Do you own and run a Restaurant? Tips on How to Create a Standard Operating Procedure

If you are in the food business, you must have written a standard operating procedure for handling food safely, mainly because it’s a requirement for health regulations. A general standard operating procedure example will cover every aspect of your business.

last updated Wednesday, June 4, 2025
#Standard Operating Procedure #Business SOP

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by John Burson

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A business SOP removes guesswork about how certain tasks should be performed, ways to improve productivity, teamwork, and efficiency while providing a way to evaluate performance and make improvements.

Steps to Follow When Creating a Standard Operating Procedure

Preparation Protocol

Some rules that cover cooling, heating, hand-washing, labeling, and other practices that can prevent foodborne illnesses can easily be found in the nearest local health department. Therefore, you can use them to create a standard operating procedure example for your business. For instance, most public health departments require that restaurant owners cool any cooked items at a temperature between 135 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit for at least two hours. When this isn’t accomplished, you can heat it to 165 degrees and repeat the process to ensure you meet that recommended cooling time.

Meal Mandates

Your local health department requires that you have a well-written standard operating procedure example that describes all the realms of food preparation and services, such as storing, cooking, and sanitizing. It’s essential to prove that you have an existing plan to monitor, verify, keep records, and take any necessary corrective action. Your employees should first view a standard operating procedure example for handling food to test their knowledge during a routine health inspection.

The Big Picture

A detailed standard operating procedure will benefit your restaurant because it will determine how tasks should be done. Well-detailed written procedures will supplement training manuals and can also be used for cross-training and as a reference for employees who are faced with unfamiliar roles. Plans can also curb liabilities.

Now Make it Work

A standard operating procedure can be effective when it’s complete, accepted, and useful. However, compiling a written employee standard operating procedure takes several weeks and sometimes months. Therefore, you can involve your employees to make it less time-consuming while encouraging a passionate buy-in. You can assign your house staff the task of listing practical information that can truly affect duties. After the staff is done, the managers can then review.

 
 
 

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