Receiving Log

A receiving log is a record of food and supply deliveries accepted, rejected or placed on hold by a business. In restaurants, it documents key receiving checks such as supplier, product, quantity, temperature, condition, lot information and any corrective action. The log supports food-safety verification, inventory accuracy and supplier accountability.

What a receiving log should record

• Delivery details: date, time, supplier, invoice or purchase order number and receiving employee.
• Product identity: item description, quantity, unit of measure and lot or batch code where applicable.
• Temperature: actual readings for products that require temperature checks, along with the measurement method when needed.
• Condition: packaging integrity, product quality, date marking and any signs of damage or contamination.
• Acceptance decision: accepted, rejected or held, with the reason for any deviation.
• Follow-up: supplier notification, credit, replacement, product disposition and corrective action.

Example of a receiving entry

A log entry might record the date and time, supplier, chicken product and lot code, actual measured temperature, packaging condition, quantity received, acceptance decision and receiver’s initials. The acceptable temperature range and frequency of checks should follow the operation’s food-safety plan and local requirements.

Receiving log versus purchase order

A purchase order records what the restaurant intended to buy. A receiving log records what actually arrived and whether it met the acceptance criteria. The two records help identify shortages, substitutions and supplier deviations.

How to maintain a useful log

Complete entries at the time of delivery, use consistent units, record actual measurements and ensure rejected or held products are traceable. Keep records for the period required by the business’s food-safety system and applicable regulations.

Chef’s tip: make the receiving log easy to use during a busy delivery. A short, consistent record is more reliable than a complicated form that staff complete from memory later.