Checklist template

Table service standards for casual dining restaurants

A ready-to-use checklist with 108 items in 6 sections, covering Host stand and seating, Greeting and order taking, Food and beverage delivery, Table maintenance, Payment and farewell, Server knowledge. Use it as-is in Bindy, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 108 Items
  • 93 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 123 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Host stand and seating 17 items

  1. Arriving guests are greeted by the host within 30 seconds of entering Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The host greets guests before asking for the number in the party Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The host stand is free of personal phones, drinks and food Yes / No 1 pt
  4. A guest with a reservation is checked in by name within 30 seconds of reaching the host stand Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The host adds waiting parties to the wait list with the name, party size and time of arrival Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The host quotes a wait time when no table is ready Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Waiting guests are called or paged in the order of the wait list Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The host walks the party to the table at the guests' pace Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Guests are offered a choice between a booth and a table when both are free Yes / No 1 pt
  10. High chairs or booster seats are offered to parties with small children Yes / No 1 pt
  11. A children's menu is given to each child at seating Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The host hands an open menu to each guest after the guests sit down Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The host tells the guests the name of their server Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The table is fully set (silverware, napkins, clean tabletop) before guests are brought to it Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Extra place settings are removed when the party is smaller than the table Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Time from entering to being seated when a table was free (seconds) Number
  17. Welcome at the host stand Rating
    • Warm and immediate 5 pts
    • Polite but slow or flat 3 pts
    • Guests ignored or rushed 1 pt

2. Greeting and order taking 18 items

  1. The server greets the table within 2 minutes of seating Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Time from seating to the server's greeting (seconds) Number
  3. The server gives his or her name at the greeting Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The server asks whether anyone at the table has a food allergy Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The server suggests a specific drink or appetizer by name Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The server mentions the day's features without being asked Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Drink orders are taken at the first visit to the table Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Guests ordering alcohol who appear under the age set by company policy are asked for identification Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The server takes orders by seat number Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The server asks the cooking temperature for steaks and burgers Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The server asks the choice of side dish and dressing where the menu gives a choice Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The server repeats the order back to the table Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The server offers to bring children's meals first Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The order is entered in the point-of-sale system before the server takes another table's order Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Allergy information is entered on the ticket with the allergy modifier Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Menus are collected once the order is taken Yes / No 1 pt
  17. The server tells the guest at the time of ordering when a requested item is unavailable Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Order taking Rating
    • Complete, accurate and with suggestions 5 pts
    • Accurate without suggestions 3 pts
    • Items missed or re-asked 1 pt

3. Food and beverage delivery 18 items

  1. Drinks arrive within 4 minutes of being ordered Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Time from the drink order to drinks on the table (minutes) Number
  3. Appetizers arrive within the time set by company standard Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Time from the entree order to entrees on the table (minutes) Number
  5. Share plates are on the table before the appetizer arrives Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Each dish is placed in front of the guest who ordered it without asking who ordered what Yes / No 1 pt
  7. All entrees for the table arrive at the same time Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The server or runner names each dish when placing it Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Hot plates are announced as hot when placed Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Steak knives and other needed utensils are on the table before the entree arrives Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Condiments that go with the dish (ketchup, hot sauce, syrup) are brought with the food Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Drinks are carried on a tray Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Glasses are handled by the base or stem Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Plates are carried without fingers touching the food surface Yes / No 1 pt
  15. The server returns within 2 minutes or two bites to ask about the food Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Dishes delivered carry every modification ordered (no onion, dressing on the side) Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Appetizer plates are cleared before the entrees arrive Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Timing of courses at the tables observed Rating
    • Well paced 5 pts
    • One course late or rushed 3 pts
    • Long gaps or courses stacked together 1 pt

4. Table maintenance 18 items

  1. Soft drinks, iced tea and water are refilled before the glass is less than one-third full Yes / No 1 pt
  2. A second alcoholic drink is offered when the first is nearly finished Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Empty glasses are removed from the table when a new drink is delivered Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Finished plates are removed within 3 minutes of the guest finishing Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The server asks before removing a plate that still has food on it Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Plates are not cleared from some guests while others at the table are still eating, unless a guest asks Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Used napkins, straw wrappers and empty sugar packets are removed at each visit Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Dropped silverware is replaced without the guest asking Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Extra napkins are brought with ribs, wings and other hand-held items Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Crumbs and spills are wiped from the table before dessert Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Containers are offered for leftover food Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The server boxes leftovers away from the table or lets the guest do it, as company standard specifies Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The server looks over the whole section each time he or she enters the dining room Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Servers do not walk past a table in their section that needs something Yes / No 1 pt
  15. After the guests leave, the table is cleared, sanitized and reset within the time set by company standard Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Seats and the floor under the table are checked for crumbs when the table is reset Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Glasses seen empty for more than 2 minutes during the observation Number
  18. Attention to tables during the meal Rating
    • Needs anticipated 5 pts
    • Needs met when the guest asked 3 pts
    • Guests had to look for their server 1 pt

5. Payment and farewell 18 items

  1. Dessert is offered by name or with a dessert menu Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Coffee or an after-dinner drink is offered with dessert Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The check is presented within 3 minutes of being requested Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Time from the request for the check to the completed payment (minutes) Number
  5. The check is presented in a clean check holder or on a working handheld Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The check lists the items ordered and no others Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The server asks whether the party wants separate checks before printing Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Payment is collected within 2 minutes of the guest placing a card or cash Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Where handheld payment is used, the card stays in the guest's sight Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Change is returned in full without the server asking whether the guest needs change Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The server does not stand over the guest while the tip is entered Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Loyalty program members are asked for their number or phone before the check is closed Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Gift cards and coupons are applied as the guest requests Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The server thanks the guests by name when the name is on the card or reservation Yes / No 1 pt
  15. The server invites the guests to return Yes / No 1 pt
  16. The host or a manager thanks the guests at the door as they leave Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Guests are not hurried from the table after paying Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Farewell Rating
    • Genuine thanks from server and host 5 pts
    • Thanks from the server only 3 pts
    • No farewell 1 pt

6. Server knowledge 19 items

  1. The server asked could describe the ingredients of a featured dish Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The server asked could name the menu items that contain peanuts or tree nuts Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The server asked knows where the allergen guide is kept Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The server asked could name the vegetarian choices on the menu Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The server asked could name the gluten-free choices or explain that none can be guaranteed Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The server asked could name the draft beers on tap today Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The server asked could recommend a wine by the glass to go with a dish Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The server asked could explain the cooking temperatures for steak from rare to well done Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The server asked could state the portion size of a steak or a rack of ribs on the menu Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The server asked could state today's soup and feature without checking Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The server asked could explain the current limited-time promotion Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The server asked could explain how the loyalty program earns rewards Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The server asked could state the target times for greeting a table and delivering drinks Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The server asked could state the company steps for refusing alcohol service to a guest Yes / No 1 pt
  15. New servers have a completed menu test on file Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Date of the last menu knowledge test given to servers Date
  17. Name of the server observed Short text
  18. Menu knowledge of the servers asked Rating
    • Confident and accurate 5 pts
    • Mostly accurate, checked some answers 3 pts
    • Could not answer basic questions 1 pt
  19. Comments on the service observed Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the Bindy template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In Bindy you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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