A strong handoff does not retell the entire shift. It transfers the exceptions, decisions, risks, promises, owners, and deadlines the next manager needs in order to lead responsibly.
Begin with what changed
State the actual conditions that differ from the normal standard: call-outs, schedule changes, equipment limitations, shortages, 86 items, safety concerns, unusual sales, large parties, weather effects, temporary procedures, or leadership decisions.
Pass people and guest commitments
- Attendance, injuries, employee concerns, coaching already given, training in progress, coverage changes, and follow-up requiring authorized management attention.
- Open guest complaints, promised calls, refunds, remakes, reservations, lost property, service recovery, and any guest expectation the next shift inherits.
Pass operating and safety exceptions
- Food temperatures, cooling, allergens, sanitation, cleaning, pest, equipment, utility, facility, security, and corrective actions still open.
- Prep, production, shortages, waste, receiving, vendor, inventory, transfer, recipe, portion, and quality concerns.
- Cash, safe, POS, void, comp, refund, deposit, online-order, or system exceptions requiring follow-up.
Use an owner-and-deadline format
For every material open item, record what happened, what was decided, what temporary control is in place, who owns the next action, when it is due, and what evidence will prove closure. Avoid vague notes such as “watch this,” “needs fixed,” or “tell morning.”
Require the incoming manager to read
The incoming manager should review the Manager Log and handoff before assuming the shift, ask questions while the outgoing manager is available when possible, and sign or acknowledge that the information was received. Every manager starting or working a shift should follow the same read-and-acknowledge rule.
Carry unresolved items forward
An item stays open until verified closed or formally transferred to another controlled process. Do not let a new date or manager erase the record. Repeated handoff exceptions should enter the weekly review so leadership can correct the system creating them.
Related guides
- Restaurant Opening Checklist — use the handoff to plan the next opening
- Restaurant Closing Checklist — create a complete close-to-open record
- Restaurant Weekly Business Review — escalate repeating unresolved exceptions
Put the guide into a working system
Use Gravity Daily Operations & Shift Control, the Manager Log, and the Manager Control Report to preserve decisions, exceptions, ownership, and verified closure across shifts.