Reviewed by Randy Powelson, founder of CertiFlow · Last updated 2026-09-03 against the FDA Food Code
This checklist reflects general FDA Food Code practice — it is not a substitute for your local health code, requirements vary by jurisdiction, and it is not legal advice. Confirm the specifics with your regulatory authority.
The seven areas are temperature control, contamination, employee hygiene, cleaning, pests, facilities, and documentation and certifications. Most multi-location operators lose points in the last one — an expired food handler card, a missing allergen certificate, a hood cleaning nobody logged.
Want the tactical version to run the morning of a visit? Use the interactive inspection-day checklist. This page is the fuller reference behind it.
01Temperature control & food storage
- Cold-holding units at 41°F or below; hot-holding at 135°F or aboveTop violation
- Cooking temperatures logged for poultry, ground meat, seafood, and reheated foods
- Calibrated probe thermometers available at every stationTop violation
- Food stored at least 6" off the floor, date-labeled, and rotated first-in-first-out
- Raw proteins stored below and away from ready-to-eat food
- Walk-in and reach-in temperature logs current and initialed
02Cross-contamination & food handling
- Separate boards and utensils for raw and ready-to-eat, or sanitized between uses
- Sanitizer buckets at the correct concentration, verified with test stripsTop violation
- No bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food; gloves and utensils in use
- An allergen-handling procedure is posted and followed
- Prep sinks used only for prep; hand sinks used only for handwashing
03Employee hygiene & health
- Hand sinks stocked with soap, paper towels, and hot water, and kept unobstructedTop violation
- An employee illness and exclusion policy is on file and understood
- Hair restraints, clean outer clothing, and no jewelry on hands or wrists
- A designated eating and drinking area away from prep
04Cleaning & sanitizing
- Three-compartment sink set up correctly: wash, rinse, sanitize
- Dish machine reaching its final rinse temperature or chemical concentration
- A written cleaning schedule with assigned responsibility and sign-off
- Floors, walls, ceilings, vents, and hard-to-reach areas visibly clean
05Pest control
- No evidence of rodents or insects — droppings, gnaw marks, or live activityAuto-fail risk
- A current pest-control service contract and recent visit reports on hand
- Doors self-closing and sealed with no gaps; air curtains working
06Facilities & equipment
- Hot and cold running water throughout, with no backflow or cross-connectionAuto-fail risk
- Lighting adequate and shielded over food areas; equipment in good repair
- Garbage areas clean, covered, and pest-proof
- Restrooms stocked and functional
07Documentation & certifications
- A certified food protection manager on site during all operating hoursTop violation
- Every food handler holds a current, unexpired card, with copies available on requestTop violation
- Allergen-awareness training completed where the state requires it
- The most recent hood and suppression-system inspection certificate
- Health permit and business license current and posted
- Temperature, cleaning, and pest logs retained and retrievable
Where multi-location operators actually lose points
Categories 1 through 6 are muscle memory for a good kitchen. Category 7 is where it slips — a card that expired while an employee was on leave, a manager certification that lapsed, a hood-cleaning record nobody kept. It is also the easiest category to have perfect, because it is only records.
For multi-location operators
Keep category 7 current without chasing it
CertiFlow tracks every employee credential and required document across all your locations — food handler cards, manager certifications, allergen training, permits, and hood-cleaning records — with escalating email alerts as each expiry date approaches, so nothing lapses unnoticed.
- Every credential, every location, one view
- Escalating alerts from 30 days out
- Each manager sees only their location
Frequently asked questions
How often are restaurants inspected?
Most jurisdictions run one to three routine inspections a year, weighted by risk — a full-service kitchen handling raw protein is inspected more often than a coffee counter. Complaints and prior violations trigger extra visits on top of that.
What counts as an automatic failure on a health inspection?
Imminent-health-hazard findings: no hot water, a sewage backup, an active pest infestation, no working refrigeration, or no certified food protection manager where one is required. These generally mean closure until the problem is corrected and the site is re-inspected.
How much notice do you get before a health inspection?
Routine inspections are unannounced. That is the whole reason to run a self-inspection on a schedule rather than only when you expect a visit.
What happens after a failed health inspection?
You receive a report with a correction deadline and a re-inspection, sometimes with fines. Repeat or critical violations escalate toward permit suspension. Scores are public in most jurisdictions, so it is a reputation issue as well as a legal one.
Which part of an inspection do multi-location operators fail most?
The documentation and certifications section — an expired food handler card, a lapsed manager certification, a missing hood-cleaning record. It is the one area that is purely records, which also makes it the easiest to keep perfect with a system that tracks expiry dates across every location.