What this lesson covers
How to write standard operating procedures (SOPs) — the documents that specify how routine business tasks are performed. This lesson covers what SOPs are for, how to structure them, and how to write procedures for common operational areas: opening and closing, customer service, POS management, and food safety. The emphasis is on producing documents that someone can actually follow, not on bureaucratic completeness.
What SOPs are for
An SOP converts knowledge that lives in one person’s head into a document that anyone qualified can follow. This serves three purposes:
- Consistency: The task is performed the same way regardless of who does it or what shift they’re on.
- Training: A new employee can learn the procedure from the document rather than relying entirely on shadowing.
- Accountability: When something goes wrong, the SOP provides a reference for what should have happened, which makes diagnosis possible.
SOPs are not aspirational descriptions of ideal performance. They are practical documents that describe what actually needs to happen, in what order, and what to do when something deviates from the norm.
SOP structure
Every SOP follows the same basic template:
Header
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Title | What the procedure covers (e.g., “Opening Procedure — Kitchen”) |
| Version / date | When the procedure was last updated |
| Applies to | Who performs this procedure (role, not person) |
| Frequency | When this procedure runs (daily, per shift, weekly, as needed) |
Body
- Purpose: One sentence explaining why this procedure exists.
- Materials/tools needed: What the person needs before starting (keys, cleaning supplies, login credentials, checklists).
- Steps: Numbered, sequential, imperative. Each step is one action. If a step has substeps, use indented sub-numbering.
- Decision points: If a step requires judgment (“if X, do Y; if not, do Z”), state the condition and both paths explicitly.
- Completion criteria: How the person knows they’re done. What does “finished” look like?
- Exceptions and escalation: What to do when something is wrong — who to contact, what to document, what to stop doing.
Principles of good SOP writing
- One action per step: “Unlock the front door and turn on the lights” is two steps. Separate them.
- Imperative mood: “Turn on the POS terminal” — not “The POS terminal should be turned on.”
- Specific, not vague: “Set thermostat to 68°F” — not “Adjust temperature as needed.”
- Observable criteria: “Wipe down all tables until no residue is visible” — not “Make sure tables are clean.”
- Include the why when it’s not obvious: “Check expiration dates on all dairy products (health code requires disposal of expired items before service).”
Common SOPs for a small business
Opening procedure
An opening SOP covers everything between arriving at the business and being ready to serve customers.
Worked example: Restaurant opening — Front of house
Applies to: Opening server or manager Frequency: Daily, before service Materials: Keys, cleaning supplies, cash drawer, POS login
- Arrive 30 minutes before posted opening time.
- Unlock front door; disarm security system (code posted in manager’s office).
- Walk the dining room. Check for anything out of place from the previous close — chairs misaligned, items left on tables, spills.
- Turn on all dining room lights and HVAC system.
- Set thermostat to 72°F (summer) or 68°F (winter).
- Wipe down all tables and chairs with sanitizer solution.
- Check restrooms: toilet paper stocked, soap dispensers filled, floors clean, trash emptied. Restock and clean as needed.
- Set each table: napkin, silverware, menu. (See table setting diagram posted at host stand.)
- Turn on POS terminal. Log in with shift credentials. Run the “start of day” report to confirm yesterday’s close was completed.
- Count opening cash drawer. Verify it matches the expected starting amount (5, notify manager before proceeding.
- Turn on music system. Set to daytime playlist at volume level 3.
- Unlock front door at posted opening time.
Completion: Dining room is clean, tables are set, POS is running, cash is verified, doors are open.
Exceptions: If POS does not start, call manager. Do not process transactions manually without manager approval.
Closing procedure
A closing SOP mirrors the opening procedure, covering everything from last customer out to lockup.
Key elements to include:
- Final customer service (last call, check settlement, farewell)
- POS end-of-day: run closing report, reconcile cash drawer to report, document discrepancies
- Cash handling: count drawer, prepare deposit, secure cash in safe
- Cleaning: tables, floors, restrooms, food prep areas
- Equipment shutdown: HVAC, kitchen equipment, music, lights
- Security: lock doors, arm security system, check that all exits are secured
- Handoff: leave notes for morning shift about anything unusual (equipment issues, low supplies, customer complaints)
Customer service standards
Customer service SOPs define the expected interaction pattern — not a script, but a sequence:
- Greeting: Acknowledge every customer within 30 seconds of entry. If you’re occupied with another customer, make eye contact and say “I’ll be right with you.”
- Seating: Offer a choice if multiple tables are available. For parties with children, offer high chairs proactively.
- Order taking: Repeat the order back. Confirm any modifications or allergies.
- Check-in: Visit the table once after food is delivered. Ask if everything is as expected — not “is everything okay?” but “how is the [specific dish]?”
- Settlement: Bring the check when requested, not before. Process payment promptly. Thank the customer by name if you know it.
- Farewell: “Thank you — hope to see you again” or equivalent. Genuine, not scripted.
POS management
POS procedures cover the daily operation of the transaction system:
- Opening: Power on, log in, verify menu items and prices are current, run start-of-day report.
- During service: Enter orders accurately, process payments, handle voids and comps (require manager approval for voids above $25), apply discounts only from approved list.
- Refunds: Manager approval required. Document reason. Process through POS (never as a cash handback).
- Closing: Run end-of-day report, reconcile cash drawer, print or export daily sales summary, log out.
Food safety
Food safety SOPs are not optional — they are required by health codes and protect the business from legal liability and the customers from harm.
Core food safety procedures:
- Temperature logging: Check and record refrigerator and freezer temperatures at opening and every 4 hours during service. Refrigerators: 35–38°F. Freezers: 0°F or below. If out of range, take corrective action and document.
- Receiving: Inspect all deliveries. Check temperatures of refrigerated goods on arrival. Reject deliveries that arrive above 41°F. Document rejections.
- Storage: Label all prepared items with date and item name. First in, first out (FIFO). Discard items past their use-by date.
- Handwashing: Before handling food, after handling raw protein, after touching face/hair, after handling trash, after returning from break. Minimum 20 seconds with soap.
- Cross-contamination prevention: Separate cutting boards for raw protein and ready-to-eat items. Store raw proteins below ready-to-eat items in refrigeration.
- Cooking temperatures: Document minimum internal temperatures for all proteins. Chicken: 165°F. Ground beef: 155°F. Fish: 145°F. Verify with calibrated thermometer.
Maintaining SOPs
SOPs are living documents. They degrade if they aren’t maintained:
- Review quarterly: Walk through each SOP and ask whether it reflects current practice. If staff have developed a better method, update the SOP to match — don’t leave the document saying one thing while everyone does another.
- Update on change: When equipment changes, suppliers change, health codes update, or layout changes, update affected SOPs immediately.
- Version control: Date every revision. Keep the previous version accessible in case a change needs to be rolled back.
- Staff input: The people who perform the procedure know where the SOP is wrong, unclear, or missing steps. Ask them.
Guidance
- Choose one operational area in a business you know (opening, closing, customer service, food handling) and write a complete SOP following the template above.
- After writing it, hand it to someone unfamiliar with the operation and ask them to tell you what they would do. Where they get confused, the SOP is unclear.
- Compare your SOP to the risk mitigation concerns you’ve identified. Does every significant operational risk have a corresponding procedure that addresses it?