CLOSING PROTOCOLS
Generally you want to start 2 hrs before close, traffic permitting of course.
Grab one of the dishwasher baskets & set it aside to load/carry. Put in half the milk/steam pitchers, all but 2 spoons, the soy blender, 1-2 of the frap pitchers, drain mats & take them to the sink to wash.
After rinsing, position them in the basket for the dishwasher (drain mat drapes over the contents). The basket slides in, close the door & hit the cycle/start button. It runs just over a minute.
While they're washing, wipe down your counter/prep areas with 1) degreaser 2) water 3) sanitizer. Once finished, you set out the clean drain mats, set your clean pitchers, etc to dry. Repeat with the other half. Just about every removable counter fixture can go through the dishwasher: syrup stand, ice scoop tower, plexicubes for cup stacks, etc. Not all fixtures need a nightly wash, tho (except ice scoop tower).
You should have 2 sets of syrup buckets & pumps: one in use & the other set ready for prep. Some folks change out the pumps & clean them singly, others do them all at once. You should have one ea for frap coffee base, white mocha, mocha (large bucket) & chai. Fill the new bucket with syrup, top with the pump & put a date sticker for the next day (expires at closing).
Take the old pump, dump out the old syrup & rinse before washing/rinsing/etc. Disassemble the pump for cleaning, placing small pieces in a hot cup with hot water from the brew station spigot (rubber ring, plastic disc, etc). remaining pieces go into the dishwasher after wash/rinse. Don't forget the skinny mocha pump, too.
When reassembling the pumps, match the spouts with the appropriate knob. Chai & frap base have a smaller hole at the base of the spout than the heavy syrups. Put a date stamp on each syrup as you go.
Pull out sections of your prep area (cup stacks, lid holders, sleeves, straws) & wipe them down in the same manner: 1) degreaser 2) water 3) sanitizer.
During the last hr, you should be down to just 2 coffee pots: Pike & decaf. All others should have been emptied, rinsed with scalding water, filled with hot water from the brew station & the lids shut. If the insides seem grungy, pour a packet of Suma shine in & fill it with hot water. It'll fizz for a while dissolving the build-up. When done, pour out & rinse with scalding water.
If pastries have sold down, see if you can combine them on fewer platters on the upper shelf while you wipe down the lower one. Once they're QMOSed, clean the glass with glance. Platters & tongs into the wash.
When using the vacuum to clean out the loose beans from the espresso machine, use it to clean around the brew station & grinder as well. Be sure to empty the vac afterwards.
Depending upon the model of your espresso machine, the drip pan may be removable. Scrub it & the grate to rid it of milk foam build-up.
Teas can be poured into trenta cups during the last hr so you can wash your pitchers.
Tea pitchers, iced coffee pitchers, banana coolers, cream pitchers, pour station stand components, hot water measure cup - these should be washed daily.
Make sure the dishwasher has about an inch of water in the bottom. If it's dry, hit the fill button 2-3 times until sufficient.
At closing, empty the espresso machine of beans into their appropriate cubes (decaf & reg), dump the grounds (rinsing out the drawer) & rinse the drain pan with hot water. If you have the Mastrena machine, pull the key out from behind the drawer, put in 2 cleaning tablets, re-insert the key & push rinse to start the cleaning cycles.
Make sure all airpots are emptied, rinsed & filled with hot water.
Wipe down the counters, make sure all cream pitchers are filled for the next day & the coolers are stocked with milk/soy/cream for the next day.
Drain the dishwasher before shutting it off & rinse out the filter before turning out the lights.
