Free restaurant template · Checklist
Restaurant server training checklist
Free to use and edit. These are starting drafts, not legal advice: have an employment attorney review any policy before you rely on it.
The template
[Restaurant name]
Server Training Checklist
Trainee:
Start date:
Trainer:
Manager:
Day 1: Orientation
- New hire paperwork complete
- Tour: exits, first aid, hand sinks, staff area
- Clocking in and out, breaks and how to report a missed punch
- Handbook, tip pooling policy, uniform and meal policy reviewed
- Table and seat numbers
- Shadow a server for the shift
Day 2: Menu and allergens
- Menu walk-through with the kitchen; taste key dishes
- Allergens in each dish and how to send an allergy order
- What to say when a guest reports an allergy
- Drinks list and house pours
- Menu quiz: ______ / ______
Day 3: POS and steps of service
- Ringing orders, modifiers, coursing and holds
- Splitting checks, comps and voids (who approves)
- Steps of service, greeting to goodbye
- Running food and reading tickets
- Takes two tables with the trainer
Day 4: Alcohol, payments and side work
- Checking ID and when to refuse service
- Payments, card handling and cash-out
- How tips are declared and how the pool is split
- Opening and closing side work for each section
- Takes three tables with the trainer
Day 5: On the floor
- Takes a small section; trainer shadows
- Handles one guest problem with the manager
- Completes own checkout and tip-out
- Feedback from trainer and manager
| Day | Date | Hours | Trainer initials | Trainee initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 |
Ready for own section: yes / needs more time:
If more time, what and by when:
Trainee:Date:
Trainer:Date:
Manager:Date:
Starting draft from Back of House Ops (backhousehr.com). Edit it to fit your restaurant. It is not legal advice.
Massachusetts rules
The rules that apply to this document
Can a new server be paid the service rate while training?
No. A new hire who receives no tips during training is not a tipped employee yet, so those hours are paid at the full $15.00. What your other servers make in tips does not count toward the trainee.
Full answer and official sourceAre pre-shift meetings, orientation and required training paid time?
Yes, when you require them. In Massachusetts, working time includes all time an employee is required to be on the premises or on duty, before or after the shift. Required food-safety or allergen training for your own restaurant is working time.
Full answer and official sourceDo we have to pay someone for a trial shift or stage?
If the person is actually working, cooking, prepping or serving, treat it as paid time. Massachusetts counts as working time all time someone is required to be on the premises or on duty, and no official guidance carves out unpaid tryouts.
Full answer and official sourceWhat are the food allergy rules for Massachusetts restaurants?
Restaurants must display the state-approved food allergen poster in the staff area, print "Before placing your order, please inform your server if a person in your party has a food allergy" on menus and menu boards, and have a certified food protection manager on staff who holds a Massachusetts allergen awareness certificate.
Full answer and official sourceIs alcohol server training (TIPS, ServSafe Alcohol) required in Massachusetts?
We found no statewide requirement in the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission's guidance. Local licensing boards can make training a condition of a liquor license, and insurers often ask for it, so check with your city or town's licensing board.
Full answer and official source
Rules checked against official sources on . General information, not legal or tax advice.
Where restaurants go wrong
- Paying training shifts at the tipped service rate. A trainee who receives no tips is paid the full minimum wage.
- Having the trainee study the menu at home, unpaid, as a condition of the job.
- Skipping the sign-off, then finding out in week three that nobody showed them how to send an allergy order.
Your restaurant remains the employer of record and approves payroll and employment decisions. BOHO is not a PEO, a staffing agency, or legal counsel. This template is a starting draft for you to edit. It does not decide how the rules apply to your restaurant, so have counsel review any policy or separation before you rely on it.
Want the numbers behind it? Try the restaurant calculators.
Rather have someone keep these documents current?
Your restaurant remains the employer of record and approves payroll and employment decisions. BOHO is not a PEO, a staffing agency, or legal counsel.