Whether you’re eating a late-night burger and fries or an elegant coq au vin in your finest 3-piece suit, you want to know that the place preparing your food is clean, safe, and inspected more recently than last century.
While each dining experience is distinct, the fundamental expectations for ensuring hygiene and compliance remain consistent. Swift and effective inspections, transparent record-keeping, and dependable safety protocols - these are the essential criteria when assessing any restaurant inspection software.
In this post, we'll explore some of the best restaurant inspection software.
Our analysis will help you to double down on the unique features of each food inspection software, allowing you to evaluate and compare vendors.
By the end, you'll be well-equipped with enough knowledge and information to make an informed decision for your restaurant and ensure that the cheese you’re serving is supposed to smell like that.
14 Best Restaurant Inspection Apps For Food Businesses In 2024
Let's take a quick look at some of the best restaurant inspection software.
Afterward, we'll check out some of the important aspects of these applications to get a better understanding of how things pan out.
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1. Xenia - Overall No. 1 Best & Free Online Restaurant Audit Tool
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The best option for teams both big and small, Xenia comes in as our no. 1 pick for best restaurant inspection software.
With an easy-to-use application on desktops, mobiles and tablets (available on both Android and Apple products), Xenia can handle any restaurant audit you throw at it.
Xenia helps to standardize processes and inspections so you aren’t left wondering if the team at Restaurant Branch A is doing the same thing as Restaurant Branch B.
The procedural implementation of these work orders and task streamlining not only happens in real time, but it also extends to those who have only one location, just as it does to those with dozens.
In that order, Xenia is the right foundation to help your food business build a strong base, and it all begins with getting the basics of restaurant inspection processes planned and executed with process excellence on the side.
AM/PM checklists, HACCP audits, and temperature checks are something that every restaurant does in some form or another.
For instance, if you are concerned about temperature regulation, Xenia integrates wireless sensors to collect temperature data from freezers, refrigerators and hand-held probes for worry-free compliance.
The next big step you can take as a business is to formalize and standardize different ongoing restaurant inspection procedures, making them easy for staff to replicate and become independent reliable employees (conveniently giving you more time to focus on what’s important).
The platform has out of the box solutions for each process that you have planned along the way.
Access Xenia’s repository of online food safety and restaurant inspection checklists; create SOPs with the program’s bleeding edge AI-powered SOP creation tool, or create one from scratch as per your food business’s needs.
The possibilities are endless!
Here’s a quick look at some of the main highlights of this restaurant inspection software.
Xenia's Key Features:
Restaurant Inspection Checklists: Create restaurant inspection checklists on the go with our repostiory of fully customizable checklists library.
Save yourself the hassle of conducting restaurant inspections, audits, operational activities or anything related to BOH restaurant processes through Xenia's ready-made checklists.
The fact that these checklists can be customized makes it even better. You can edit existing restaurant inspection checklists; add additional checks, processes and anything of critical nature to get things done in a more efficient and centralized manner.
AI-Powered SOPs: Our platform offers a unique AI-Powered SOP generator to enable restaurant inspectors to create SOPs of any nature without spending too much time on manual SOP creation process.
It's a free online SOP creation tool, ready with tailor made solutions to fulfill your restaurant inspection and operational requirements whenever; wherever needed!
Work Orders: Tracking work has never been simpler. You can create, assign and manage work orders across any number of teams all from within the same dashboard.
Real-Time Updates & Collaboration: Guage on-site restaurant inspectors through the in-built chat feature, or individually address assignees through each task, enabling you to send and receive notifications and updates. This way, you are always in the know, without having to ask.
When you’re all done, review and analyze the results and share them with the team via a combination of PDF, CSV, or URL exporting.
Preventive Maintenance: Schedule, assign, and manage comprehensive maintenance schedules across your entire organization.
Some might consider this more relevant to maintenance teams, but guess what? If equipment is in less-than-operable condition, the chances of an on-the-job injury become exponentially higher.
Inspections: Audits and inspections go hand-in-hand with safety compliance, and Xenia has an answer for that too.
Perform any type of restaurant inspections on mobile; view an end-to-end audit log for accountability, and get a company-branded report sent right to your inbox.
With the ability to take pictures, add notes, and create corrective actions immediately during an inspection, this is one feature you can’t miss when evaluating OSHA software.
Corrective Actions: Make inspections and audits more effective with instant tasks created from a failed step.
You can also view those corrective actions on your dashboard so you can track the status of the pending work. Combined with the smart logic automations, you can trust that there is no weak link in your CAPA process.
Asset Management: Any asset (and sub-asset!) you’d like to keep a record of can be done within Xenia.
Serial numbers, purchase dates, manuals, and just about anything else can be neatly associated with each asset so you’re never fumbling around trying to find the parts list for a repair.
Pricing:
- Free Forever: Free for up to 5 users with access to task & work orders, parent assets, internal chats, template builder etc.
- Starter: $99 / month for 15 users and comes with work calendar view, work and template reports, sub assets and sub-locations.
- Premium: $199 / month for 15 users and offers unbound access to all the core features.
- Custom: Need something tailored to your organization?
Priced on per user or per location basis
Available on iOS, Android and Web
2. FoodReady
Businesses in the food industry can benefit greatly from the extensive tools provided by FoodReady for Maintenance Software when it comes to managing maintenance duties.
For quick and easy GMP, CGMP, GFSI, SQF, and BRCGS certifications as well as economical state, federal, and USDA compliance, use a mix of strong quality and food safety software automation and professional food safety consultancy.
Key Features:
- Compliance with Regulations
- Streamlined Processes
- Documentation
Pricing:
- Call for Quote
3. iFlares
iFlares is an international company that has a great offering for restaurateurs.
The business’s list of customers is impressive and extends beyond just the Spanish-speaking world, despite being based in Spain. With a comprehensive restaurant management system they aren’t one to miss - especially due to the wide range of features they have to offer.
Their pricing page indicates that the cost is based on both users and level of access, so it might get pricey for larger or more complicated organizations.
Regardless, check them out and reach out to schedule a demo or trial.
Key Features:
- Digital HACCP
- Labeling
- Checklists
Pricing:
- Free trial?: Contact iFlares.
- Pricing: Starts at 32 €/location.
4. FoodNotify
Whether you're running a cozy restaurant, a swanky hotel, or rocking the catering scene,
FoodNotify has your back. Some of the benefits of this restaurant inspection software include hassle-free ordering nailing recipes, keeping inventory in check, and throwing epic catering gigs.
Sounds good, right?
Furthermore, they have integrations available too, so connect FoodNotify to your POS or use it for insights into your cost management.
Depending on your use case, there seem to be more than a few options so take your time looking into their offerings to pick the right one for you.
Key Features:
- Recipes
- Inventory management
- Analytics
Pricing:
- Free trial?: Not listed.
- Pricing: Starts at 99 €/location/month.
5. Device Magic
Device Magic is a mobile forms app that replaces unreliable paper inspections with smarter, richer data collection.
Your teams can easily complete inspections anywhere, anytime - even offline.
Deliver accurate data from the field to the office in real-time, and alert specific team members of critical issues.
On the same note, you can deliver data in whatever format you choose, and integrate directly into your existing systems to eliminate data re-entry.
Key Features:
- User groups and permissions
- Dashboard analytics
- Device encryption
Pricing:
- Free trial?: Not listed.
- Pricing: Not listed.
6. Culverdocs
Up next on our food inspection software recommendation list, we've got Culverdocs.
It is a dynamic data capture solution perfect for revolutionising all types of business forms and is completely configurable around your processes, whatever your industry and data needs.
Convert your existing paper-based documents into digital forms to transform how you collect, process and manage business data.
They work with businesses of all sizes, from 1 to 1000+ employees, our solution is built to save you time and money.
Start your free trial and speak with their UK-based team today.
Key Features:
- Forms and submissions
- Dispatch and routing
- Online resource center
Pricing:
- Free trial?: Not available.
- Pricing: Starting at £20/user/mo.
7. Joyfill
Teams use Joyfill to mobilize forms, eliminate manual paperwork & effortlessly collect data from anywhere, on any device.
Joyfill is rated one of the easiest, most user-friendly inspection apps in the industry.
It's used by 1000+ inspection companies and contractors worldwide.
Their mission is to create an efficient and more enjoyable experience for filling out work forms and collecting data for your everyday tasks — inspections, service reports, and just about any other form you can think of!
Key Features:
- Template library
- Cloud-based storage
- Team workflows
Pricing:
- Free trial?: Not listed.
- Pricing: Not listed.
8. Safety Evolution
Lastly, on our restaurant audit software list, we’ve got Safety Evolution.
Alternatively known as: ‘SE,’ the program does all the work for you.
Don't spend months paying for something you can't use!
The Safety Evolution restaurant inspection software includes everything you need, ranging over the mobile app, HSE Manual, automated onboarding and orientation, training matrix managed by individual users during their orientation and much more.
Key Features:
- Learning management system
- Analytics
- Asset management
Pricing:
- Free trial?: Contact Safety Evolution for more info.
- Pricing: Not listed.
9. SafetyCulture
A digitized operations platform, SafetyCulture equips your team with the tools for daily improvement.
Safety and compliance were mentioned by 49% of users as areas that have improved.
To ensure that all of your activities are kept to the greatest standards of cleanliness and safety, SafetyCulture provides visibility across the board.
Making sure your visitors are safe and healthy should be your first priority, so you can even set up alerts to handle problems as soon as they arise.
Key Features:
- Risk assessments
- Temperature sensor monitoring
- Safety audits and briefings
Pricing:
- Free: $0/ user/Up to 10 users
- Premium: $24/seat/month Premium when billed annually
- Enterprise: Ask the vendor
10. Connecteam
Simplify your process with Connecteam, a software that focuses on teams. Many options are available to companies in the F&B sector via Connecteam.
Not only does this program help with training, communication, and company operations, but it also has checklists tailored to safety. Fewer safety events were actually seen by 48% of users. Here are a few noteworthy features:
Key Features:
- Surveys for real-time feedback
- Emergency procedures
- Safety guidelines
Pricing:
- Free-for-life plan available
- Premium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
11. FoodDocs
You can get a food safety app for manufacturing, restaurants, and grocery stores from FoodDocs.
It streamlines processes for food safety, making it simpler to handle any issues that can arise.
Making your HACCP Plan takes no more than an hour with this program. The most important features of this best restaurant inspection software are appended below.
Key Features:
- Managing a team to ensure adherence to food safety standards
- A user-friendly interface that makes the program easy for staff to use
- Record of temperature readings
Pricing:
- Pricing packages ranging from $84/-$250/month.
12. eMaint
eMaint makes it easier for those responsible for maintaining restaurants to comply with regulations and ensure overall safety.
Eliminate unscheduled downtime, and digitize your work orders with this best restaurant inspection software - anytime; anywhere!.
Any company that wants to monitor its inspection procedures and assets can benefit from eMaint's long list of features.
Key Features:
- Work Order Management
- Inventory management
- Preventive Maintenance
Pricing:
- Team: Starting at USD - $69
- Professional: Starting at USD - $85
- Enterprise: Custom quote
13. MPulse
MPulse is a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) that provides the beverage and food industries with extensive tools for managing maintenance.
With MPulse, you can connect to other systems, access it from anywhere, and personalize it to your liking.
Key Features:
- Work order management
- Preventive maintenance scheduling
- Asset tracking, inventory management, and reporting
Pricing:
- Professional: $80.00 per user per month
- Most Popular: $100.00 per user per month
- Enterprise: $130.00 per user per month
14. FTMaintenance
A computerized maintenance management system, FTMaintenance Select facilitates the administration of work orders, assets, MRO inventories, and preventative maintenance.
Figure out what you can afford and what plan works best for you. Regardless of the plan you choose, you'll have access to robust tools that help handle maintenance management for any company.
Key Features:
- Work Order Management
- Preventive Maintenance
- Asset Management and MRO Inventory Management
Pricing:
- Call for Quote
What To Look For In The Best Restaurant Inspection Software?
You could spend an entire lifetime just researching and familiarizing yourself with the number of products available on the market today.
Thankfully you have us, and we’re condensing a (relatively short) lifetime of restaurant audit software experience into one short article. It’s best to set a level playing field when doing these comparisons - each best restaurant inspection app has its own unique focus; a “secret sauce” that makes it tick.
The trick to finding the right restaurant audit software is to match as many of your needs as a business owner, to the benefits offered by each choice.
Below we’ll take a look at some of the most common pains that cause a restaurateur to start searching for a fix.
- Time-Consuming Manual Processes: Finding the proper (up-to-date) forms. Printing them out. Grabbing another form to gather the errors or corrective actions for follow-up. Scan it and send it to your boss. No, thank you - doing work before you can do your work is what we’re trying to avoid here.
- Cost Factor: Doing inspections manually eats up time, and time is money. How much does it cost you to drag your feet through a dozen store audits each month?
- Compliance and Regulation Challenges: Ignoring the fact that without proper compliance with food safety standards, no one will want to eat at your restaurant anyway… the legal fines are nothing to scoff at either.
- Lack of Standardization in Restaurant Inspections: Having different standards for inspections at one location versus another is enough to send the entire system out of whack and ruin your ability to draw meaningful conclusions from your data.
- Data Management and Analysis Issues: Closely related to lack of standardization and manual processes, the only effective way to continuously drive improvements in your business is to constantly be measuring and analyzing your results.
- Limited Accessibility and Communication: We all know of that certain fast food chain whose ice cream machine always seems to be broken. If you find yourself in a similar position, consumers might not give you as much leeway
- Risk of Human Error: At the end of the day, we’re all people, and people make mistakes. That’s a part of every job, but in some cases, the cost of failure is higher. The best thing you can do is minimize your chance of error by giving your team the right tools for the job.
We have a strong understanding of the problems you might hope to solve with a restaurant facility inspection app.
Key Components of Restaurant Inspections: What Managers Need to Know
Restaurant inspections are important to guaranteeing food safety, maintaining compliance with health regulations, and to protect a restaurant's reputation. They also promote employee safety and operational efficiency.
Taking inspections seriously helps prevent foodborne illnesses, avoid penalties, and foster customer trust, which ultimately benefits the restaurant's success.
If you work as a restaurant manager you’ll know about the inspection process. Maintaining food safety and compliance is very important and these inspections are important for this reason.
Here are the key components of restaurant inspections that managers should be aware of:
Food Storage: Food storage inspectors evaluate to make sure they are not contaminated and do not spoil. Refrigerator and freezer temperatures may be checked, food labeling must be correct and food must be stored no less than six inches off the ground.
Food Preparation: Inspectors also check cleanliness and the organization of the kitchen plus food preparation methods to prevent ill effects from food. It might include making sure food is cooked at an appropriate temperature, that employees wash their hands properly and use gloves when they deal with food and making sure that food is not cross-contaminated.
Hygiene: Inspectors take a look through the kitchen to the dining room, to the toilets, and any other area occupied by the worker preparing or serving or processing food, among other dirty areas of a restaurant. It could be checking that dish utensils and floors and surfaces are clean and trash disposed of properly.
Equipment and Facility Maintenance: Equipment and facilities undergo an inspection to see that they are fit and clean; fitted and clean according to the health and safety standards. Proper ventilation, proper thermometers, functioning and calibrated thermometers, and well-maintained plumbing systems are parts of this.
The Rise of Restaurant Inspection Apps
With the development of technology, we have seen a totally new age in restaurant inspections through the use of restaurant inspection apps. With these tools owners and managers can now inspect more efficiently with extraordinary food safety provisions.
Here are some of the key benefits of using a restaurant inspection app:
Standardized Inspection Templates and Checklists
There are existing templates and checklists in library of pre made Restaurant Inspection apps that can touch on a spectrum of inspection elements. Customization of these templates and checklists is easily done to a given establishment’s needs.
Real-time Data Tracking and Reporting
Real-time tracking of data and instant reporting is made possible by inspection apps. The data entry is thus eliminated and it becomes easier for (restaurant) Owners and managers to find trends and patterns in their inspection data.
Improved Communication and Collaboration Among Staff Members
The Restaurant Inspection software lets the staff members work from a central platform to collaborate and communicate. It brings more people into the loop about the inspection process, allowing staff (for example) to stay in the know about the inspection process.
Enhanced Accountability and Transparency
Inspection apps facilitate transparency or an outcome the old way was so transparent. All data and action taken in the inspection process is recorded by the app and everyone is held accountable regardless of whether you did your job or not.
Improved Compliance and Risk Management
Digital inspection tools enhance levels of compliance and risk management over conventional tooling. Ths includes being able to create reports and analytics to find areas of non compliance and potential risk that can then be acted on proactively.
Xenia - A Comprehensive Solution for Restaurant Inspections
The list we went through today was just a sample of the restaurant inspection apps in the market.
That’s a lot of options and it can be pretty confusing – we hope that this guide will help you get to the right tool.
Sign up here for a free account with Xenia or contact our team to schedule a demo here.
The experts on our team are available around the clock if we can be of service anywhere along the process at all.
Thanks for reading and good luck on the search!
Streamline Food Safety, Maintenance and Daily Operations with Xenia
Xenia unifies food and beverage operations with tools to standardize, track and measure work across every team, asset and facility.
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Our customers love Xenia's robust use cases including:
Food Safety Management
🌡️ Automatic Temperature Monitoring
Xenia leverages temperature sensors that utilize both Bluetooth and LoRaWAN technology to transmit data reliably to your Xenia account. The monitors work continuously in a range of 40°C to 125°C and an accuracy of +/- 0.4°C. When an temperature deviates from a pre-set acceptable range, management is notified to investigate and resolve.
🔎 Smart Inspection Workflows
Xenia's operations template builder has built in conditional logic into each step. This allows you to trigger actions based on a form response such as creating a corrective action on a failed inspection step, sending a notification to management for out of range meter readings, and much more.
✨ Corrective Actions
Operationalize inspections with fast work order assignment arising from a failed inspection step. All corrective data is stored in the checklist submission for auditing and accountability.
📋 Compliance Reports
View live dashboard summaries of tasks, employee performance, template submissions and more. Filter, organize and export compliance reports to PDF and Excel formats to simplify compliance management.
Maintenance Management
🛠️ Work Orders
Create work orders with associated team, asset, location, priority, category and due date. View live progress reports on each work order, chat with teams, and review resulting template submission, images and notes to improve operations.
🧰 Preventive Maintenance
Create a preventive maintenance calendar to ensure asset uptime is not compromised. Attach images, templates, videos and notes to every task and assign to a team or individual for completion.
📲 QR Codes
Generate and attach QR codes to equipment and facility locations to enable fast and accurate inspections and data logs.
📁 Equipment Work History
View work history for every asset and sub asset in Xenia. Review performance data and enable corrective actions to improve your operation.
Daily Operations
✔️ Checklists & SOPs
Create checklists, SOPs, Inspections and Data Logs to power accountability, training and staff clarity on every task.
📆 Recurring Tasks
Create recurring schedules for review meetings, inspections, cleanings and more.
💪 Team Accountability
Defeat pencil whipping and disorganized responsibility assessments by standardizing operations with Xenia. Track time, collect photos, send messages and ensure high quality work.
📊 Team Performance Reporting
Use Xenia's analytics dashboards to view staff work reports. Filter by asset, location, category or due date and export the report in PDF or Excel
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