Printable preventive maintenance checklists by frequency, an equipment checklist by area, and how to budget for repairs.
By Rob Bruni, founder of OpsEdge Hospitality, twenty years running restaurants, bars, clubs and resorts. Updated November 2026.
Restaurant equipment fails at the worst possible time, because the worst possible time is when it is working hardest. A walk in that dies on a Saturday in July costs the repair, the emergency call out fee, the product inside it and the sales you lose. Most of those failures give weeks of warning to anyone who is looking. This guide gives you five maintenance checklists you can print, an equipment log to keep, a way to budget for repairs, and a full equipment checklist by area for anyone opening or auditing a restaurant.
The button prints the five checklists on this page as separate sheets. The daily sheet has a box for each day of the week. The others have a date and initials column.
Edit the lists to match your own equipment, and follow the manufacturer's manual where it differs from a general list.
Five minutes on the opening walk. The point is to notice a change before it becomes a failure.
Cleaning and maintenance overlap. The restaurant cleaning checklist covers the cleaning side and the contracted jobs in more detail.
Keep one page for every major piece of equipment, in a binder or a spreadsheet. When something breaks at 7 p.m., the manager on duty should be able to find the service number and the warranty in under a minute.
| Record | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Make, model and serial number | The first thing the technician asks for |
| Purchase date, price and vendor | Tells you the age and the replacement cost |
| Warranty terms and end date | Stops you paying for a covered repair |
| Service company and phone number | Including the after hours number |
| Maintenance schedule | What is due and when |
| Repair history with dates and cost | Shows when a unit is costing more than it is worth |
As a planning range, set aside 1.5 to 3 percent of sales for repairs and maintenance, and more in an older building or with older equipment. Track it as its own line on the P&L so a bad month is visible.
Two questions settle most repair or replace decisions.
| Equipment | Typical service life with good maintenance |
|---|---|
| Reach in and walk in refrigeration | 10 to 15 years |
| Ranges, grills and ovens | 10 to 20 years |
| Fryers | 10 to 15 years |
| Dish machines | 10 to 15 years |
| Ice machines | 7 to 10 years |
| Heating and air conditioning units | 15 to 20 years |
These are general ranges. Usage, water quality and maintenance change them a great deal.
The Restaurant Manager Operating System is one workbook with the shift log, temperature and sanitizer logs, every checklist, the order guide and the training tracker. Opening a new place? The Opening Checklist and Startup Planner covers equipment, permits, staffing and an opening budget across 196 tasks.
See the Operating System See the Opening ChecklistUse this list when you plan a new kitchen, take over an existing one or build your equipment log. Not every concept needs every item.
| Area | Equipment |
|---|---|
| Cooking line | Range, oven, grill or char broiler, flat top, fryers, salamander or broiler, steam table, heat lamps, hood and fire suppression system |
| Refrigeration | Walk in cooler, walk in freezer, reach in coolers, line refrigeration and prep tables, bar coolers, ice machine |
| Prep | Prep tables, prep sinks, slicer, mixer, food processor, blender, scale, cutting boards, shelving, storage containers |
| Dish and sanitation | Dish machine, three compartment sink, hand sinks, drying racks, mop sink, chemical dispensers, trash and recycling cans |
| Smallwares | Pots, pans, sheet trays, hotel pans, knives, utensils, thermometers, portion scoops and ladles |
| Bar | Bar coolers, ice wells, glass washer, draft system, blender, speed rails, bar tools, glassware |
| Front of house | Tables, chairs, booths, host stand, server stations, plates, glassware, flatware, coffee and tea brewers |
| Technology | POS terminals, kitchen printers or screens, card readers, phones, internet and backup, cameras, music system |
| Safety | Fire extinguishers, first aid kit, wet floor signs, non slip mats, exit and emergency lighting, safe |
For what this costs, see the restaurant startup costs guide.
Tasks grouped by frequency: daily checks of temperatures, door seals, flames and leaks, weekly tasks such as hood filters and dish machine deliming, monthly tasks such as condenser coils, gaskets and air filters, quarterly service of refrigeration and air conditioning, and annual inspections of fire systems, extinguishers and cooking equipment.
Scheduled inspection, cleaning and service of equipment before it fails. It costs less than emergency repair, lowers energy use, extends equipment life and protects food safety.
It depends on the equipment. Refrigeration and air conditioning are usually serviced quarterly, fire suppression systems every six months, and cooking equipment and dish machines at least once a year, with cleaning and basic checks done daily, weekly and monthly by staff. Follow the manufacturer's manual.
A common planning range is 1.5 to 3 percent of sales, and more for older buildings and equipment. Track it as a separate line on the profit and loss statement.
When a single repair costs more than about half the price of a new unit, when the unit is near the end of its normal service life, or when the repair history shows the same failure again and again.
Cooking equipment with a hood and fire suppression system, refrigeration and an ice machine, prep tables and tools, a dish machine and sinks, smallwares, bar equipment, front of house furniture and tableware, a POS system and safety equipment. The exact list depends on the menu and concept.
