# Pizza shop opening, closing and cleaning checklists (free template)

*Guides · Mays Team · June 5, 2026*

![The Pizza shop opening checklist in the Mays template editor, with Dough, Ovens and hood and Make line groups and a Photo, Number or Checkbox answer on every task](https://mays-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/site/blog__pizza-shop-opening-closing-cleaning-checklist-template__cover.6fd1ba6100.png)

A pizza shop runs on three things that each need their own checks: dough that's made days ahead, ovens and a hood that work hard for twelve hours, and a make line where cheese and toppings sit in a rail through the rush. A general restaurant checklist covers none of them well.

This template is for a pizza shop with deck or conveyor ovens, a refrigerated make line, a walk-in and slices by the piece. Every task has a **Who** and a **Proof**: **photo**, **number** or **checkbox**. For how to write tasks people follow, see our [checklist guide](https://www.mays.app/blog/opening-closing-checklists-staff-follow).

*This is general information, not legal advice. Your inspector and your fire inspector have the final word. Updated September 24, 2026: the Food Code and DBPR references were re-checked.*

## What makes a pizza list different

Florida's DBPR enforces the [2017 FDA Food Code](https://www.fda.gov/media/110822/download) ([Rule 61C-1.001, F.A.C.](https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=61C-1.001)), and the sections below are from that edition.

- **The make line is a cooler that's open all night.** Cheese, meats and cut vegetables in the rail are held at **41°F or below** (§3-501.16(A)(2)). Probe the cheese, not the air.
- **Two toppings are easy to forget.** Garlic-in-oil and cut tomatoes are TCS foods in the Food Code's definition, so they belong in the cold rail, not on the shelf above it.
- **Time can replace temperature, with paperwork.** Toppings can be controlled by time instead of temperature for up to 4 hours if they start at 41°F or below, the containers are marked with the discard time, they're thrown out at 4 hours, and you keep written procedures for the inspector (§3-501.19). DBPR lists "Time as a Public Health Control" as a high priority violation category ([DBPR inspections page](https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/inspections/)).
- **Some opened packages don't need a date.** Commercially made, ready-to-eat TCS food gets a date when it's opened and kept over 24 hours: 7 days at most, day opened is Day 1. Commercially packaged hard cheeses such as parmesan and romano, and shelf-stable dry sausages such as pepperoni, are exempt from that opened-date rule, and a mix keeps the date of its oldest ingredient (§3-501.17(B), (C), (G)).
- **Cutters and ladles are on a 4-hour clock.** Utensils used with TCS food are cleaned at least every 4 hours through the day (§4-602.11(C)).
- **Dough is raw.** The FDA's [flour safety page](https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/handling-flour-safely-what-you-need-know) says raw flour, dough and batter should never be tasted, because processing grain into flour doesn't kill harmful bacteria.
- **Ovens and hood.** Food-contact surfaces of cooking and baking equipment are cleaned at least every 24 hours (§4-602.12(A)), and exhaust ducts and filters are cleaned so they aren't a source of contamination (§6-501.14(A)). The hood's fire-suppression system is a fire-code matter: DBPR notes fire extinguishers and gas appliances on its reports "for reporting purposes only", so ask your fire inspector what schedule your hood needs.

## The template

### Opening checklist (visible 9:30 to 11:00 am)

| Group | Task | Who | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dough | Dough trays dated; oldest dough used first | Prep cook | Checkbox |
| Dough | Dough balls checked for proof, no crusting | Prep cook | Checkbox |
| Dough | Flour bin covered, scoop handle up | Prep cook | Checkbox |
| Ovens and hood | Ovens on and at baking temperature | Pizza maker | Number |
| Ovens and hood | Deck brushed or conveyor belt clear | Pizza maker | Checkbox |
| Ovens and hood | Hood fans on, filters in place | Pizza maker | Checkbox |
| Make line | Walk-in cooler at 41°F or below | Opener | Photo |
| Make line | Make-line rail at 41°F or below (probe the cheese) | Pizza maker | Number |
| Make line | Topping pans filled, lidded and dated | Prep cook | Photo |
| Make line | Garlic oil and cut tomatoes in the cold rail | Pizza maker | Checkbox |
| Make line | Sanitizer buckets made and tested | Opener | Number |
| Make line | Handwash sinks: soap, towels and sign | Opener | Checkbox |
| Front | Boxes folded, delivery bags clean | Counter | Checkbox |
| Front | Drawer counted and starting cash entered | Shift lead | Number |

### Rush checks (around 6 pm)

| Task | Who | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Make-line rail at 41°F or below | Shift lead | Number |
| Slices in the warmer at 135°F or above | Shift lead | Number |
| Time-marked toppings past 4 hours thrown out | Shift lead | Checkbox |
| Cutters, ladles and topping spoons washed (every 4 hours) | Pizza maker | Checkbox |
| Sanitizer bucket changed and tested | Shift lead | Number |

Leave out the time-marked line if you don't use time as a control. Then every topping stays in the rail at 41°F.

### Closing checklist (visible from 10:30 pm)

| Group | Task | Who | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ovens and hood | Oven decks brushed, crumb trays emptied | Pizza maker | Checkbox |
| Ovens and hood | Ovens off or set back per manufacturer | Pizza maker | Checkbox |
| Ovens and hood | Hood filters wiped down | Closer | Photo |
| Make line and dough | Topping pans covered, dated and in the walk-in | Closer | Photo |
| Make line and dough | Rails, lids and cutting boards washed and sanitized | Closer | Checkbox |
| Make line and dough | Cooked toppings cooling in shallow pans; 2-hour temp logged | Closer | Number |
| Make line and dough | Tomorrow's dough balled, dated and in the cooler | Prep cook | Photo |
| Make line and dough | Walk-in at 41°F or below at close | Closer | Number |
| Close | Floors under ovens and make line swept and mopped | Closer | Checkbox |
| Close | Grease, trash and recycling out | Closer | Checkbox |
| Close | Drawer counted and total entered | Shift lead | Number |
| Close | Gas off, doors locked, alarm set | Shift lead | Photo |

### Weekly deep clean (Monday, carried through the week)

| Task | Who | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hood filters degreased or run through the dish machine | Closer | Photo |
| Oven exteriors, doors and tops degreased | Closer | Checkbox |
| Deck stones scraped per manufacturer | Pizza maker | Checkbox |
| Make-line cooler vents and gaskets cleaned | Closer | Checkbox |
| Mixer degreased; guard checked | Prep cook | Checkbox |
| Hood fire-suppression tag: last service date checked | Manager | Photo |
| Delivery bags washed | Counter | Checkbox |

### Temperature checks at a glance

| What | Limit | 2017 Food Code |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walk-in and make-line rail: cheese, meats, cut vegetables, garlic oil | 41°F or below | §3-501.16(A)(2) |
| Slices held hot for sale | 135°F or above | §3-501.16(A)(1) |
| Toppings or slices controlled by time instead | Marked, thrown out 4 hours after leaving temperature control | §3-501.19(B) |
| Cooling cooked toppings or sauce | 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then 41°F within 6 hours in total | §3-501.14(A) |
| Reheating food for hot holding | 165°F for 15 seconds, within 2 hours | §3-403.11(A), (D) |

For what to record when a reading is off, see the [temperature log guide](https://www.mays.app/blog/food-temperature-logs-new-cafe).

## Adapt it to your shop

- **Conveyor oven?** Swap "deck brushed" for the belt and fingers, following the manual.
- **Wood or coal fired?** Ash removal and the chimney belong on your lists, on the schedule your fire inspector and the oven maker set.
- **Delivery-heavy?** Add a daily "delivery bags wiped inside" line to the rush checks.
- **Dough made fresh every day?** Replace the dated-trays line with a check that the proof is right before the first bake.

## Load it into Mays

Each list is one template. In the block below, a `#` line is a template name, a `[bracketed]` line is a group, and every other line is one task.

1. Go to **Tasks → Templates**, click **Create Template**, type the name and click **Continue**.
2. Click **Add Task Group**, click **New Group** and rename it to the group name.
3. Paste one task line into **Add a task (press Enter)** and press **Enter**. Keep going line by line. The box adds one task per Enter; a paste of several lines becomes one long task.
4. Change the answer type by clicking **Checkbox** and choosing **Photo** or **Number**, following the Proof column.
5. On **Settings**, set the **Frequency** (**Daily**, or **Weekly** with one day ticked and **Carry unfinished duties through the week** for the deep clean) and the **Visibility Window**.
6. On **Assignments**, click your location, choose **A role or department** (pizza makers, closers) or **Specific people**, and click **Create Template**.

The image at the top of this post shows the opening checklist built from this block.

```
# Pizza shop opening checklist
[Dough]
Dough trays dated; oldest dough used first
Dough balls checked for proof, no crusting
Flour bin covered, scoop handle up
[Ovens and hood]
Ovens on and at baking temperature
Deck brushed or conveyor belt clear
Hood fans on, filters in place
[Make line]
Walk-in cooler at 41°F or below
Make-line rail at 41°F or below (probe the cheese)
Topping pans filled, lidded and dated
Garlic oil and cut tomatoes in the cold rail
Sanitizer buckets made and tested
Handwash sinks: soap, towels and sign
[Front]
Boxes folded, delivery bags clean
Drawer counted and starting cash entered

# Pizza shop rush checks
[Checks]
Make-line rail at 41°F or below
Slices in the warmer at 135°F or above
Time-marked toppings past 4 hours thrown out
Cutters, ladles and topping spoons washed (every 4 hours)
Sanitizer bucket changed and tested

# Pizza shop closing checklist
[Ovens and hood]
Oven decks brushed, crumb trays emptied
Ovens off or set back per manufacturer
Hood filters wiped down
[Make line and dough]
Topping pans covered, dated and in the walk-in
Rails, lids and cutting boards washed and sanitized
Cooked toppings cooling in shallow pans; 2-hour temp logged
Tomorrow's dough balled, dated and in the cooler
Walk-in at 41°F or below at close
[Close]
Floors under ovens and make line swept and mopped
Grease, trash and recycling out
Drawer counted and total entered
Gas off, doors locked, alarm set

# Pizza shop weekly deep clean
[Deep clean]
Hood filters degreased or run through the dish machine
Oven exteriors, doors and tops degreased
Deck stones scraped per manufacturer
Make-line cooler vents and gaskets cleaned
Mixer degreased; guard checked
Hood fire-suppression tag: last service date checked
Delivery bags washed
```

**Admins can let Mays AI do the typing:** click **Import from Document** on the **Task Templates** page, paste the block into the chat or attach it as a .txt file, review the drafts under **Drafts** and click **Approve & save**. It uses AI credits.

Templates start the next day. To run one tonight, go to **Tasks → Tasks**, click **Create Task** and choose **From Template**.

## Where Mays fits

- **Number answers** turn the rail and warmer readings into a log with names and times.
- **A photo of the hood filters and the dated topping pans**, taken in the app's camera, shows the close was done without anyone staying late to check.
- **AI photo verification** (an organization setting that uses AI credits) can flag a photo that doesn't show what the task asked for, and managers can reject a task with a reason.
- **Sensors in the walk-in** cover the hours after close; the [temperature log guide](https://www.mays.app/blog/food-temperature-logs-new-cafe) explains how.

## Fire up your checklists

Build the four templates and your next rush starts with the rail at 41°F and the dough dated.

[**Start your free trial**](https://go.mays.app/register): 30 days, every module, no card needed. Or [book a walkthrough](https://www.mays.app/book?from=blog-pizza-shop-opening-closing-cleaning-checklist-template) and we'll load your pizza shop's checklists with you.

## Related help articles

- Tasks & checklists: [Creating a checklist template](https://www.mays.app/help/tasks-checklists/create-a-checklist-template) — Build an opening, closing or cleaning checklist once as a template — groups, tasks and answer types — and Mays turns it into your team's task list in the app.
- Tasks & checklists: [Scheduling and assigning checklists](https://www.mays.app/help/tasks-checklists/schedule-and-assign-checklists) — Choose which days a checklist runs, the hours staff can see it, whether unfinished tasks carry over, and who does it — a role, a department, specific people or one person per task.
- Tasks & checklists: [Task answer types](https://www.mays.app/help/tasks-checklists/task-response-types) — Every task has an answer type that decides how staff complete it. Tick a box, take a photo, enter a number or text, pick an option, record a location, count stock or fill in a form.
- Tasks & checklists: [Completing your tasks in the app](https://www.mays.app/help/tasks-checklists/complete-tasks-on-mobile) — Your checklist lives in the Tasks tab of the Mays app. Tick checkboxes with one tap, take photos, enter numbers, add a note — and fix and resend a task your manager sent back.
- Tasks & checklists: [AI photo verification](https://www.mays.app/help/tasks-checklists/ai-photo-verification) — Let AI check every photo your team submits on a task. It flags weak photos for the manager to review, or rejects them straight away once you trust it. Each check uses AI credits.
- AI & automation: [Set up faster with the AI setup assistant](https://www.mays.app/help/ai-automation/ai-setup-assistant) — Upload the checklists you already use, in PDF, Word, Excel or a photo, and Mays AI drafts your checklist templates, departments and roles for you to review and save.

Canonical: https://www.mays.app/blog/pizza-shop-opening-closing-cleaning-checklist-template