Bar closing activities are critical in ensuring that a bar operates efficiently and maintains high standards of hygiene, security, and inventory control. In Kenya's hospitality sector, including hotels, restaurants, and clubs, proper bar closing procedures contribute to customer satisfaction and regulatory compliance. This chapter explores the essential steps and duties involved in closing a bar, highlighting their importance in safeguarding assets and preparing for the next day’s operations.

5.1 Bar Closing Procedures

Bar closing procedures are the fixed steps a bar team follows at the end of trading to leave the bar clean, account for every item of stock and record the results on the closing checklist. They start once last orders have been served and the last guests have left, within the hours on the bar's liquor licence, and they end when the supervisor signs the checklist and the bar is locked. Done properly, closing protects the stock and cash, keeps the bar within public health rules and gives the next shift accurate opening figures.

Example: the residents' bar of a conference hotel in Tala clears its counter, washes its tools and counts every bottle on a printed checklist before the night supervisor locks the bar at midnight.

Order of closing

1. Stop service: Call last orders in good time, stop serving at the licensed closing time and clear all glasses from tables.
2. Clean surfaces: Clear and clean the counter, back bar and shelves (5.1.1).
3. Clean equipment and tools: Wash, sanitise and store glassware, tools and machines (5.1.2).
4. Count closing stock: Count every item left in the bar (5.1.3).
5. Complete the checklist: Enter the figures, work out consumption and value it (5.1.4).
6. Hand over and lock: Hand the signed checklist, keys and cash report to the supervisor and lock the bar.

5.1.1 Cleaning Bar Surfaces

Bar surfaces are the counter top, the back bar, shelves, the speed rail, drip trays, sink drainers and the front panel of the counter that guests touch. At the end of service they carry sugar, fruit juice, beer and spirit spills that become sticky, attract flies and ants and grow bacteria overnight if left. Cleaning is done from top to bottom and from clean areas to dirty areas, using a food-safe detergent followed by a sanitiser.

Procedure for cleaning bar surfaces

1. Prepare: Put on an apron and gloves and prepare warm water with detergent in a bucket, and a separate sanitiser solution mixed to the label strength.
2. Clear: Remove all bottles, glassware, menus, ashtrays, mats and garnish trays from the counter and back bar.
3. Remove loose dirt: Brush crumbs and debris into a dustpan and empty drip trays into the sink.
4. Wash: Wipe the counter, shelves, speed rail and drip trays with the detergent solution, paying attention to corners and the edge where guests rest their arms.
5. Rinse: Wipe again with clean water to remove detergent.
6. Sanitise: Apply the sanitiser and leave it for the contact time on the label.
7. Dry: Dry with a clean cloth, or air dry, so that no water marks or dampness remain.
8. Wipe bottles: Wipe the shoulders and necks of open bottles and replace pourers with clean ones or cap the bottles before returning them to the shelves.

Cleaning materials by surface

• Laminate and stainless steel: Mild detergent and a soft cloth; abrasive pads scratch the surface and hold dirt.
• Granite and marble: Neutral cleaner only, since acids such as lemon juice and vinegar etch the stone.
• Timber counters: Damp cloth with mild soap, dried at once, polished weekly with wax.
• Glass shelves and mirrors: Glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth.
• Rubber bar mats: Washed in the sink, rinsed and hung to dry overnight.

5.1.2 Cleaning of Bar Equipment and Tools

Bar equipment and tools include glassware, shakers, strainers, jiggers, bar spoons, muddlers, knives and boards, blenders, ice buckets and tongs, ice wells, beer taps and lines, coffee machines and refrigerators. Each is cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions and the material it is made of, then dried and stored where it will stay clean. Tools left dirty overnight hold fruit acids and sugar that corrode metal, stain glass and contaminate the next day's drinks.

Procedure for cleaning tools

1. Dismantle: Take apart shakers, strainers, blender jugs and pourers.
2. Pre-rinse: Rinse off fruit pulp, cream and syrup in the first sink.
3. Wash: Wash in hot water with detergent, using a brush inside narrow parts.
4. Rinse: Rinse in clean water.
5. Sanitise: Dip in sanitiser for the required time or run through the glass washer.
6. Dry and store: Air dry on racks, then store tools in a clean drawer and glasses upside down on racks or shelves.

Cleaning bar machines

• Blender: Run warm soapy water through the jug, rinse, dry and store the jug off the base.
• Ice well and ice machine scoop: Empty the ice well, wash and sanitise it and leave it open to dry; keep the scoop outside the ice in its holder.
• Beer taps: Remove and soak tap nozzles; clean beer lines on the brewer's schedule, usually weekly.
• Coffee machine: Back-flush the group heads, purge and wipe the steam wand and empty the drip tray.
• Refrigerators: Wipe spills and door seals, remove spoilt items and check the temperature (1 to 4 °C).

5.1.3 Bar Closing Stock

Bar closing stock is the quantity of every drink and supply physically left in the bar after service has stopped. It is counted item by item by the outgoing barman together with the supervisor or the incoming barman, and both sign the count. Closing stock is the basis for working out how much was used during the shift, and it becomes the opening stock of the next shift.

Counting closing stock

1. Count after service: Count only when service has stopped and no further drinks are being poured.
2. Follow the shelf order: Count shelf by shelf in the same order as the checklist so that no item is missed.
3. Count full units: Count full bottles, cans and cases.
4. Measure open bottles: Estimate open spirit bottles in tenths of a bottle, or weigh them, using the same method every time.
5. Check fridges and the store: Include stock in bar fridges, under the counter and in the bar's own store.
6. Record in ink: Enter each figure on the checklist in ink, without erasing; corrections are crossed through and initialled.
7. Sign: Both people who counted sign the sheet.

Rules for accurate counting

• One item, one line: Each brand and size has its own line, never grouped.
• Same unit as issue: Count in the unit stock is issued in, such as bottles or cans.
• Breakages recorded separately: Broken and spoilt items are entered in the breakage book, not left out silently.
• No borrowing: Stock borrowed from or lent to another outlet is recorded on a transfer note.
• Locked after count: Stock is locked away as soon as it is counted.

5.1.4 Details in the checklist

The closing checklist, also called the bar stock sheet, is the form on which closing stock is recorded and the shift's consumption and sales value are worked out. It lists every item the bar sells and carries the same columns every day, so that each shift can be compared with the last. The completed checklist is signed by the barman and supervisor and sent to the food and beverage controller with the shift's sales report.

Example: a bar of 40 beer, spirit and soft drink lines at a sports club in Kerio Valley fits all its items on one printed A3 stock sheet, with columns in the order shown below.

Number of drinks

The number of drinks is the list of items on the sheet and the quantity of each, counted in its unit of issue. Each drink is identified by brand and size, for example a 500 ml lager, a 750 ml bottle of gin or a 300 ml soda, because different sizes have different prices. For spirits sold by the tot, the sheet may also show the number of tots per bottle (for example 30 tots of 25 ml in a 750 ml bottle) so that consumption can be priced by the tot.

Bin number

The bin number is the code of the shelf, bin or fridge position where each item is kept in the bar and the store. It matches the bin card and the cellar ledger, so that every movement of the item can be traced. Listing items in bin number order makes the count quick, because staff move along the shelves in order and nothing is skipped.

Closing stock

Closing stock is the quantity of each item physically present at the end of the shift, as counted in 5.1.3. It is entered against each line and becomes the next shift's opening stock. If the next shift's opening count does not agree with it, the difference is reported to the supervisor at once.

Received stock

Received stock is the quantity of each item issued to the bar during the shift, from the store on a requisition or from another outlet on a transfer note. It is entered from the signed documents, not from memory, so that consumption is not overstated. Stock sent out of the bar to another outlet is deducted.

Total stock

Total stock is the quantity of each item that was available for sale during the shift.

Total stock = Opening stock + Received stock

Example: 24 bottles opening + 12 bottles received = 36 bottles available.

Consumption

Consumption is the quantity of each item used during the shift, whether sold, spilled or broken.

Consumption = Total stock − Closing stock

Example: 36 bottles available − 14 bottles closing = 22 bottles consumed.

Breakages and spillages recorded in the breakage book are deducted to give the quantity that should have been sold.

Price per visit

This column shows the selling price per unit at which each drink is sold to the guest (per bottle, can, glass or tot) at the time of the shift. It is used to value consumption and compare it with the money taken.

Value of consumption = Consumption × Selling price per unit

Example: 22 bottles × Ksh. 300 = Ksh. 6,600.

The total value of all lines is compared with the sales recorded on the point-of-sale system for the shift; a shortage or surplus is investigated with the supervisor before the sheet is signed.

Chapter Summary

This chapter outlined the essential procedures involved in closing a bar effectively. It began by detailing the cleaning of bar surfaces to maintain hygiene and prevent contamination. Attention was then given to the proper cleaning of bar equipment and tools to ensure their longevity and readiness for future use. The management of bar closing stock was discussed, emphasizing accurate inventory control to avoid losses. The chapter also covered the importance of completing checklist reports with precise details to document closing activities. Bar closing duties were explored, highlighting the responsibilities that staff must fulfill to secure the bar at the end of service. Finally, proper waste disposal methods were explained to maintain cleanliness and comply with health regulations. Together, these topics provide a comprehensive guide to efficient and responsible bar closing operations.