Uniform and dress code policy for a restaurant or café: a fill-in template with the Food Code rules
A dress code does two jobs: food safety (hair, nails, jewelry, clean clothes), where the inspector has rules, and your brand, where you do. A barista's nose ring isn't a food safety problem; a line cook's bracelet is. Here's a fill-in policy by role, a section for your employee handbook.
General information, not legal advice. Your state adopts its own Food Code edition, and state uniform laws are often stricter than federal ones.
The food safety part: four Food Code rules
Quoted from the 2022 FDA Food Code and checked against the 2026 edition.
Hair. "FOOD EMPLOYEES shall wear hair restraints such as hats, hair coverings or nets, beard restraints, and clothing that covers body hair, that are designed and worn to effectively keep their hair from contacting exposed FOOD" (§2-402.11(A)). The rule has an exception: it "does not apply to FOOD EMPLOYEES such as counter staff who only serve BEVERAGES and wrapped or PACKAGED FOODS, hostesses, and wait staff if they present a minimal RISK of contaminating exposed FOOD" (§2-402.11(B)).
Jewelry. "Except for a plain ring such as a wedding band, while preparing FOOD, FOOD EMPLOYEES may not wear jewelry including medical information jewelry on their arms and hands" (§2-303.11). Watches and fitness bands count. The 2026 edition drops medical information jewelry and adds that "An individual with a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act may be allowed to wear a medically necessary device that can be kept clean and worn in a manner that prevents potential contamination."
Nails. "FOOD EMPLOYEES shall keep their fingernails trimmed, filed, and maintained so the edges and surfaces are cleanable and not rough" (§2-302.11(A)), and "Unless wearing intact gloves in good repair, a FOOD EMPLOYEE may not wear fingernail polish or artificial fingernails when working with exposed FOOD" (§2-302.11(B)).
Clean clothes. "Food employees shall wear clean outer clothing to prevent contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service and single-use articles" (§2-304.11). Piercings above the wrist, tattoos and hair color aren't in the Food Code; they're your call.
Who pays for the uniform
Under federal wage law, a required uniform is your cost. The Department of Labor lists "the cost of uniforms and of their laundering, where the nature of the business requires the employee to wear a uniform" among costs that are primarily for the employer's benefit (29 CFR 531.3(d)(2)(iii)). Wages must be paid "free and clear", and there's a violation "in any workweek when the cost of such tools purchased by the employee cuts into the minimum or overtime wages required to be paid him under the Act" (29 CFR 531.35; the example is tools, and uniforms work the same way). Quoted from the eCFR as of October 2, 2026.
A hypothetical: someone paid exactly the minimum wage can't be charged for a required shirt at all. Tipped employees on a lower cash wage are the easiest to get wrong.
Our house rule: branded items are free, replaced free, and never deducted from final pay (see letting someone go (coming Nov 10)).
Religious dress and grooming
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's guidance on religious garb and grooming says that "In most instances, employers are required by federal law to make exceptions to their usual rules or preferences to permit applicants and employees to observe religious dress and grooming practices."
A common fix in food service: "wearing the item in the company uniform color(s)." A beard goes under a beard net, which meets §2-402.11. The page notes that Groff v. DeJoy (2023) raised the bar for refusing on hardship grounds. Title VII covers employers with 15 or more employees; state laws often cover smaller ones.
Our house rule: anyone can ask for a religious, medical or disability exception. The manager says yes unless there's a real safety problem, and writes it down.
The dress code, by role
S = food safety (Food Code); H = house rule you can change.
Front of house (cashier, server, host) | Kitchen (line, prep, dish) | Bar or barista | Delivery driver | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Shirt | Branded shirt, issued (H) | Branded shirt or chef coat, issued (H) | Branded shirt, issued (H) | Branded shirt or jacket, issued (H) |
Pants or skirt | ________ (color), no rips (H) | ________, no rips; no shorts on the line (H) | ________ (H) | ________ (H) |
Apron | Clean at start of shift (S); spare on site (H) | Clean at start; change when soiled (S) | Clean at start; change when soiled (S) | n/a |
Hair | Restraint if handling exposed food (S); otherwise tied back (H) | Hat or net, and beard restraint (S) | Hat or net if handling exposed food (S) | Tidy (H) |
Hands and arms | Plain band only if handling exposed food (S) | Plain band only; no watch or bracelet (S) | Plain band only (S) | Your choice (H) |
Nails | Short and clean (S) | Short, no polish or false nails unless gloved (S) | Short, no polish or false nails unless gloved (S) | Your choice (H) |
Shoes | Closed toe, non-slip sole (H) | Closed toe, non-slip sole (H) | Closed toe, non-slip sole (H) | Closed toe (H) |
Name tag | Worn, first name only (H) | Optional (H) | Worn (H) | Worn, or ID badge (H) |
Facial piercings, tattoos | ________ (H) | ________ (H) | ________ (H) | ________ (H) |
Fragrance | Light or none (H) | None (H) | None, it changes how drinks taste (H) | Light or none (H) |
Out of dress code? Fix it from a box of spare hats, nets and aprons. Before sending anyone home, check your state's reporting-time pay rules. Repeats go on the write-up form.
Uniform issue and return log
One line per item. Number items so "returned" means that apron.
Date issued | Employee | Item and size | Qty | Item no. | Issued by | Date returned | Condition | Replaced (date, why) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The new-hire sign-off
Do it on day one, with the orientation checklist.
Dress code sign-off | |
|---|---|
Employee name | |
Role | |
Items issued (see log) | |
I've read the dress code for my role | Initials |
I know I can ask for an exception for religious, medical or disability reasons | Initials |
Agreed exceptions, if any | |
Employee signature and date | |
Manager signature and date |
Where Mays fits
- The policy on every phone. A Knowledge Base article in a folder shared with everyone. See Your knowledge base.
- A short quiz. A training module under Learning → Modules (Can you wear a watch on the line?), assigned to new hires, with each person's score. See Creating training modules and Assigning training.
- A dress check at opening. A checklist item with a Photo answer. See Creating a checklist template.
- The log and sign-off as forms. Under Tasks → Types, use Employee, Repeatable rows, Yes / No and Signature fields; send one as a one-off task with the Custom form answer type, and export submissions from Tasks → Data. See Building custom forms, Creating one-off tasks and Task Data.
Mays has no uniform inventory and no "I've read this" sign-off on a knowledge base article.
Write the safety lines first
Four Food Code rules, house rules by role, free branded items, a box of spares, and a sign-off with every new hire.
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