Convenience Retail · Convenience store with fuel forecourt, foodservice and grab-and-go coolers
Convenience Store Franchise Audit Checklist
A convenience store franchise audit checklist covering the fuel forecourt, merchandising and planograms, foodservice and roller grill temperatures, cooler dating, age-restricted sales and back room safety.
- 6
- 32
- 5
- 45 min
- 85
Convenience stores are judged in seconds. Guests notice a dark canopy, an empty cooler door, an out-of-date sandwich or a dirty coffee station, and they have a competitor across the street. At the same time, foodservice, fuel and age-restricted sales carry real regulatory risk for the franchisee.
This checklist balances merchandising and brand presentation with the critical items: foodservice temperatures, expired product, age verification for tobacco and alcohol sales, and fuel safety equipment.
Walk the forecourt first, then follow the guest path through the store before going behind the counter and into the back room. Check product dates across every cooler door, not only the first one.
Zone weights
- Forecourt & Exterior15%
- Store Interior & Merchandising20%
- Foodservice & Beverage20%
- Coolers & Product Dating15%
- Age-Restricted Sales & Front Counter15%
- Back Room, Safety & Records15%
Zone-by-zone inspection criteria
Forecourt & Exterior
15% of score · 15 ptsCanopy, pumps, lot and building exterior.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Canopy lights, price sign and building signs fully lit with correct prices | 3 | Price sign and canopy from the street |
| Fuel dispensers clean, with working screens, card readers, nozzles and hose condition checked | 3 | Each dispenser face |
| Emergency fuel shut-off clearly marked, unobstructed and known to the clerk on dutyCritical | 4 | Emergency shut-off button and its signage |
| Squeegee stations stocked with clean fluid and paper towels | 2 | Observation |
| Lot, islands and trash cans clean and free of spills | 2 | Forecourt wide shot |
| Air and water machine working where offered | 1 | Observation |
Store Interior & Merchandising
20% of score · 20 ptsGuest path, planograms, promotions and restrooms.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Key planogram sets match the current schematic: candy, snacks, front counter | 5 | Each audited set straight on |
| Shelves faced and full, with no gaps beyond the brand tolerance | 4 | Observation |
| Promotional signage current, with no expired price points displayed | 4 | Each promotion display |
| Floors, aisles and entry mats clean | 3 | Observation |
| Restrooms clean, stocked and on the cleaning log | 4 | Restroom sink and log |
Foodservice & Beverage
20% of score · 20 ptsRoller grill, hot case, coffee, fountain and prep.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Roller grill and hot case items held at 135°F or above and within the brand hold timeCritical | 6 | Probe in a roller grill item with display visible |
| Hot case items labeled with cook or discard times | 3 | Observation |
| Coffee station clean, carafes within hold time, creamers at 41°F or below | 4 | Coffee station wide shot |
| Fountain nozzles and ice chute clean, no mold or residue | 3 | Fountain nozzles close up |
| Handwashing sink at the foodservice area stocked and accessible | 2 | Observation |
| Condiment station clean and stocked | 2 | Observation |
Coolers & Product Dating
15% of score · 17 ptsReach-in coolers, grab-and-go and dairy.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Grab-and-go sandwiches, salads and dairy at 41°F or below | 4 | Observation |
| No product past its use-by or sell-by date on any cooler door or shelfCritical | 6 | Any expired product with the date visible |
| Cooler doors set to the planogram, faced and rotated first in first out | 3 | Cooler doors wide shot |
| Cooler door glass, gaskets and lights in good condition | 2 | Observation |
| Walk-in cooler behind the doors at 41°F or below, product off the floor and rotated | 2 | Walk-in thermometer |
Age-Restricted Sales & Front Counter
15% of score · 15 ptsTobacco, alcohol, lottery and cash handling.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Clerks verify ID for every tobacco and alcohol sale where the buyer appears under the brand ID age; POS age prompt in useCritical | 6 | Observation |
| Federal minimum age of 21 for tobacco products and state age signage posted at the counter | 3 | Age signage at the counter |
| Tobacco displays behind the counter or locked where state law requires | 2 | Observation |
| Cash drawer limits and safe drop procedure followed | 2 | Observation |
| Front counter clean, with impulse displays set to the planogram | 2 | Front counter from the guest side |
Back Room, Safety & Records
15% of score · 15 ptsStorage, pests, exits, chemicals and logs.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| No rodent or insect activity in the back room, coolers or foodservice area | 4 | Observation |
| Emergency exits unobstructed and open from insideCritical | 4 | Exit door and path |
| Back room organized, product stored off the floor | 2 | Back room wide shot |
| Chemicals labeled and stored away from food | 2 | Observation |
| Temperature, cleaning and fuel tank monitoring logs complete for the last 7 days | 3 | Observation |
Critical failure triggers
Any one of these fails the audit regardless of the weighted score and opens a 24-hour CAP.
- Hot held food below 135°F with no time control in place
- Expired product offered for sale
- Tobacco or alcohol sale without required ID verification observed
- Emergency fuel shut-off blocked, unmarked or unknown to the clerk
- Emergency exit locked or blocked
Corrective action windows
- Critical24 hoursFour expired sandwiches found on the grab-and-go shelf: product pulled during the visit, the date check routine reassigned and a photo of the fully dated shelf submitted within 24 hours.
- Major72 hoursCandy set does not match the current schematic: reset to planogram and photographed straight on.
- Minor7 to 14 daysSqueegee buckets cracked at two islands: replaced and photographed.
Photo capture guidelines for field reps
- 01Each planogram set shot straight on, full heightVision AI compares the set against the current schematic.
- 02Expired product held with the date facing the cameraRemoves any doubt about which item and which date.
- 03Probe in the thickest roller grill itemRoller items can look hot while the center is not.
- 04Emergency shut-off with signage in frameProves the device is marked and reachable.
- 05Fountain nozzles close upMold in nozzles is invisible from a distance.
- 06Price sign from the streetConfirms the posted fuel prices match the dispensers.
- 07Cooler doors wide, then close on any gapOut-of-stocks cost sales; the wide shot shows how many doors are affected.
Download the printable PDF and spreadsheet.
Both versions keep the zone weights, point values and critical flags so your scores match the Gazi Wellness template.
Checklist questions
The forecourt and the guest path. Most guests decide whether the store is clean and safe before they reach the counter, and fuel safety equipment is a critical item.
Observe sales, check that the POS age prompt is active, and review the store's own compliance check records where the brand runs them. The federal minimum age for tobacco products is 21; alcohol age rules are set by each state.
Check every cooler door, starting with grab-and-go food and dairy, then spot-check shelf items with short shelf lives. Photograph each expired item with its date facing the camera.
Yes, at the level of guest-facing condition and safety: dispensers, signage, emergency shut-off and spills. Tank compliance itself is usually handled by a separate environmental program.
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