Which SOPs matter most for Swiggy and Zomato ratings?

Packing & dispatch SOPs, order acceptance hygiene, missing-item prevention, prep planning, and a daily QC checklist impact ratings the fastest because they reduce delays, spillage, and wrong orders.

How do I create SOPs for every menu item?

Start with a mother SOP template: ingredients, gram portions, prep method, cook method, plating/packing rules, hold time, and QC pass/fail. Then replicate it for each SKU and standardise tools (ladles, scoops, timers).

How often should SOPs be updated?

Review weekly for performance issues (prep time, complaints, ratings). Formally update SOPs monthly or whenever you change ingredients, packaging, equipment, or introduce new SKUs.

Can GrowKitchen help build SOPs for my cloud kitchen?

Yes. GrowKitchen can help create SOPs, prep systems, inventory controls, and dispatch workflows so your kitchen runs consistently and is ready for multi-location scaling.

Cloud Kitchen SOPs - Growkitchen

Q: What are cloud kitchen SOPs?

Cloud kitchen SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are step-by-step processes for prep, cooking, packing, dispatch, hygiene, inventory and quality checks to ensure consistent taste, fast delivery, and stable ratings across shifts and locations.

Why SOPs Decide Ratings & Margins

A cloud kitchen is a high-speed factory. The moment operations become “chef dependent”, you get portion drift, delayed dispatch, missing items, and rating drops.

SOPs convert chaos into repeatability. They protect the 4 biggest levers: food cost %, prep time, packing accuracy, and rating hygiene.

If your kitchen runs the same on a Monday afternoon and a Saturday peak hour, your SOPs are working.

If you’re still setting up from scratch, start here: End-to-End Cloud Kitchen Setup.

Hygiene and food safety SOP checklist board with handwash station, sanitizer, and staff in hairnets in a cloud kitchen

Example visual: Hygiene & food safety SOP board. Replace with your own image.

What Are Cloud Kitchen SOPs?

Cloud kitchen SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are step-by-step instructions that tell your team: what to do, how to do it, how much to use, and how to check quality-every time.

A strong SOP system includes: menu SOPs (SKU-wise), hygiene SOPs, inventory SOPs, packing SOPs, dispatch SOPs, and training SOPs.

SOPs are not paperwork. SOPs are your operating system.

Core SOP Buckets (What to Document)

1) Hygiene & Food Safety SOPs

Handwash policy, gloves/hairnet policy, surface sanitisation schedule
Veg/non-veg segregation, allergen handling, temperature checks
Pest control and waste disposal process

2) Prep SOPs (Mise-en-place)

Daily prep list, batch sizes, storage labels, shelf-life rules
Cutting standards, marination standards, base gravies/sauces
Cold chain discipline for proteins and dairy

3) SKU SOPs (Recipe + Portion + Time)

Exact grams/ml per ingredient, cooking steps, and timing
Hold time rules (how long an item can wait after cooking)
QC checklist: taste/texture/temperature/visual pass-fail

4) Packing SOPs

Container selection, sealing method, labeling, add-ons placement
Spillage prevention rules (sauces, gravies, liquid items)
Order verification checklist (reduce missing items)

5) Dispatch SOPs

Rider handoff process, shelf numbering, order sorting
Order acceptance hygiene and delay escalation
Peak-hour communication: kitchen lead ↔ packer ↔ dispatcher

Related reading: Cloud Kitchen Operations Management

Ready SOP Templates (Copy-Paste Format)

Use these templates to document your SOPs quickly. Keep every SOP to one page and make it “trainable”.

Template 1

SKU SOP Template (Dish-wise)

SKU Name: __________
Portion Size: ____ g / ____ ml
Ingredients (grams/ml): list with exact quantities
Prep Steps: 1) ___ 2) ___ 3) ___
Cook Steps + Timing: heat level, minutes, sequence
Packing Rules: container, sealing, label text
Hold Time: max ___ minutes
QC Pass/Fail: texture, temp, taste notes

Template 2

Daily Prep Plan SOP

Today’s Target Orders: ____
Top 10 SKUs Expected: list
Batch Prep Items: base gravies/sauces, marinades
Prep Owner: staff name + time slot
Storage Rules: label + timestamp + shelf life
End-of-Day Closing: leftovers handling + wastage log

Template 3

Packing & Dispatch SOP

Packing Station Setup: containers, seals, labels ready
Verify Checklist: SKU count, add-ons, cutlery, sauces
Seal Standards: leak-proof rule for liquids
Dispatch Shelf: numbered slots, max wait time
Escalation Rule: if order delayed > ___ mins, notify lead

Want to build SOPs + setup together? End-to-End Cloud Kitchen Setup Guide

Tool & Portion Standardisation (The Hidden Hack)

SOPs fail when the team still “estimates”. Standardise tools so portions become automatic: fixed ladles, scoops, measuring jars, timers, and batch labels.

Ladle mapping: 60ml, 90ml, 120ml for gravies/soups
Scoop mapping: 30g, 50g for toppings and proteins
Timer discipline: every core SKU has a cook timer
Label standards: prep time + expiry + station owner

Your fastest kitchen is not the one with the best chef. It’s the one with the best tool + SOP standardisation.

Daily & Weekly SOP Loops

Daily: 3 non-negotiable checklists

Opening checklist: hygiene, stock check, station setup
Peak checklist: prep top-ups, packing accuracy, dispatch flow
Closing checklist: wastage log, deep clean, next-day prep plan

Weekly: the optimisation loop

Top complaints and fixes
Top delayed SKUs (reduce prep/cook complexity)
Food cost drift and portion corrections
Packaging changes to reduce spillage

Want scaling SOP structure: How to Scale to Multiple Locations

Common SOP Mistakes

1) SOPs written like a recipe book

SOPs must include quantities, timing, tools, and QC-not just steps.

2) No “pass/fail” QC definition

If quality is subjective, it won’t scale. Define measurable checks (temp, portion, sealing).

3) SOPs not visible at stations

SOPs should be printed, laminated, and placed where the work happens.

4) Not updating SOPs after feedback

Complaints and delays are data. SOPs should evolve with real operations.

Printable SOP Implementation Checklist

Hygiene

Opening + closing cleaning schedule
Handwash + PPE rules posted
Waste segregation + pest control SOP
Temperature logs active

Prep System

Daily prep plan template ready
Batch items standardised
Labeling + shelf-life rules
Top-up protocol during peak

SKU SOPs

Top 20 SKUs documented first
Exact grams/ml defined
Cook time + heat level set
QC pass/fail written

Packing & Dispatch

Packing checklist active
Sealing standard for liquids
Dispatch shelf numbering
Delay escalation rule defined

If you want us to implement SOPs for your kitchen: Book a Free Discovery Call.

FAQ: Cloud Kitchen SOPs

How many SOPs does a cloud kitchen need?

Start with 5 buckets: hygiene, prep, SKU SOPs, packing, dispatch. Then add inventory, vendor, and training SOPs.

Which SOP improves ratings fastest?

Packing & dispatch SOPs (missing items, spills, delays) usually show impact within 7-14 days.

Should SOPs be different for each location?

Core SOPs stay the same. You may adjust vendor specs, equipment notes, and local prep batch sizes.

How do I train staff on SOPs?

Use station-wise SOP posters + a 3-day drill: watch, do with supervision, then do independently with QC checks.

Can SOPs reduce food cost?

Yes-portion discipline and tool standardisation typically reduce food cost drift significantly.

Want SOPs Built for Your Exact Menu?

Share your cuisine and top SKUs. We’ll create SOPs, tool standards, prep planning, and dispatch workflows so your kitchen runs consistent — and is ready to scale.

Book a Free Discovery Call

Get SOP structure + implementation plan in 1 call.

Cloud Kitchen SOPs: Ready Templates + Checklist (2026)