Bar Food Safety Log Template 2026
Last updated: 2 May 2026
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Most pub licensees think food safety logging is about ticking boxes for the EHO inspector. It’s not. A proper food safety log is the difference between a 5-star rating and a closure notice. I passed my NSF audit in March 2026 because our logging was methodical, honest, and documented every single temperature check, cleaning task, and stock rotation decision. This article walks you through what actually matters in a bar food safety log, why your current system is probably leaving you exposed, and gives you a template you can start using today.
Key Takeaways
- A food safety log documents temperature checks, cleaning schedules, and stock rotation to meet UK food safety law and EHO compliance.
- The most effective way to pass EHO inspections is to keep daily records that show you are actively monitoring food safety, not just reacting to problems.
- Temperature checks must be logged at the start of service and whenever fridge or freezer conditions change, with the name and time of the person who checked it.
- Cleaning logs must record what was cleaned, when, who did it, and what chemical was used, because the EHO will ask to see evidence of your preventative approach.
- Paper logs are common but digital logging reduces errors, shows patterns automatically, and creates an audit trail that satisfies auditors instantly.
What a Bar Food Safety Log Actually Is
A bar food safety log is not a menu or a till receipt. It is a daily record of every action your team takes to keep food safe. This includes temperature checks, cleaning tasks, stock rotation, pest control evidence, supplier checks, and staff training dates. The EHO is not looking for perfection. They are looking for evidence that you are paying attention.
When I took on Teal Farm Pub in Washington NE38 three years ago under a Marston’s CRP agreement, the previous operator had no food safety log at all. During the first inspection, the EHO spent forty minutes asking questions about how we managed food safety. I had nothing to show. We got marked down for lack of documentation, even though the fridges were clean and the food was handled properly. The difference between a 4-star and a 5-star rating is often just the paper trail.
Think of your log as a conversation with the EHO before they arrive. You are telling them: “Here is exactly what we do every day to keep food safe. Here are the dates, times, and names of the people responsible.”
Why Your Bar Needs One
UK food safety law, specifically the Food Safety Act 1990 and the General Food Law Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, requires you to implement and maintain procedures based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). HACCP means you identify the risks, control them, and record that you did. A food safety log is your HACCP evidence.
Without it:
- You cannot prove to an EHO that you are managing food safety proactively
- If someone gets food poisoning linked to your pub, you have no defence in court
- Your insurance may not cover you if you cannot demonstrate due diligence
- You lose points on your hygiene rating, which affects customer trust and bookings
- If you ever sell the pub, a buyer’s due diligence process will flag missing food safety records as a liability
The cost of a proper log is five minutes per day. The cost of not having one is a prosecution, a fine, or worse. I’ve seen pubs in the North East lose their 5-star rating to a 3-star purely because the owner couldn’t produce cleaning records. Once you slip to 3-star, recovery takes months.
Key Sections Your Log Must Include
1. Daily Temperature Checks
Every fridge, freezer, and cold storage unit must be checked at least once per day. Record the temperature, the time, the date, and the name of the person who checked it. If a temperature is outside the safe range (below 5°C for fridges, below −18°C for freezers), record the corrective action taken.
2. Cleaning and Sanitisation Schedule
Document what was cleaned, when, how (what chemical or method), and who did it. This includes the fridge interior, the ice machine, the optics, the bar top, the floor, and any food contact surfaces. Daily, weekly, and monthly tasks must all be logged.
3. Stock Rotation and FIFO Records
FIFO (First In, First Out) is not optional. When stock is received, log the delivery date and use-by date. When it is used, log the date and quantity. This prevents expired products from being served.
4. Supplier and Delivery Checks
When deliveries arrive, log the date, supplier, items received, and any issues (damaged packaging, temperature anomalies, recalls). This protects you if a supplier provides unsafe stock.
5. Pest Control and Pest Evidence
If you have a pest control contractor, log their visit dates and what they found. If you spot any evidence of pests, log it immediately and the action taken.
6. Staff Training and Induction Dates
Log when staff members complete food safety training, including the date and topic. The EHO will ask to see evidence that your team is trained.
Temperature Tracking: The Non-Negotiable Part
Temperature logging is the single most important section of your food safety log, because temperature is where most food poisoning incidents start. If your fridge fails at 2 a.m. on a Friday and no one checks it until Saturday morning, you could have eight hours of unsafe food sitting at 10°C.
Here is what a proper temperature check looks like:
- Time of check: 06:30
- Date: 2 May 2026
- Fridge A temperature: 4°C
- Status: Safe
- Checked by: J. Smith (initials and printed name)
- Action taken: None — temperature within range
And here is what happens when you skip this:
- No entry for that day
- EHO asks: “Did you check the fridge?”
- You say: “Yes, we always do”
- EHO says: “Can you show me the record?”
- You have nothing to show
- Rating drops
I recommend checking fridges at the start of each shift (morning, afternoon, evening if you are open late) and logging it immediately. Use a simple thermometer or a max/min fridge thermometer. Do not guess. Do not round. Log the actual temperature.
If a temperature is out of range, log what you did about it: “Fridge B showed 7°C at 14:00. Cleaned condenser coils. Checked again at 14:30: back to 4°C. Ordered engineer call for next day as precaution.” This shows due diligence. This passes inspection.
Cleaning and Sanitisation Records
The EHO will open your fridge and wipe the shelves with a cloth. If they find a sticky residue or mould, they will ask: “When was this last cleaned?” If you have to say “I’m not sure,” you’ve already lost points.
Your cleaning log must show exactly what was cleaned, when, and with what product. Here is the format I use at Teal Farm:
Daily Tasks (logged each shift)
- Bar top and pumps: Sanitised with 10 ppm chlorine solution at 06:00, 14:00, 22:00
- Till area: Wiped with disinfectant at 06:00 and 22:00
- Floor: Swept at 06:00, 14:00, 22:00; mopped with detergent at close (22:30)
- Fridge handles: Sanitised with 10 ppm chlorine at 06:00 and 14:00
Weekly Deep Clean (logged with date and staff member)
- Fridge interior: Cleaned and sanitised every Monday, 08:00. Done by J. Smith. Product: Ecolab Driftex
- Ice machine: Cleaned and sanitised every Wednesday, 08:00. Product: Manufacturer recommended cleaner
- Optics: Removed and soaked in hot water with detergent, Fridays at 06:00
Your pubco may have specific cleaning standards. Check your tenancy agreement or ask your BDM for their cleaning schedule. If they do not have one, use the manufacturer’s instructions for your equipment, or ask your EHO what they expect to see.
I recommend a printed checklist posted on the wall next to the relevant equipment. Staff tick off tasks as they complete them, and the manager reviews the checklist at the end of each week. This prevents “I thought someone else did it” situations.
Stock Rotation and FIFO Documentation
FIFO is not just about not poisoning people. It is also about not losing money. Old stock ties up capital. Expired stock is waste. A proper stock rotation log prevents both.
When stock arrives, label it with the delivery date and use-by date. When you use it, log the date and quantity. This is especially important for dairy (milk, cream), prepared foods, and anything with a short shelf life.
For a small bar, a simple spreadsheet works. For example:
| Item | Delivery Date | Use-By Date | Quantity Received | Date Used | Quantity Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheddar slices | 28 Apr 2026 | 12 May 2026 | 2 kg | 2 May 2026 | 500 g |
| Milk (full fat) | 30 Apr 2026 | 7 May 2026 | 6 litres | 2 May 2026 | 2 litres |
The point is not to spend hours on admin. The point is to know what is in your fridge, when it expires, and to use the oldest stock first. If the EHO asks about a specific item, you can pull up the log and show exactly when it was received and used.
Common Mistakes That Cost You Points
1. Logging Temperatures That Are Suspiciously Perfect
If your temperature log shows 4°C every single day at the exact same time, the EHO will know you are making it up. Real fridges fluctuate slightly. Log the actual temperature, not the target temperature.
2. No Names on the Log
If a log does not show who checked the fridge, it is worthless. The EHO needs to know that a responsible person signed off on it. Even if you are the only person working, print your name or initials every time.
3. Logs That Start After an Inspection Announcement
If your log is spotless from the day you hear the EHO is coming, but blank for the six months before, you are not fooling anyone. Start your log now and keep it consistently.
4. No Evidence of Corrective Action
If something goes wrong (a high temperature, a pest sighting, a damaged delivery), you must log what you did about it. “Fridge at 8°C — did nothing” is a catastrophic entry. “Fridge at 8°C — checked thermostat, defrosted coils, returned to 4°C in 30 minutes, called engineer for Tuesday inspection” is a pass.
5. Using the Same Log Format as the Chain Restaurant Down the Road
A pub is not a restaurant. You serve food, but your kitchen is different, your storage is different, your workflow is different. Customise your log to your actual operation. If you serve bar snacks only, your log should reflect that. If you do 180 covers on a Saturday night like I do at Teal Farm, your log should show how you manage that volume safely.
How to Implement Your Log in 2026
Option 1: Paper Log (Still Valid)
A printed checklist, posted on the wall, ticked daily, and filed weekly. This costs nothing and works if you are disciplined. The problem is staff turnover, illegible handwriting, and no backup if the folder gets wet.
Option 2: Spreadsheet (Google Sheets)
A shared Google Sheets file where staff log temperatures and tasks. This is free, accessible from any device, and creates a searchable history. You can add colour-coded alerts if a temperature is out of range.
Option 3: Dedicated Food Safety Software
Purpose-built logging apps send reminders to staff, generate reports automatically, and flag issues instantly. These range from £10 to £50 per month.
Most UK pubs of my size (180 covers, mixed wet and dry sales) use either paper with a discipline system or a basic spreadsheet. The key is consistency. I recommend starting with a printed checklist and a folder. Once you see how much time it takes and how valuable the data is, you can upgrade to digital.
Here is your starting point: print a simple template with spaces for date, time, temperature, checked by, and corrective action. Use the same template every day. File it in a folder in chronological order. The EHO will ask to see three months of records, so keep at least 90 days on site.
One critical point: If you use pub management tools for your small pub, consider integrating your food safety log with your overall operations system. This means temperature data, cleaning logs, and staff training records all live in one place, which reduces duplication and makes audits faster. When I prepared for my NSF audit in March 2026, having everything in one system saved me the equivalent of a full day of collating paperwork across spreadsheets and files.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should my bar fridge be?
UK food safety law requires fridges to be kept at 5°C or below. Most bar fridges work best at 3–4°C. Check the manufacturer’s specification for your unit. Use a calibrated thermometer, not the built-in dial, because dials are often inaccurate. Log the actual temperature, not the setting.
How often must I check fridge temperatures?
At minimum once per day, ideally at the start of service. If you are open continuously (breakfast through late night), check at least twice per day. If a fridge fails or shows an unusual temperature, check again within four hours and log the corrective action. Your pubco agreement may specify a more frequent schedule — check your tenancy terms.
Can I use a digital thermometer instead of logging manually?
Yes. Many modern bar fridges have digital thermometers built in or attached. Record the reading in your log the same way: date, time, temperature, checked by, action taken. Digital is more accurate than analogue, but you still need to write it down or photograph it for your records.
What happens if I miss a temperature check?
If you miss one day, log it as soon as you remember and note why (staff absence, equipment failure, etc.). If you miss multiple days, the EHO will ask why. The best answer is honest: “We had a staffing crisis that week and slipped. We have now restructured the rota to prevent it.” Lying or leaving a blank is worse than admitting a mistake and fixing it.
Do I need to log cleaning if nothing visible is dirty?
Yes. Food safety is about preventing invisible hazards, not just visible dirt. Bacteria cannot be seen. Log cleaning tasks even if the fridge looks clean. This is your evidence of preventative control. The EHO expects to see that cleaning happens on a schedule, not on-demand.
Keeping a food safety log takes time, and managing it across paper, spreadsheets, and staff notes adds complexity.
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