess food particles that won’t show up when regularly held in hot temperatures. If you bring these to room temperature, things will start to grow. Make sure you clean your fryers after you’ve removed the food and before you leave.
  • Shut Off Water Heaters

  • Shut Off Gas Hookups to Equipment

  • Check for Gas Leaks
    When your ovens are on all the time, it can be difficult to identify small gas leaks. Once you’ve turned off the gas hookups, check for any smell. If you detect a smell, go to where it’s strongest. Look for any pipes or fittings that are showing visible cracks or defects. Make sure you mark these spots and get them fixed and sealed.

    Note: Be prepared for pilot issues when you go to turn the gas on. It’s extremely likely that it could be difficult to get your pilots back up when your doors open. Be ready to work with your trusted hot side provider to get this resolved.

HVAC
  • Idle the Air Conditioning
    Keep it running, but keep it low. Take your thermostats to the high 50’s to save on electricity, without turning the system off completely. Reconditioning the entire restaurant's air after being off can cause compromised HVAC systems to fail. Better to spend a little to save what could be a lot. 

Cold Side
  • Move Remaining Food to Walk-In Coolers
    If you have food supplies that will last beyond your temporary closure, move these items from all small refrigerators and freezers to your walk-in cooler to save on electricity. If you do this, make sure you sanitize the interior of small refrigeration units and ice machines. You won’t notice food particles at near freezing temperatures, but these will start to grow the minute they are switched off.

    An alternative we’ve seen many customers and industry leaders do is send home all existing food supplies with their employees.

Beverage
  • Flush Your Beer Taps
    If your beer taps will be closed for more than a week, you need to flush and clean the lines. If you don’t, your lines will grow bacteria and funk up the beers. Save yourself this step and call your local beer distributor to have them flush the lines for you.

  • Cover and Seal Liquor Bottles
    Do this to prevent fruit flies and other insect infestations.


Restaurant Resources

Here is an ongoing list of resources to help you and your restaurant in this challenging time.

Categories

American Rescue Plan RRF CARES Act ERTC PPP COVID-19 Grants + Support Programs Restaurant Recovery Finance Financial Forecasting Tax + Accounting GRA Members Only News GRA News Human Resources Healthcare + Wellness Workforce Development Legal + Regulatory ADA Alcohol Immigration Wage & Hour Legislation Federal Legislation State + Local Legislation Public Health Food Safety Restaurant Industry News Athens Atlanta Metro Area Augusta Columbus Macon NRA Savannah Restaurant Operations Closing a Restaurant Delivery Equipment Marketing + PR Menu Point of Sale Real Estate Sustainability Technology & Innovation Risk Management Cybersecurity Insurance Safety & Security

Most Recent Posts

Navigating Complexities: How Bartenders Can Responsibly Handle Intoxicated Patrons Date postedNovember 11, 2024Posted 16th Annual GRACE Awards Finalists and Honorees Announced Date postedOctober 23, 2024Posted by Sarah Thorson Why Routine Roof Inspections Are Key to Keeping a Business Running Smoothly Date postedOctober 15, 2024Posted The Importance of Properly Handling Restaurant Slip and Fall Incidents Date postedSeptember 25, 2024Posted Understanding Debt-Like Items and Their Cash Flow Impact Date postedSeptember 19, 2024Posted