One calendar for every store keeps the walk-ins cold and the line cooking.

• Log the temperature of every walk-in, reach-in and prep table at open and at close.
• Make sure cooler doors close on their own and the gaskets seal.
• Keep the ice scoop out of the ice and the bin door shut.
• Filter the fryer oil and wipe down the hot line.
• Write down anything that sounds or looks wrong, and call it in the same day.

The daily log is the cheapest warning you have. A walk-in that reads a degree warmer each day is telling you something. Food has to stay at 41°F or below, so catch the drift before it gets there.

Every month:

• Clean the condenser grilles on reach-ins and prep tables near the fryers and grill.
• Change the HVAC filters, and do it more often in a heavy-grease kitchen.
• Check walk-in door gaskets, hinges and closers.
• Clean the ice machine's air filter.

Every quarter:

• Clean the walk-in and rooftop condenser coils.
• Check refrigerant pressures and clear the drain lines.
• Check fryer, oven and grill controls and gas connections.

• Service the rooftop units in spring for cooling and in fall for heat, with belts and filters checked.
• Descale and sanitize the ice machines. Hard water can call for it more often.
• Have the hood fire suppression system inspected. Fire codes commonly call for it every six months.
• Check the make-up air units, so the kitchen doesn't pull smoke into the dining room.

Once a year, walk every store against its equipment list. Plan next year's replacements from what you find.

Build one equipment list for the whole group. A spreadsheet works fine. For each machine, record:

• The store, and where the machine sits in the kitchen
• Manufacturer, model and serial number
• Install date and warranty dates
• Every repair, with the date, the problem, what was done and what it cost

That list earns its keep. It tells the technician what parts to bring. It shows you when one machine keeps coming back with the same problem. When repair stops making sense, it shows you that too.

Many warranties ask for proof of regular maintenance, so keep the visit records with the list.

Every manager should know these answers before a breakdown:

• Who gets the call first, and who can approve a repair?
• Where is the repair company's number posted?
• Where does the food go if a walk-in goes down?
• Where does the repair get logged?

Post the number by the phone and inside the walk-in door at every store. For the St. Louis Metro, it's (636) 327-8349. For Columbia, it's (573) 544-0456. For an emergency, we're on site within four hours.