Food Truck Daily Checklist: Open to Close

A food truck runs on routine. You have a small space, a tight window of trading time and a lot of things that must be right before the first customer arrives: stock, power, payments, prices and cleanliness. A written daily checklist keeps the whole day steady when you are tired, busy or training someone new. This guide gives a structure you can adapt to your own truck.

Why a daily list beats memory

On a quiet day you remember everything. On the day you are short-staffed, late and a queue is forming, you forget the one thing that stops you trading: no change in the float, an empty gas bottle, the card reader uncharged. A checklist moves those details from your head to a page, so a stressful day is no harder to run than an easy one.

Part 1: Before you leave base

Do as much as possible before the truck moves.

• Check the day's location, hours and any event rules.
• Confirm your stock list against the menu and load accordingly.
• Check fuel, gas, water and power supplies.
• Check fridges and freezers are working and stored correctly.
• Charge phones, card readers and tablets, and pack a charger.
• Pack the float, change, receipts and a pen.
• Load menus, signs, bins, bags, napkins, cutlery and cleaning supplies.
• Check that required paperwork and certificates are with you. Check your local rules for which documents your area requires you to carry.

Part 2: On arrival and setup

• Park safely and level the truck.
• Connect power and water, and test them.
• Put out signs and menus where they can be seen.
• Switch on equipment and let it come to temperature.
• Wash hands and put on aprons, gloves or hair covers as your rules require.
• Set out ingredients, condiments and packaging within reach.
• Test the card reader and do a practice sale.
• Walk around the front of the truck as a customer: is the menu clear, the price visible and the area tidy?

Part 3: During service

• Keep a clear order flow: who takes orders, who cooks, who hands over.
• Check temperatures and storage at regular points in the day and record them if your rules require.
• Restock the front as items run low.
• Keep surfaces wiped and bins emptied.
• Note sell-outs and slow items as you go.

A short note on a clipboard saves a long conversation at the end of the day.

Part 4: Close-down

• Stop taking orders at the time you set.
• Turn off equipment safely.
• Store food correctly and discard what your rules say should be discarded.
• Clean and wipe all surfaces, equipment and floors.
• Empty bins and remove waste properly.
• Count the cash and card sales and reconcile them.
• Refill water and top up supplies you will need tomorrow.
• Lock up, disconnect power and secure the truck.

Part 5: The two-minute end-of-day review

Before you leave, write down three things: what sold, what did not and what to change tomorrow. Over a few weeks, these notes show patterns in location, weather and menu items.

Food safety rules

Food safety rules are set locally and are not something a general guide can tell you. Check with your local food authority for what applies to your truck, including temperatures, handwashing, storage and records. Put those requirements onto your checklist in the words your authority uses, and update them when the rules change.

Make the list your own

Use your real routine, not an ideal one. Have the whole team read it and suggest changes. Print the list, put it in a plastic sleeve and keep a marker on a string. Date each day's sheet, or tick on a fresh copy, so you can look back if something goes wrong.

Common mistakes

• Keeping the checklist in your head.
• Making it so long nobody uses it.
• Forgetting the paperwork you must carry.
• Skipping the end-of-day cash count.
• Not updating the list after problems.

A short version for the dashboard

1. Stock and supplies loaded.
2. Power, water and gas ready.
3. Cash and card reader tested.
4. Hands washed and surfaces clean.
5. Menu and prices visible.
6. Close-down cleaned and secured.
7. Three notes for tomorrow.

The pack below is a keep-forever checklist maker, so you can print fresh lists and add your own steps whenever your routine changes.

General information to help you plan, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by place and trade, so check your local rules before you rely on any template or wording.