This isn’t standard so no one get mad at me.. If you’re a barista, the trick is to do everything before close. Clean both bars, wash all the dishes, finish the lobby, etc. The only thing left to do once you close should be wiping stuff off basically. Wash the tea pitchers and keep whats left in trenta cups until close, etc. If you’re a shift, mine leave one till and the safe count until after close and everything else is done before. Our record close was 8 minutes after we closed and locked the door!! But if you get out too early they get mad at that too haha

You can only work with the tools you're given, and labor's one of those. Do what's most important, then do what you can, cutting every corner along the way.

Eventually with enough "bad closes," the morning crew and SM will raise enough of a fuss that either you and your closing crew a) get write-ups lol but if we're assuming the best b) get more scheduled time to close and/or an extra set of hands.

It's not ideal advice, but it's not an ideal situation if you get me?

Another option is to preclose everything and work as clean as possible during the hours leading up, but in such a way that if your SM or DM were to visit, it wouldn't be obvious. Remember that most things only need to be "cleaned every 24 hours," so over the course of the night take everything back bit by bit, wash it and put it back into service. Again it's not ideal at all, but you're being given a Playskool mallet and told to build a mansion.

Have a shitty close and dont clean everything. You cant close in 20 minutes. Our store just got extended to 45 so if i have a bad closer i can still get out on time and really develop partners and walk them through a great close. Im sorry the DM is giving 20 minutes, that's really quite horrible

Our store closes at 10 and we are scheduled to leave at 10:30. We usually get out at 10:20-25 if I have good closers with me. For shift duties I just make sure I have everything done before close. Count your safe, close the other tills (and enter your numbers into cash management). All I have to do after close is the last two tills and print my deposit slips. It’s really just about managing your time well throughout your shift. Mind you some nights it’s just not in the cards, sometimes it’s super busy , you don’t have stronger partners, or people call in sick. But I usually get all my shift Duties done by 8 or 9pm so then I can work on the floor and help clean. Our store has a couple of SSV’s who basically hide in the back all night and only come out to run breaks, and always clock out after our scheduled time. It’s just shitty if you ask me.

When it comes to having everything cleaned in 20 min... impossible. It needs to be done earlier and not left for after close. We pre close both bars in the last hour of the night (wash the tray and drawer) put coffee filters in your drawer to keep it clean, put a sani cloth over your tray. End of night it’s already clean and preserved. We also break down the pastry case 20 min before close and wash all the stands.

at my location we close everything except what we truly need for drinks. once you've worked at your location for a while you'll start to notice what people most order at night. for example at my location all night every night of the week between 7-9 it's frap. time. most people don't order shaken teas or refreshers therefore we can clean most other drink areas.