QSR · Pizza delivery and carryout store with a driver fleet
Pizza Delivery Franchise Audit Checklist
A franchise audit checklist for pizza delivery and carryout stores covering the makeline, dough management, oven and cut table, delivery operations, driver safety, storage and records.
- 6
- 32
- 5
- 50 min
- 85
Most of a pizza store's guests never walk inside. The brand is judged on what arrives at the door: bake quality, cut, temperature, box condition and how long it took. A useful audit therefore spends as much time on the makeline, oven and dispatch area as it does on the carryout lobby.
This checklist weights the makeline and the delivery operation most heavily. Cold holding on the makeline is a critical item because cheese, meats and cut vegetables sit at the rail for an entire shift. Driver records and vehicle checks are scored because they carry real liability for the franchisee and the brand.
Consultants can run the full walk during a dinner rush to see dispatch under pressure, then use the bake and box zone again on a test order delivered to a nearby address.
Zone weights
- Exterior & Carryout Lobby10%
- Makeline & Dough Management25%
- Oven, Cut Table & Boxing15%
- Delivery Operations & Driver Safety20%
- Storage, Sanitation & Pest Control20%
- People, Safety & Records10%
Zone-by-zone inspection criteria
Exterior & Carryout Lobby
10% of score · 12 ptsStorefront, signage, carryout counter and lobby.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Storefront sign lit, window decals current and free of peeling | 3 | Storefront from across the lot |
| Carryout lobby clean, with current menu boards and promotion signage | 3 | Lobby menu board and promotion display |
| Carryout pickup area organized, orders labeled and online order shelf in use where the brand requires it | 2 | Observation |
| Entry, parking and sidewalk free of litter and boxes | 2 | Observation |
| Online ordering and delivery area signage current, including any brand delivery charge disclosure | 2 | Observation |
Makeline & Dough Management
25% of score · 27 ptsTopping rail temperatures, portioning, dough handling and dating.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Makeline rail and cabinet holding cheese, meats and cut vegetables at 41°F or belowCritical | 8 | Probe in the cheese pan with display visible |
| No dough, sauce or toppings past their brand use-by date in the makeline or walk-inCritical | 6 | Date labels on dough trays and opened sauce |
| Dough proofed and rotated per the dough management chart; no blown or dried skins in use | 4 | Dough tray rack showing date and time labels |
| Portion cups and scales used; test pizza cheese and topping weight within brand tolerance | 4 | Scale reading for the test pizza cheese portion |
| Makeline lids closed when not in active use and rail pans not overfilled above the cold zone | 3 | Observation |
| Pizza screens, peels and sauce ladles clean and in good repair | 2 | Observation |
Oven, Cut Table & Boxing
15% of score · 15 ptsBake quality, cut, box and order check before handoff.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Conveyor oven set to brand time and temperature, belt clean and fingers free of carbon build-up | 3 | Oven control panel |
| Test pizza bake matches the brand standard: crust color, cheese melt, no bubbles over the limit | 5 | Test pizza in the open box, shot from directly above |
| Pizza cut into the correct number of even slices, cut through, with no dragged toppings | 3 | Observation |
| Boxes assembled cleanly, correct size, order label and tamper seal applied where required | 2 | Observation |
| Cut table and pizza wheel sanitized at the posted interval | 2 | Observation |
Delivery Operations & Driver Safety
20% of score · 20 ptsDispatch, hot bags, driver records and vehicle checks.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Insulated delivery bags clean, in good repair and in use for every order | 4 | Bag rack and inside of two bags |
| Delivery time and out-the-door times at or under the brand target for the observed hour, from the POS report | 5 | Delivery time report for the observed hour |
| Every active driver has a current license, proof of insurance and motor vehicle record review on file per brand policyCritical | 5 | Driver file checklist page for each active driver, personal data masked |
| Car toppers and driver uniforms match brand standard | 2 | Observation |
| Driver cash handling follows the brand limit and drop procedure | 2 | Observation |
| Test delivery arrives hot, correct, and with the box level and undamaged | 2 | Observation |
Storage, Sanitation & Pest Control
20% of score · 20 ptsWalk-in, dry storage, dish area, chemicals and pests.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-in cooler at 41°F or below with product probes at 41°F or below | 5 | Walk-in thermometer and product probe |
| No evidence of rodents or insects in flour storage, the walk-in or under the makelineCritical | 6 | Any evidence found, with scale reference |
| Handwashing sink stocked and accessible from the makeline | 3 | Observation |
| Sanitizer at labeled concentration at the 3-compartment sink and in buckets | 3 | Test strip against color chart |
| Chemicals stored below and away from food and boxes, all containers labeled | 3 | Observation |
People, Safety & Records
10% of score · 12 ptsCertification, uniform, exits and logs.
| Standard | Pts | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Certified food protection manager on duty or certificate posted per local rule | 2 | Observation |
| Back door kept closed and locked from outside; emergency exits unobstructed and open from insideCritical | 4 | Back door and exit path |
| Team in brand uniform with hair restraints on the makeline | 2 | Observation |
| Temperature and dough logs complete for the last 7 days | 2 | Observation |
| Fire extinguishers charged and inspected monthly; oven hood or ventilation clean per service schedule | 2 | Extinguisher tag |
Critical failure triggers
Any one of these fails the audit regardless of the weighted score and opens a 24-hour CAP.
- Makeline toppings above 41°F with no time control in place
- Expired dough, sauce or toppings in use
- Active pest evidence in storage or production areas
- Emergency exit locked or blocked
- Driver on the road with no license or insurance record on file
Corrective action windows
- Critical24 hoursMakeline cabinet reading 45°F at 6 p.m.: product moved to the walk-in, unit serviced, and a 41°F probe photo submitted within 24 hours.
- Major72 hoursTwo drivers missing current insurance documents: removed from the schedule until files are complete and pages uploaded.
- Minor7 to 14 daysPeeling window decals on the storefront: replaced with current brand decals and photographed.
Photo capture guidelines for field reps
- 01Test pizza shot from directly above in the open boxA top-down shot lets bake color, topping spread and cut be scored consistently.
- 02Probe in the cheese pan with the display in frameCheese is the highest-volume TCS item on the rail and the most common failure.
- 03Dough rack labels readable in the photoProves rotation and date compliance without copying labels by hand.
- 04Delivery time report from the POS, not a handwritten noteKeeps the speed score tied to system data.
- 05Driver file pages with license numbers and addresses maskedDocuments compliance without storing more personal data than needed.
- 06Inside of delivery bags under lightBag interiors collect grease and crumbs that are invisible from outside.
- 07Oven belt and fingers when flagged for carbon build-upGives the franchisee a clear cleaning target and a before image.
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 makeline and the delivery operation. Most guests judge the brand on the pizza that arrives, so bake quality, portioning, cold holding on the rail and delivery time carry the most weight.
Place a test order to an address near the store and score bake, cut, temperature and box condition on arrival. Pair it with the POS delivery time report for the observed hour.
Driver license, insurance and driving record checks protect the franchisee and the system from liability. The audit confirms records exist on file per brand policy; it does not review personal driving history in the report.
Weigh the cheese and one topping on a test pizza and compare to the brand portion chart. Most systems allow a small tolerance; repeated over-portioning is a food cost issue as much as a brand issue.
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