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Restaurant shift handover template for the next manager
A shift handover should tell the incoming manager what needs attention next. This template keeps current service conditions and unfinished work in view, with an owner and checkpoint for each item. Copy it into your manager log and adjust the fields to the way your venue operates.
Start with what the next shift needs to decide
Begin with the next service period. Which open item could change the plan, which promise still needs an update, and which fact needs checking? Completed routine work only needs a place here when it affects the incoming shift.
Use your existing booking, stock, maintenance, and staff records as references. A handover is a short guide to the next actions, not another copy of every operating record.
Use one row for each unfinished item
Keep the current condition and next action in different columns. “Supplier called” describes an activity; “delivery time still unconfirmed” explains what the incoming shift needs to resolve.
Use a booking or issue reference rather than copying unnecessary guest or employee details into a widely shared note. Keep sensitive personnel discussions in the appropriate private channel.
| Item / reference | Current state | Next action | Owner | Checkpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Open item] | [Latest verified update] | [Specific result needed] | [Name] | [Time or trigger] |
| [Open item] | [Latest verified update] | [Specific result needed] | [Name] | [Time or trigger] |
Filled example: lunch to dinner
This is a fictional manager handover, not a customer case study. Its purpose is to show how different kinds of unfinished work can fit into one short record.
| Item / reference | Current state | Next action | Owner | Checkpoint |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private booking B-27 | Revised table layout requested; final layout not confirmed. | Confirm the layout with the booking lead. | Riley | Before the pre-service briefing |
| Stock note S-12 | Takeaway lid delivery is expected today; arrival time unconfirmed. | Check delivery status and update the stock note. | Sam | 16:00 |
| Maintenance M-08 | Receipt printer issue is already logged with support. | Check the support reply and update the manager log. | Alex | Before dinner service |
| Guest follow-up G-06 | Manager update was promised for this evening. | Read the private issue record and provide the agreed update. | Riley | 18:00 |
Read back the items that change the plan
The outgoing manager can give a short recap using the same order: next service, unresolved tasks, current changes, and promised updates. The incoming manager then checks the references and confirms which next steps they own.
A useful read-back sounds like: “I will confirm B-27 before briefing. Sam is checking the delivery at 16:00. The printer issue stays with Alex. I will read G-06 before contacting the guest.”
If the named owner is not available, leave the assignment unresolved until another person accepts it. A completed handover checkbox should not hide an unanswered question.
Carry forward changes, not yesterday’s entire log
At the next handover, keep items that are still open and update their current state. If the supplier confirms a delivery time, replace “time unconfirmed” with that update and adjust the next check. Keep the original reference so the history is easy to find.
Mark an item complete when the expected result is available. If it needs longer-term attention, keep it in the appropriate operating record and leave a short reference in the handover only while it affects the next shift.
Continue using the venue’s established food-safety, cash-close, and incident records. This template organizes communication between managers; it is not a replacement for those records or procedures.
Use chit for a deliberate recap
The outgoing manager can record their own handover recap with chit, then review the transcript, summary, and next steps before sharing the useful notes through the venue’s existing process. chit records only while the button is held; there is no always-on microphone.
The table above is an editorial template you fill and review. It is not an automatic POS update, stock adjustment, or staff task assignment. Keep the actual operating changes in the system the team uses.
chit one costs $129 and chit one Pro costs $179, plus $9/month for the AI. Membership billing starts 14 days after checkout; devices are built to order with delivery in about three weeks, so billing may begin before delivery. The template is free to use with your existing notes process.
Good questions
Is a shift handover the same as a closing checklist?
They serve different purposes. A closing checklist records the venue’s closing tasks; a handover tells the next manager what remains open or changes the next service. Link the relevant records instead of duplicating them.
What belongs at the top of a restaurant handover?
Put the items that affect the next service first, followed by unfinished tasks and promised updates. Include enough context for the incoming manager to identify the next action.
How should I hand over an item with no confirmed owner?
Mark the owner as unresolved and clarify the assignment during the handover. Do not assume that writing a name assigns the work.
Does chit update the restaurant’s POS or inventory?
This page does not describe a POS or inventory integration. chit provides transcripts, summaries, and next steps that a manager can review and use in the existing handover process.
Reviewed 2026-09-08.
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