Index

Questions operators ask

120 questions answered so far, each linking to the guide that answers it in full — with sources and a date it was last verified. If yours is not here, send it to us; that is how we decide what to write next.

Food service license

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• Do I apply to the county or to the City of Cleveland?
• How much does plan review cost in Cuyahoga County?
• What is the difference between an FSO and an RFE license?
• When do I need the fire and building inspections done?

Cost to open

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• How much are the permits to open a restaurant in Cleveland?
• What is the single biggest cost variable?
• How long does it take?
• Do I pay the city or the county?

Build-out costs

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• What does a commercial kitchen build-out cost per square foot?
• What has to be on my drawings before plan review?
• Is a second-generation restaurant space really cheaper?
• Can the health district limit what I cook based on my kitchen?
• Do I need approval before I start construction?

Food truck startup

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• Does a food truck need a commissary in Cleveland?
• How many permits does a Cleveland food truck actually need?
• Where do I apply if my truck is based outside Cleveland?
• When does the Cleveland mobile food permit expire?

Selling from home

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• Do I need a license to sell baked goods from home in Ohio?
• What is the difference between cottage food and a home bakery in Ohio?
• Can I sell cottage foods online or ship them out of state?
• What has to be on a cottage food label?
• Can I make salsa, pickles, or canned vegetables as a cottage food?
• Do I need a license to sell honey from my own hives?

Commissary requirements

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• Does Ohio's food code require a commissary?
• What is a servicing area under Ohio law?
• Does a servicing area have to be covered?
• Where can a food truck legally dump its waste water?
• Can I run a food business out of my house?
• What surfaces does a servicing area need?

Certification & ServSafe

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• What is the difference between Ohio Person in Charge certification and Manager certification?
• Does every restaurant in Ohio need a certified manager?
• Can one certified manager cover two of my locations?
• Does the certified manager have to be on site all the time?
• How long is Ohio food safety certification valid?
• How much does ServSafe cost?
• Do I have to use a provider in my own county?

Outdoor dining & patios

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• Can I allow dogs on my restaurant patio in Ohio?
• Can I give dogs food or treats on the patio?
• Do I need a license to put tables outside my Cleveland restaurant?
• What if my patio is on the sidewalk?
• How much does the Cleveland Outdoor Restaurant License cost?
• Can I apply online?

Dogs on patios

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• Are dogs allowed on restaurant patios in Ohio?
• Can I refuse a service animal?
• What signs do I need?
• Can a dog come through the dining room to reach the patio?
• Can we give the dog a bowl of water?
• Can staff pet the dogs?

Church & nonprofit kitchens

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• Does our church fish fry need a food license in Ohio?
• Does the exemption cover an outside group cooking for us?
• What happens if we go past 52 days?
• Are we exempt from food safety rules too?

Time & temperature

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• What temperature does chicken have to be cooked to in Ohio?
• What is the two-stage cooling rule?
• How long can I keep ready-to-eat food in the walk-in?
• What temperature do I reheat to?
• What exactly has to be on the menu for undercooked items?
• Can I use time instead of temperature?
• Do I have to freeze fish before serving it raw?

Warewashing

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• What temperature does a commercial dishwasher have to reach in Ohio?
• Is 180 degrees the rule for dish machines?
• Do I still need a three-compartment sink if I have a dish machine?
• What temperature does hot water have to be at the handsink?
• Do I need a booster heater?
• Is Cleveland's water too hard for quat sanitizer?

Kitchen layout

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• Can I put a refrigerator next to an oven or fryer?
• How much clearance does equipment need from the floor in Ohio?
• How far does a kitchen hood have to extend past the cooking equipment?
• How many sinks does a commercial kitchen need?
• Does a restaurant get grandfathered when I buy it?
• How bright does a commercial kitchen have to be?
• Can I have carpet in a restaurant kitchen?
• Where can equipment not be located?

Occupancy & restrooms

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• How is restaurant occupancy calculated in Ohio?
• How many bathrooms does a restaurant need in Ohio?
• Does a bar need more restrooms than a restaurant of the same size?
• Can I increase my occupant load above the calculated number?
• Do I need soap and towels at every sink?
• Does hand sanitizer count instead of handwashing?

Employee illness

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• When do I have to send a sick employee home in Ohio?
• What is the difference between excluding and restricting an employee?
• Do I need a written employee illness agreement?
• Which illnesses do food employees have to report?
• When can a restricted employee come back to work?
• Do I have to train staff on food allergies?
• Do I need a written procedure for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea?
• What should the clean-up kit and procedure cover?

Inspection checklist

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• What do I need in the kitchen for a health inspection?
• Do sanitizer test strips have to match my sanitizer?
• How cold do my coolers need to be?
• Can I use a glass thermometer?

Draft lines & glassware

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• How often do beer lines have to be cleaned in Ohio?
• Do I have to keep a record of beer line cleaning?
• Is the record card my responsibility or my line cleaning company's?
• What sanitizer strength does Ohio require for bar glassware?
• Can I use a glass washer instead of the three-tank method?
• Is there anything about how glasses are stored?

Special processes

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• Do I need a HACCP plan to make sushi rice?
• What pH does acidified sushi rice have to reach?
• How do I test the pH of cooked rice?
• Do I have to put a warning label on fresh juice?
• Can I process a customer's deer at my shop?
• What happens to the ODNR tag?

Music & TV licensing

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• Can I just use a Spotify playlist in my restaurant?
• Can I use SiriusXM in my business?
• Do I still need ASCAP and BMI if I use a commercial music service?
• Can I show Netflix on the TV in my bar?
• Do I need a license to have a TV on in a small restaurant?
• How do bars legally show NFL games?

Technology & compliance

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• Can my guest Wi-Fi run on the same network as my POS?
• Does my phone system have to dial 911 without pressing 9 first?
• What is a dispatchable location and does it apply to me?
• Can I text my customers about specials?
• Who collects Ohio sales tax on a DoorDash order?
• Can a delivery app list my restaurant without asking me?

Outside the building

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• Do I have to shovel my parking lot in Ohio?
• Can I be liable for slipping hazards if I do plow?
• Which de-icer should I use on concrete?
• What does the code require of a dumpster area?
• What are the rules on odor from a restaurant?

Questions to ask a vendor

A different kind of question — not what the rules are, but what to ask before you sign with someone. Each directory category carries a checklist you can take into the call:

• Hood & exhaust cleaning

  6 questions to ask

• Equipment service & repair

  6 questions to ask

• Commercial & restaurant plumbing

  8 questions to ask

• Cooking oil & grease services

  7 questions to ask

• Doors, docks & loading equipment

  7 questions to ask

• Pest control

  7 questions to ask

• Insurance & risk

  7 questions to ask

• Waste, recycling & composting

  8 questions to ask

• Kitchen deep cleaning & janitorial

  8 questions to ask

• Knife & blade sharpening

  8 questions to ask

• Linen, uniform & mat service

  6 questions to ask

• Commissary & shared kitchens

  6 questions to ask

• POS, payments & reservations

  8 questions to ask

• General contractors — restaurant build-out

  9 questions to ask

• Architects, engineers & restaurant designers

  9 questions to ask

• Capital & financing

  9 questions to ask

• Restaurant real estate & brokers

  7 questions to ask

• Restaurant supply & equipment dealers

  7 questions to ask

• Restaurant furniture & seating

  7 questions to ask

• Used & refurbished equipment

  15 questions to ask

• Food distributors

  7 questions to ask

• Fire protection & suppression

  7 questions to ask

• Snow removal, salt & ice melt

  10 questions to ask

• Signage & exterior lighting

  7 questions to ask

• Hiring & workforce programs

  7 questions to ask

• Associations & operator groups

  6 questions to ask

• Draft systems & beer line cleaning

  9 questions to ask

• Beer, wine & beverage distributors

  7 questions to ask

• Event & catering rental

  8 questions to ask

• Liquor licensing attorneys

  8 questions to ask

• Building & property inspection

  8 questions to ask

• Food safety & health code consultants

  6 questions to ask