If you are in a position where you have to close your food service operation for an extended period, this list walks you through some of the steps you can take to mitigate the long-term impact on your assets and reduce costs.
- Remove contents from all refrigeration equipment (keep track of what you throw out in the event you have insurance coverage for lost products). If previously chilled bottled beverages can be stored at room temperature without negatively impacting the product, leave them in coolers or store them with dry goods. If you need to leave beer coolers on during closure, ensure that the fridge doors are tightly sealed and that the air intake is free of dust and debris.
- Thoroughly clean the interior of all refrigeration equipment (including gaskets and doors).
- Empty the contents of the ice machine and thoroughly wipe out the interior (don’t deep clean at this point…you’ll do that before reopening).
- Assess the contents of any freezers and determine if they are worth keeping frozen. If so, leave the freezer on while closed (be aware and factor into your decision what will happen to the contents if you lose power while closed). If you empty the freezer, take similar steps as with refrigeration equipment.
- Reset thermostat to increase High temp and decrease Low temp settings so as not to unnecessarily run HVAC system during closure.
- Unplug equipment that is not in use during closure (anything that has a plug, has been emptied of product and that won’t be utilized for an extended period of time).
- Turn off the power to the dish machine.
- Contact vendors of recurring service (e.g. Preventative Maintenance) to pause service during closure.
- Turn off all lights.
- We suggest having a certified plumber and electrician confirm that all equipment is safely closed down.
