Create a venue in FoodSafety HQ. Set temperature limits, cleaning and delivery checklists, and check frequencies so records match your real kitchen workflow.
Why venue setup matters A venue in FoodSafety HQ represents one physical site — a single cafe, restaurant, bakery or kitchen. Getting its settings right up front means your daily checklists match how your kitchen actually operates, so staff record the right things at the right time and your logs stand up to an inspection. Each venue is configured independently, so a food truck and a full restaurant can run different checklists. Step 1: Create the venue Open Venues in the sidebar. Click Add Venue . Enter the venue name and address . Save. FoodSafety HQ automatically creates default temperature, cleaning and delivery check items so you can start straight away. Tip: Name venues the way your team refers to them out loud — "Main Street Cafe" beats "Venue 1". It makes the venue selector and reports much easier to read. Step 2: Configure venue settings Each venue has configurable check frequencies. Set these to reflect your real routine — over-setting them makes the compliance gauge look permanently red, while under-setting them can leave gaps in your records. Temperature Check Frequency: How many temperature rounds are required per day (1–12) Check Interval: If more than one round per day, the hours between rounds Cleaning Check Frequency: How many cleaning rounds per day (1–6) Allergen Check Frequency: How often allergen verification is required (1–6) A useful anchor for temperature timing is the FSANZ 2-hour / 4-hour rule : food between 5°C and 60°C for under 2 hours can be used or refrigerated, between 2 and 4 hours must be used immediately, and beyond 4 hours must be thrown out. Regular temperature rounds make it easy to prove food never sat in the danger zone too long. Step 3: Customise your check items Open Check Items in the sidebar to tailor every item to your equipment. For each item you can: Add new items — a new under-counter fridge, a blast chiller or a specific piece of equipment Set temperature limits — minimum and maximum thresholds that automatically pass or fail a reading Require photo proof for specific cleaning items so staff capture visual evidence Add corrective action hints that tell staff exactly what to do when a check fails Categorise items (for example Equipment, Benches, Floors) to keep long lists tidy Reorder items using sort order so the checklist follows your walk-through path Recommended temperature thresholds As a starting point aligned with FSANZ guidance: Fridges and cool rooms: maximum 5°C for cold food storage Freezers: well below freezing (commonly around −18°C) Hot holding / bain marie: minimum 60°C Always confirm the exact requirements that apply to your business — some state and council rules or your own food safety program may set tighter limits, so check with your local health authority. Step 4: Add corrective action hints Corrective action hints turn a failed check into a clear instruction. For a cool room over 5°C, a hint might read: "Move stock to backup fridge, log the temperature, and call refrigeration if not recovered within 30 minutes." This keeps the response consistent no matter who is on shift. Learn more in Corrective Actions Explained . Next steps Invite your team and assign them to this venue. Start running daily temperature checks . Managing several sites? See Multi-Venue Management . Need a hand tailoring your checklist? Contact support and we'll walk you through it.