Bar Checklists Kit Pro: Bar Opening & Closing Checklist Templates for Excel

Start with personal hygiene (clean uniform, cuts covered, hands washed at the bar sink), then set up the bar: lights and music on, the coolers and back bar cooler checked after the night with the reading logged, citrus and garnish prepped, ice wells filled with a scoop, never a glass, enough ice for the shift (65–110 lb), the speed rail stocked, fresh juices and the syrups of the day, glassware polished and the bar tools ready, the espresso machine warmed up and dialed in, and the patio set. The whole venue has its own list: alarm, lights, HVAC, POS, restrooms, draft taps and CO₂. Every task needs who does it, a due-by time and initials. The "Bar Opening & Closing Checklists" workbook has the bar written out, and the "Bar Opening & Closing Checklist (Whole Venue)" covers the building.

Last call 30 minutes before closing, glassware collected, ice wells emptied and cleaned, citrus, garnish, juices and syrups wrapped, labeled and stored, speed rail bottles capped, and the shaker, jigger and strainers washed. Then the cleaning: bar top, bar sink, beer taps, espresso machine (backflush), grinder, glass washer and the floor behind the bar. Open bottles and the shift's waste (broken glassware, spills, sent-back drinks) get logged, the cash drawer count gets closed and signed, the patio gets put away, and the venue is locked up: POS, lights and HVAC off, alarm set. Closing time and the end of alcohol sales are set by your state and city: check your state's ABC/liquor authority.

Before service, the bartender sets up their station: garnish cut, syrups of the day, glassware polished, the speed rail stocked. During service, cocktails to spec, draft beer, wine by the glass and coffee, with the station kept clean. At close, the station is cleaned, the mise en place goes into the cooler and the tools are washed and put away. In this kit, the "Bartender Checklist & Daily Duties by Role" workbook has one checklist each for the head bartender, bartender, barback and cocktail server, and the cocktail, draft beer and wine stations have their own checklists.

Every 2 weeks, plus an acid clean every 3 months, as the Brewers Association's Draught Beer Quality Manual recommends. The kit also keeps kegs at 38 °F and leaves the CO₂ pressure to the number your draft tech or distributor set for your system, because it depends on the system and the gas. Line cleaning shows up on the monthly maintenance sheet and on the bar manager's monthly checklist, so someone checks off and initials every cleaning in the period, and the Quarterly & Annual sheet adds the draft system service.

Yes, you will find free checklist templates online, and a blank one is fine to get started. This kit is something else: 11 Excel workbooks with 342 bar tasks already written and sorted by shift, area and role, a counter on every checklist that skips the tasks you mark N/A, temperatures in °F and a cash count in US dollars. Print it on US Letter, or save any sheet as a PDF from Excel.

Yes. Every checklist comes with the real tasks of a professional bar already written. You'll want to make it yours: adjust tasks to your bar, delete the ones that don't apply and add your own. The editable cells are green, and each table ends with 5 free green rows that the counter already includes.

Yes. The cocktail station checklist covers spirits, vermouth and bitters stock, batches of your high-volume cocktails, infusions, house syrups, citrus twists, a written allergen list for the cocktail menu, a quality check on every drink and a clean station between drinks. Adjust it to your own recipes.

Yes. The templates scale. A small bar can use the bar station and patio lists. A premium cocktail bar can add the cocktail station, the cellar and the events. A hotel bar can use every area.

Checklist apps charge a monthly fee per location and need connected tablets or phones. This kit gives you the same task lists in Excel for $19, a one-time payment. No subscription, no internet needed. What it is not: there are no reminders, photos or notifications on your staff's phones.

Yes. One purchase covers one business with all of its locations, which makes it a good fit for bar groups. If you are a consultant, you can use the checklists with your clients, but you can't hand them copies: each business buys its own.

It builds them into the tasks: 21+ and ID checks, no service to guests who are visibly intoxicated, the occupancy limit posted by the fire marshal, and responsible alcohol service training (TIPS, ServSafe Alcohol or another approved course) where your state requires it. Closing time, last call, happy hour and drink promotions vary by state and city, so those tasks tell you to check your state's ABC/liquor authority, and the Quarterly & Annual sheet reminds you to renew your liquor license. It's an operating tool, not legal advice.

Yes, with a few edits, all in cells you can change. The kit is set up for the US: 21+ ID checks, temperatures in °F under the FDA Food Code, draft beer at 38 °F and a cash count in US bills and coins. In the UK, the legal age is 18 and many bars run Challenge 25 (the bar manager's daily checklist already mentions it); every alcohol sale has to be made or authorized by a personal licence holder, and your premises licence sets your licensing hours, so type your own times into the last call and closing tasks. Cold holding is 8 °C and allergen information covers 14 allergens, sulfites included. The events calendar has a UK note: bank holidays, Boxing Day and a Temporary Event Notice if you want to open beyond your licence. In Canada, the legal drinking age is 19 in most provinces and 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, and provinces such as Ontario (Smart Serve) and British Columbia (Serving It Right) require server training. In Australia, the legal age is 18 and bar staff need a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certificate. For pounds, Canadian or Australian dollars, unprotect the cash count sheet (there is no password) and change the label and value of each bill and coin. Every English edition also includes the US · UK · Canada · Australia Equivalents Guide, a bonus with the local terms, taxes, food safety, staff rules and alcohol side by side.

The price is $19 USD, a one-time payment. At checkout, Stripe can show the amount in your local currency (for example GBP, EUR, CAD or AUD) and converts it for you.

No subscription: you pay once and get lifetime access to the online dashboard. When we add new templates or improvements, you get them at no extra cost — just download the files again.

Yes. A full 30-day guarantee. If you're not happy, we'll refund 100% with no questions asked.