Franchise Operations Guide

Daily Operations Manual Opening Procedures The opening manager must arrive at least 60 minutes before the store opens. Follow this checklist in order: 1. Disarm the security system using your personal code. If the alarm triggers, call the security hotline at 1-800-555-0199 with your store number. 2. Perform a walk-through inspection: check for signs of water damage, pest activity, broken equipment, or anything unusual. Report issues to your District Manager immediately. 3. Turn on all kitchen equipment: grills (preheat to 400°F), fryers (preheat to 350°F), ovens (preheat to 375°F), and warming stations. 4. Check all refrigeration units. Walk-in cooler must read 36-40°F. Walk-in freezer must read 0°F or below. If temperatures are out of range, do not use affected products — contact maintenance immediately. 5. Prep stations: set up all cold prep ingredients from the walk-in. Check that all containers have date labels. Discard anything past its use-by date. 6. Verify cash register starting balance: $200 in each register, broken down as: 1x $50, 2x $20, 3x $10, 4x $5, and 20x $1. 7. Review the daily prep sheet and begin food prep as listed. 8. Unlock the front doors at exactly the posted opening time. Closing Procedures The closing manager is the last person to leave the building. Follow this checklist: 1. Lock front doors at the posted closing time. Allow any customers already inside to finish their meals. 2. Clean all cooking equipment: grills (scrape and degrease), fryers (filter oil — replace if dark or smells off), ovens (wipe interior). 3. Break down prep stations. All prepped food must be labeled with the current date and stored in sealed containers in the walk-in cooler. 4. Sweep and mop all floor areas including behind equipment. Clean restrooms and restock supplies. 5. Run end-of-day report on the POS system. Count each register. Complete the daily cash reconciliation form. Discrepancies over $5 must be reported to the District Manager. 6. Deposit cash in the safe. Two employees must be present for safe operations. 7. Set the security system and verify all doors are locked. The alarm will beep three times to confirm activation. Cash Handling Only managers may access the safe. Register drawers must never contain more than $300 during business hours — perform mid-shift drops when a drawer exceeds this amount. Credit card tips are distributed to employees via payroll, not from the register. Counterfeit detection pens must be used on all bills of $50 or higher. Scheduling Schedules are posted every Thursday for the following week using the ShiftPlan app. Employees must confirm their shifts within 24 hours. Shift swap requests must be submitted through ShiftPlan and approved by a manager at least 48 hours before the shift. Overtime must be pre-approved by the District Manager. No employee under 18 may work more than 4 hours on a school day or past 10:00 PM.

Food Safety and Hygiene Standards Temperature Control Maintaining proper temperatures is critical for food safety. Required temperatures: Hot holding: All cooked foods must be held at 140°F or above. Check and log temperatures every 2 hours using a calibrated probe thermometer. Cold holding: All refrigerated items must be stored at 41°F or below. Walk-in cooler target: 36-40°F. Prep station cold wells: 41°F or below. Cooking temperatures (minimum internal temperature): - Poultry (chicken, turkey): 165°F for 15 seconds - Ground meat (burgers, meatballs): 155°F for 15 seconds - Steaks and chops: 145°F for 15 seconds, plus 3-minute rest - Fish and seafood: 145°F for 15 seconds - Reheated leftovers: 165°F within 2 hours Cooling: Hot foods must be cooled from 140°F to 70°F within 2 hours, and from 70°F to 41°F within an additional 4 hours (6 hours total). Use shallow pans, ice baths, or blast chillers. The temperature log must be completed four times daily: at opening, before lunch rush, before dinner rush, and at closing. Logs are kept on file for 90 days. Handwashing All employees must wash hands: when arriving at work, before putting on gloves, after touching raw meat or eggs, after using the restroom, after sneezing or coughing, after handling trash or cleaning chemicals, and after touching their face or hair. Proper technique: wet hands, apply soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds (including between fingers and under nails), rinse, and dry with a single-use paper towel. Food Allergen Procedures BrightBite takes food allergies seriously. When a customer reports an allergy: 1. The cashier must mark the order with an allergy flag in the POS system. The allergy alert prints on the kitchen ticket in red. 2. The cook must use a clean, sanitized prep area and fresh utensils. Never use shared oil, cutting boards, or utensils. 3. Verify all ingredients against the allergen matrix posted in the kitchen. If unsure about any ingredient, check the product binder or call the supply chain hotline. 4. The manager on duty must visually verify the order before it leaves the kitchen. 5. Deliver the order personally to the customer and confirm the allergy accommodation. Common allergens to watch for: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat/gluten, soy, fish, shellfish, and sesame. Our menu boards list the top 9 allergens for each item. Cross-contamination prevention: separate storage for allergen-free ingredients, color-coded cutting boards (purple for allergen-free prep), and dedicated fryer baskets for gluten-free items. Sanitation Sanitizer solution concentration must be tested every 4 hours using test strips. Quaternary ammonia: 200 ppm. Chlorine bleach: 50-100 ppm. Food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized after each use and at least every 4 hours during continuous use. All cleaning chemicals must be stored in the designated chemical storage area, separate from food and food-contact surfaces. SDS (Safety Data Sheets) are located in the red binder by the manager's office.

Customer Service Standards The BrightBite Promise Every customer should experience: a greeting within 10 seconds of entering the store, their order taken within 3 minutes of joining the line, their food delivered within 7 minutes of ordering (dine-in) or 12 minutes (drive-through), and a thank-you with eye contact when they leave. Service Recovery When a customer has a complaint, follow the LEARN method: Listen: Give the customer your full attention. Do not interrupt. Maintain eye contact and nod to show understanding. Empathize: Acknowledge their frustration. Say "I understand how that would be frustrating" or "I'm sorry that happened." Never say "That's our policy" as a first response. Apologize: Offer a sincere apology regardless of who is at fault. "I'm sorry you had this experience. Let me make it right." Resolve: Fix the problem immediately. Options include: remake the item, provide a refund, offer a complimentary item or discount on the next visit. Crew members may offer a free replacement or item up to $15 in value. Managers may offer refunds up to $50 or a future visit discount card. Notify: Log the complaint in the incident log with details: date, time, customer description, nature of complaint, and resolution provided. Complaints about food safety, injuries, or threats must be reported to the District Manager within one hour. Refund Policy Refunds may be issued for: incorrect orders, quality issues (undercooked, cold, stale), missing items, and long wait times exceeding 20 minutes. Full refunds are processed to the original payment method. Cash refunds over $20 require manager approval. Gift card refunds are issued as store credit. All refunds must be logged in the POS system with a reason code. Quality Standards Every item must meet BrightBite quality standards before serving. Burgers: properly seared with visible grill marks, correct toppings in the standard build order, bun lightly toasted. Fries: golden color, served hot, proper portion in the designated container. Beverages: filled to the marked fill line, correct ice level (standard is 1/3 cup ice). Salads: fresh greens with no wilting or browning, dressing on the side unless customer requests otherwise. If any item does not meet standards, do not serve it. Remake the item and log the waste. Quality checks are conducted by the manager every hour during peak periods.