Store Pipeline · step 8
Training
Production SOPs, equipment operation, output standards and role training; staffing to headcount, certification sign-off and a soft-opening run-through.
Product SOPsHeadcount & staffing sheetRole certification matrixTraining recordsSoft-opening checklist
Two tracks, one matrix
Two things run at once here. On the content side, the finalised menu is broken down into output SOPs that can be taught and tested. On the people side, hiring runs to headcount and arrival is sequenced. The two meet at the role certification matrix — because “training is done” cannot be verified, while “who, which item, signed by whom, against which SOP version” can.
Content side: menu into curriculum
What you sell decides what you teach. Once the menu is final it is broken into stations, processes and output standards. Every SOP comes down to ingredients, weights, temperature, timing, the test for a finished item, shelf life and exception handling — and carries a version number.
People side: headcount into arrivals
Arrival is sequenced against the headcount for the store type: M6 · GM arrives first (joins Step 7 acceptance and training prep); Early M7 · shift leads and kitchen core; Mid M7 · front of house and part-time. The manager arriving early is not a rostering preference — they take part in equipment commissioning and sign-off at step seven.
Roles and responsibilities
These 7 roles are the rows of the certification matrix. Certified before stationed: nobody works a station alone without the matching certification.
- 01
General Manager
Store-wide QSC and P&L, scheduling and labor compliance, health inspection response, coaching and certification sign-off
- 02
Shift Lead
Shift staffing and station relief, register reconciliation and handover, on-shift food safety logs, first-line complaints
- 03
Soup Station
Broth reconstitution and hot holding, standard bowl assembly, soup temperature and concentration logs
- 04
Wok Station
Wok cooking and mixing line, one order per wok, sauce-pack portions per SOP
- 05
Fry Station
Oil temperature settings and oil changes, poultry core-temperature checks, braised-item holding
- 06
Sushi Station
Sashimi-grade sourcing checks and thawing, sushi rice preparation, nigiri and roll production, conveyor stocking and pulling
- 07
Front of House
Greeting and order taking, allergen inquiry, POS checkout and daily close, delivery order checks
- 08
Part-time
Peak-hour support and cleaning; never staffs a station alone
Certification list 33 items, 19 of them hard conditions for opening
Items marked as critical (food safety, fire, key equipment, and the right to work a station alone) must all pass before peak-load testing can run, and the Go / No-Go at step nine is judged on the same basis. What follows is the common skeleton; per-dish SOPs for a specific cuisine are added by the project against its finalised menu. Items marked “testable in demo mode” are completed in the POS offline demo environment, which creates no real orders and does not affect store trading data.
Every item states its written-exam status: those that have one carry the question count and pass mark. Those that do not say why — externally certified items are examined by the issuing body, and practical assessments test what the hands can do, with a note on which general courses absorbed the theory. There is no item where you cannot tell why it has no exam.
Onboarding & licenses
- Day-0 orientation: house rules, floor flow, hygiene and grooming Written exam: 20 questions · pass 80 · 30 min· bilingual
- Food Handler Card (per state/county requirements) · no written exam (externally certified): The Food Handler Card is examined and issued by the state or county authority. This system only verifies the card and its expiry — writing our own exam would amount to impersonating the issuer.
Safety courses
- Food safety: temperature control, cross-contamination, shelf life and discard rules · recertify every 12 months Written exam: 20 questions · pass 80 · 30 min· bilingual
- Fire safety: extinguisher and Ansul locations, evacuation routes · recertify every 12 months Written exam: 20 questions · pass 80 · 30 min· bilingual
- Personal safety: knives, burns, slips and chemicals Written exam: 20 questions · pass 80 · 30 min· bilingual
Stations & production
- Soup station certification: broth reconstitution, hot-holding temperature checks, standard bowl assembly · recertify every 3 months · no written exam (practical assessment): Broth reconstitution, hot-holding checks and bowl assembly are hands-on skills a written test cannot measure; the temperature limits and cross-contamination theory are already examined in the food safety course.
Theory absorbed into: Food safety · Big 9 allergen inquiry and relay (one wrong answer is an incident) - Wok station certification: prep specs, single-order stir-fry, sauce-pack portioning · recertify every 3 months · no written exam (practical assessment): Prep specs, single-order stir-fry and portioning only count when demonstrated at the station; temperature control and knife/burn safety theory are already examined in the food and personal safety courses.
Theory absorbed into: Food safety · Personal safety - Fry station certification: oil temperature settings, re-frying, probe check of poultry core ≥165°F · recertify every 3 months · no written exam (practical assessment): Oil temperature control, re-frying technique and probe checks must be demonstrated live; the 165°F poultry rule and fryer-fire response theory are already examined in the food and fire safety courses.
Theory absorbed into: Food safety · Fire safety - Front-of-house certification: order-taking script, serving and floor rounds, delivery order check and tamper seal · recertify every 3 months · no written exam (practical assessment): Order-taking, floor rounds and delivery sealing are learned by live drills; allergen inquiry and complaint-escalation theory are already examined in the allergen and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Big 9 allergen inquiry and relay (one wrong answer is an incident) · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response · Food safety - Sushi station certification: sashimi-grade sourcing checks, sushi rice preparation, raw/cooked separation, conveyor stocking and time limits · recertify every 3 months · no written exam (practical assessment): Knife work, nigiri forming and rice preparation are hands-on skills a written test cannot measure; raw-food temperature control, cross-contamination and discard theory are already examined in the food safety course.
Theory absorbed into: Food safety - Semi-finished prep: braising/stir-fry module portions, heat control, cooling and shelf life · recertify every 3 months · no written exam (practical assessment): Braising and stir-fry portions and heat control must be done at the stove; cooling time limits, date labels and FIFO theory are already examined in the food safety course.
Theory absorbed into: Food safety - Prep station: soaking, cutting, base-broth simmering and ingredient date labels · recertify every 3 months · no written exam (practical assessment): Soaking, cutting and broth simmering are craft skills; ingredient shelf life and walk-in storage theory are already examined in the food safety course.
Theory absorbed into: Food safety - Big 9 allergen inquiry and relay (one wrong answer is an incident) Written exam: 20 questions · pass 80 · 30 min· bilingual
Equipment operation
- Electric fryer: preheating, TPM-based oil changes, filtering and shutdown · no written exam (practical assessment): Preheating, TPM-based oil changes and filtering must be done on the machine; the Class K extinguisher for fryer fires and burn-safety theory are already examined in the fire and personal safety courses.
Theory absorbed into: Fire safety · Personal safety - Induction cooker / range: safe operation, dry-burn protection and cleaning · no written exam (practical assessment): Safe range operation and dry-burn protection must be demonstrated live; fire response and burn-safety theory are already examined in the fire and personal safety courses.
Theory absorbed into: Fire safety · Personal safety - Refrigerator / freezer: temperature logs, defrosting, breakdown lockout and product transfer · no written exam (practical assessment): Defrosting, breakdown lockout and product transfer are physical tasks; the 41°F cold-holding limit and over-temperature discard rules are already examined in the food safety course.
Theory absorbed into: Food safety - Ice machine: scooping rules, cleaning and sanitizing schedule · no written exam (practical assessment): Scooping rules and sanitizing must be demonstrated on site; food-contact-surface hygiene theory is already examined in the food safety course.
Theory absorbed into: Food safety - Warewashing and closing clean: chemical dilution, protective gear and acceptance standards · no written exam (practical assessment): Chemical dilution and the three-compartment sink must be worked hands-on with test strips; never-mix-chemicals and sanitizing theory are already examined in the personal and food safety courses.
Theory absorbed into: Personal safety · Food safety
Management
- CFPM / ServSafe Manager (person in charge of food safety) · recertify every 60 months · no written exam (externally certified): CFPM / ServSafe Manager is examined and issued by the certification body; this system only verifies the certificate. New York additionally requires a Food Protection Certificate held by a supervisor and available on site.
- Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out Written exam: 20 questions · pass 80 · 30 min· bilingual
- Scheduling and labor compliance: hours, breaks, overtime and minor-employment limits Written exam: 20 questions · pass 80 · 30 min· bilingual
- Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response Written exam: 20 questions · pass 80 · 30 min· bilingual
- Coaching and examiner sign-off qualification (pass this before certifying others) Written exam: 20 questions · pass 80 · 30 min· bilingual
POS operation
- POS shift open and float entry (no open, no sales) · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response - POS ordering: add-ons, quantity changes, held orders, table numbers · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response - POS voids: reason codes, mandatory notes, authorizer · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response - POS cash checkout and change · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response - POS card checkout (Tap to Pay / terminal flow and failed-payment retry) · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response - POS refunds and partial refunds (irreversible, requires authorization) · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response - POS receipt reprint and printer-failure handling (a failed print never blocks checkout) · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response - POS offline ordering and queue upload after recovery (no re-opened orders, no double cooking) · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response - POS sold-out (86) setting and clearing (selling what you do not have is a complaint) · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response - POS shift handover and cash-equation reconciliation (overages and shortages traceable) · recertify every 12 months · testable in demo mode · no written exam (practical assessment): POS items can only be examined on a demo-mode terminal — `pos-offline` in particular cannot be tested by cutting the network in production; daily reconciliation and refund-authorization theory are already examined in the open-close and complaint papers.
Theory absorbed into: Opening and closing procedures, daily close-out · Complaint handling, escalation authority and online review response
Non-food formats
6 default positions · 20 items, 7 of them hard opening conditions
Craft workshops, retail, beauty and arcade stores use their own default positions and assessment standard: no food-handling licenses; fire safety and evacuation is mandatory; hazard communication is enabled where the store uses chemicals. The default list follows; each store trims it in its plan.
- Store Manager Store-wide operations and P&L, scheduling and labor compliance, fire and safety inspection response, coaching and certification sign-off
- Shift Supervisor Shift staffing and cover, opening and closing with cash handover, on-shift safety walk-through, first-line complaints
- Store Associate Greeting and needs inquiry, product and service introduction, display restocking and floor upkeep
- Cashier POS checkout and membership redemption, returns and refunds, shift handover and daily reconciliation
- Workshop Instructor Session preparation and materials check, walkthrough and safety briefing, hands-on guidance and finishing
- Part-time Peak-hour support and floor and equipment cleaning; does not run the register alone
Onboarding & licenses
- Orientation: house rules, floor flow and grooming, service etiquette and reporting lines · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
Safety courses
- Fire safety and evacuation: extinguisher locations and use, escape routes and assembly point, alarm and power cut-off · recertify every 12 months · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Hazard communication (HazCom): labels and SDS, protection and dilution, spill response · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Personal safety and first-aid response: cuts and burns, slip and fall prevention, first-aid kit and reporting · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Cash and store security: safe opening and closing, cash limits and storage, theft and robbery response · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
Equipment operation
- Tool and equipment safety: power and heat tool operation, protective gear, lock-out and repair reporting · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Floor and equipment cleaning and sanitizing: frequency and supplies, shared-tool sanitizing, cleaning log · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
Management
- Opening, closing and daily close: opening checklist, closing count, daily close and reports · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Scheduling and labor compliance: hours and breaks, minor-employee limits, time records · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Complaint handling and escalation: listening and apology, remedy authority, escalation and records · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Coaching and sign-off qualification: assessing by checklist, records and signature, recertification scheduling · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
POS operation
- POS checkout: scanning and price-change authority, payment methods, receipts and invoices · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Returns and refunds: policy and proof check, authorization levels, audit trail · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Shift handover and cash reconciliation: float count, overage and shortage handling, handover signature · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
Customer service & sales
- Customer service: greeting script, needs inquiry and recommendation, farewell · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Product and service knowledge: categories and prices, materials and suitability, common questions · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Booking and session scheduling: registration and confirmation, rescheduling and cancellation, arrival check-in · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
Workshop & activity delivery
- Session preparation: materials and tools check, workstation setup, safety signage in place · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Leading a session: demonstration, safety briefing, in-process correction and pacing · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
- Session wrap-up: finished-piece handover and packing, workstation reset, consumables log · no written exam (theory examined orally with the practical): No dedicated written paper exists for this item yet: the theory is examined on the spot in the "key points recited" column of the practical assessment; once a paper for this item is published in the library, it switches to written plus practical.
Acceptance standards
- 01
- Certificates bound to a version
- Every certificate records the assessor and the SOP it was issued against, with its version number. When a standard is updated, which version a certificate came from is one query away.
- 02
- Expired recertification stops counting
- Station certifications are reassessed every three months; expired items no longer count as passed.
- 03
- No waivers on critical items
- Without food safety, key equipment and the right to work alone, there is no peak-load test.
- 04
- Single station, then combined, then load
- Isolate problems layer by layer, so a drill does not end without anyone being able to locate the cause.
- 05
- Drill issues closed out
- Every issue is logged with an owner, a deadline and a re-check finding. Closing one requires evidence.
What this step welcomes
Training providersMenu developmentOperations consultantsRecruitment
Product and output training, equipment operation and safety courses, on-the-job coaching and assessment systems, running soft-opening drills, and store recruitment services (channel advertising, community sourcing, background checks and onboarding paperwork) are all open to proposals.
Not at this step yet? Start with the nine-step line, or from submitting a training proposal.