Grocery Customer Service Desk Opening Checklist

Opening inspection for grocery store customer service desks covering cash drawer setup, money order machine readiness, lottery ticket inventory, Western Union/bill pay services, safe verification, and compliance with OSHA 1910 general industry standards for the work area.

Work Area Safety and Compliance

• Emergency exit nearest the service desk is unobstructed and exit sign is illuminated
  Confirm the nearest egress path is clear of carts, boxes, and debris. Exit sign must be lit per NFPA 101 Life Safety Code.
• Fire extinguisher within 75 ft of service desk is accessible, pin intact, and inspection tag current (within 12 months)
  Visually inspect the nearest portable fire extinguisher. Tag must show a current annual inspection date per NFPA 10.
• Service desk floor area is clean, dry, and free of slip/trip hazards (mats flat, no spills, no loose cords)
  Walk the full perimeter of the service desk counter. Anti-fatigue mats must lie flat; electrical cords must be secured per OSHA 1910.22.
• Adequate lighting at the service desk counter — measured lux level at work surface
  Use a light meter or estimate. OSHA 1910.303 and general industry guidance recommend ≥ 30 foot-candles (~323 lux) at transaction surfaces. Record actual reading.

Safe and Cash Drawer Setup

• Safe verified and locked — confirm opening safe balance matches prior shift closing record
  Compare the safe's physical cash count to the closing balance recorded by the previous shift. Any variance ≥ $1.00 must be reported immediately.
• Safe variance amount (enter $0.00 if balanced)
  Record the exact dollar variance found. Enter 0 if the safe balanced perfectly.
• Customer service desk cash drawer(s) counted and starting fund verified against till sheet
  Count each drawer individually. Starting fund amount must match the till sheet signed by the prior shift. Document drawer number and amount in comments if discrepancy exists.
• Number of cash drawers verified and ready for opening
  Enter the count of drawers confirmed balanced and loaded into registers.
• Counterfeit detection pen and/or UV light present and functional at service desk
  Test the pen on a known bill or verify UV light powers on. Replace if non-functional before opening.

Money Order Machine Readiness

• Money order machine powers on and displays ready/home screen without error codes
  Power cycle if needed. Any persistent error code must be reported to the vendor help line before opening. Record error code in comments if present.
• Money order paper/check stock is loaded and sufficient for the shift (minimum 1 full roll or 50 forms)
  Visually inspect the paper stock level. Load a new roll if current stock is below the minimum threshold to avoid mid-transaction outages.
• Money order machine opening balance reconciled against prior shift closing report
  Print or review the terminal's opening balance report. Confirm it matches the prior shift's closing total. Escalate any variance to the store manager.
• Money order transaction limit posted and visible to customers (per store policy)
  Confirm the posted maximum money order amount sign is displayed at the counter per store SOP and applicable state regulations.

Lottery Ticket Inventory

• Lottery terminal powers on and displays online/ready status
  Confirm the terminal connects to the state lottery network. If the terminal shows 'offline' or an error, contact the state lottery help line immediately — do NOT sell tickets while offline.
• Scratch-off ticket dispenser inventory counted and recorded — number of active packs on dispenser
  Count each active pack on the dispenser by game number. Record total active packs. Compare to prior shift's closing count; investigate any unexplained variance.
• New scratch-off packs activated in the lottery terminal before being placed on the dispenser
  Any new pack must be scanned and activated in the terminal before customer sale. Selling unactivated packs is a state lottery compliance violation.
• Lottery ticket storage area (back stock) is secured and access-controlled
  Confirm back-stock lottery tickets are stored in a locked cabinet or secure area accessible only to authorized associates, per state lottery retailer agreement.
• Age-verification signage ('Must be 18 to purchase lottery') posted and visible at point of sale
  Confirm the required age-restriction sign is posted at or directly adjacent to the lottery display per state lottery retailer requirements.

Ancillary Services Readiness

• Western Union / bill pay terminal is online and displays ready status
  Log in to the terminal and confirm network connectivity. If offline, contact the service provider and post an 'Out of Service' notice for customers.
• Gift card rack is fully stocked and card activator/scanner is functional
  Confirm no empty peg hooks on the gift card display. Test the activator by scanning a dummy card or running a test transaction per store SOP.
• Customer service desk supplies stocked: receipt paper, pens, stapler, tape, and return/exchange forms
  Visually confirm all consumable supplies are present and sufficient for the shift. Restock from the back office before opening if any item is depleted.

Customer-Facing Area and Signage

• Service desk counter surface is clean and free of clutter visible to customers
  Wipe down the counter. Remove any personal items, prior-shift paperwork, or debris from the customer-facing surface.
• Required regulatory postings are displayed: store return policy, check-cashing policy, and applicable state consumer notices
  Confirm all mandatory customer-facing notices are posted and legible. Missing required postings may constitute a regulatory non-conformance.
• Overall opening readiness rating for the customer service desk
  Rate the desk's overall readiness for opening on a 1–5 scale. A rating of 3 or below requires a comment describing outstanding deficiencies.