The Manager's Daily Five-Minute Walkthrough

If you've ever been through a surprise inspection, you know the feeling: the scramble, the stress, the "how did we miss that?" moment.

The truth is, most issues that get flagged don't pop up overnight. They build up slowly: a blocked exit, a dirty counter, a missing sign, a team member without proper gear.

The good news? You can catch almost all of them with a simple five-minute routine.

Why Five Minutes Matter

Managers already juggle a hundred things. Adding another "process" sounds painful. But five minutes is nothing compared to the hours you'll lose when you're cleaning, coaching, and correcting the day before an inspection.

A daily walkthrough works because:

• It's short enough to be consistent.
• It shifts the mindset from panic prep to steady readiness.
• It builds habits your team starts to adopt naturally.

Think of it as brushing your teeth: a small, daily action that prevents big problems later.

What to Check in a Five-Minute Walkthrough

Keep it simple. Focus on four areas that matter most for guest experience and compliance:

How to Make It Stick

• Do it at the same time every day. First thing in the morning or before the lunch rush.
• Carry a notepad (or use your phone). Write down quick fixes and delegate on the spot.
• Mix recognition with corrections. If someone nailed uniform standards, say it out loud.
• Make it visible. Share a quick "today's walkthrough wins and fixes" with the shift team.

The consistency matters more than perfection.

What You'll Notice After 30 Days

When managers commit to a daily walkthrough, here's what usually happens:

• The big "gotchas" during inspections disappear.
• Employees catch issues before managers do.
• Standards rise naturally, without nagging.
• Guests notice: cleaner stores, better service, smoother experiences.

It's a small change that compounds quickly.

Final Thought

You don't need a complicated system to keep your store inspection-ready.
You just need five minutes a day.

Next time you grab your morning coffee, take a quick walk. Look at your store the way an inspector, or better yet, a guest, would.

Five minutes now will save you five hours later. And it'll build a culture where every day is inspection day, in the best possible way.