Prep lists
Prep list software for kitchens that just need the prep done on time
MaintainIQ is simple prep list software that runs your kitchen's prep list as a daily checklist. Each shift gets its own list with a due time, cooks check items off on a phone or the kitchen tablet, and you see who finished it and when, at one kitchen or twenty.
- Prep lists by shift, with due times
- Unlimited users per location
- English and Spanish
Operators at these brands use MaintainIQ
By shift
A prep list for each shift, done before service
Most kitchens already know what to prep. The trouble is the list lives on a whiteboard, half of it gets done, and nobody knows until the line runs out of pico at 12:15. Set up an AM prep list due before lunch and an end-of-shift list for the PM crew, and each one shows up with its due time, backed by reminder emails.
- AM, PM and end-of-shift prep lists, each with its own due time
- Checkbox or Yes/No items, such as "Pico de gallo, 4 qt", or a number item where the cook enters how much was made
- End-of-shift prep, so the next crew walks into a stocked line
Straight answer
What MaintainIQ prep lists are, and are not
MaintainIQ does not have a separate prep module. There are no par levels, no on-hand counts, no sales forecasts and no automatic quantities. Your prep list is a checklist with the items and amounts your kitchen uses, and MaintainIQ makes sure it gets done on time and shows who did it. If you need prep quantities worked out from sales or inventory, you need a different tool.
Accountability
Know who did the prep and when it was finished
Every submitted prep list shows who submitted it and when it was last completed. When the dinner cook says the prep was never done, you can check instead of guessing. And if one kitchen's prep keeps running late, the Performance tab shows it.
- Submitted by and last completed, on every prep list
- Average time late, trend and completion score per location
- Unlimited users, so every cook can have their own login
Food safety
Prep and food safety checks in the same app
A lot of food safety happens during prep, in cooling, holding and storing. Put the temperature log and the line check next to the prep list, and a failed item, like a cooler reading too warm, becomes a follow-up task with a due date instead of a note nobody reads.
- Temperature logs with handheld Bluetooth probes
- Line checks before each service
- Failed items become follow-up tasks
Every kitchen
The same prep list at every location
Kitchens drift. One location makes salsa fresh twice a day, another makes a big batch on Monday. Run the same prep list everywhere, and see each location's status, last completion and who submitted it on one screen. Keep recipe cards and spec sheets in the document library so every kitchen preps to the same spec.
- One prep list, used at many locations
- Daily summary email with each location's checklist scores
- Filter locations by group, such as a region or a brand
What to expect
What prep list software can do, and what MaintainIQ covers
| Feature | MaintainIQ |
|---|---|
| Prep list by shift with a due time | Yes, as a daily checklist |
| Who completed the prep list and when | Yes |
| The same prep list at many locations | Yes |
| Late prep tracked per location | Yes, average time late on the Performance tab |
| Failed items turned into follow-up tasks | Yes |
| Par levels and on-hand counts | No |
| Prep quantities forecast from sales | No |
| Costing or scaling recipes | No |
Free templates
Free kitchen checklists to go with your prep list
Download a template, and read 11 smart prep list tactics for ideas on what goes on the list.
Free Food Receiving & Delivery Inspection Checklist PDF
Free food receiving and delivery inspection checklist PDF with TCS receiving temperatures, rejection rules and a receiving log for restaurants and grocers.
Free Deli & Prepared Foods Safety Checklist PDF
Free deli and prepared foods safety checklist PDF covering 4-hour slicer cleaning, 7-day date marking, holding temperatures and inspection records.
Perishable Food Checklist, Free PDF for Enhanced Safety
Free perishable food checklist PDF covering receiving, storage, display, stock rotation and temperature checks, so your team keeps food safe and cuts waste.
What is prep list software?
Prep list software replaces the paper or whiteboard prep sheet with a list cooks complete on a phone or tablet. Some tools also work out quantities from par levels and sales. MaintainIQ keeps it simple, with your prep list running as a daily checklist with due times and a record of who finished it.
Does MaintainIQ calculate prep quantities or par levels?
No. MaintainIQ does not track par levels, inventory or sales, so it cannot work out how much to prep. You write the items and amounts into the checklist, or add a number item for the cook to fill in, and MaintainIQ makes sure the list gets done on time and shows who did it.
Can I have different prep lists for different shifts?
Yes. Each prep list is its own checklist with its own due time, so you can run an AM prep list due before lunch and an end-of-shift prep list due before the PM crew leaves.
Can I see who completed the prep list?
Yes. Every submitted checklist shows who submitted it and when it was last completed. The Performance tab also shows each location's average time late, so you can see which kitchens keep finishing prep late.
Can I use the same prep list at all my locations?
Yes. One checklist can run at many locations, and you see each location's status, last completion and who submitted it on one screen, plus a daily summary email with every location's scores.
Ready when you are
Put your prep list on the kitchen tablet
In a 15-minute demo we will show you how your prep list would run as a daily checklist, by shift, at your locations.
- iPhone, iPad, Android and web
- English and Spanish
- Unlimited users per location
Prefer to talk? Call (888) 534-0261. US-based support.