Cafés run on small teams and thin margins, and the food safety paperwork tends to fall on the owner — who is also on the machine, doing the orders and covering shifts. The legal duty is identical to a large restaurant. The time available to meet it is not.
2,456
cafés on the FSA register
76%
currently hold a 5
Across the 9 Devon council areas we currently publish ratings for. Figures come from the Food Standards Agency’s published data and are refreshed weekly — browse the ratings by area.
What makes food safety harder in cafés
The owner is also the staff
There is no compliance manager. Anything that takes half an hour a week loses to something more urgent, every week.
Display and grab-and-go
Chilled counters, cakes under domes and pre-made sandwiches all have their own temperature and date-labelling considerations, and they sit in front of customers all day.
PPDS labelling
Sandwiches and salads you pack on site to sell from your own counter fall under Natasha's Law, which requires a full ingredient list with allergens emphasised on the pack itself.
Allergen questions all day
Counter service means allergen questions come constantly, often at the till, and usually to whoever is nearest.
Where a digital record helps
None of the above is solved by better handwriting. What changes it is recording each check at the moment it happens, on a device that is already in the room — so the record is made once, by the person who did the check, and nothing has to be reconstructed at the end of the week.
On paper
- Filled in from memory after service
- One folder, one place, one copy
- Gaps only show up during an inspection
- No way to tell who recorded what
Recorded as you work
- Logged at the moment the check happens
- On any phone, anywhere in the building
- Missed checks are visible the same day
- Every entry timestamped and attributed
Under a minute a check
Opening and closing routines, fridge and display temperatures and cleaning are short prompts on a phone. Designed to be done during the shift, not after it.
Allergen information at the counter
Anyone serving can look up a dish and get the current answer, built from your actual recipes rather than a laminated sheet that stopped being true two menu changes ago.
Honest about what it does not do
HospoPilot manages your allergen information and records — it does not print PPDS pack labels, which is what Natasha's Law requires for pre-packed-for-direct-sale items. You will need a label printer for those.
The underlying method is the same one the FSA expects: a food safety management system based on HACCP principles, usually via Safer Food, Better Business, kept alive by the daily records. A digital food safety management system does not change what you have to do — it changes how much of your day it takes and how quickly you can prove it.
Frequently asked questions
Does a small café really need a food safety management system?
Yes — the requirement applies regardless of size. For most cafés, the FSA's Safer Food, Better Business pack is the recognised way to meet it: standard safe methods plus a daily record of the checks you actually do. Guidance, not legal advice.
Does this handle Natasha's Law labelling?
Not the pack label itself. Natasha's Law covers PPDS — food you pack on site and sell from the same premises — and requires a printed label on the pack with a full ingredient list and allergens emphasised, which needs a label printer. HospoPilot keeps the underlying allergen and ingredient information accurate, but it does not produce that label.
What if my café has no Wi-Fi in the back?
Checks are recorded on a phone, so mobile data is enough — and readings sync when the device reconnects rather than being lost.
How much does it cost for a single site?
One subscription covers the site, with a 14-day free trial and no card required to start. See the pricing page for current plans.
Built for one independent kitchen, not a chain
Temperatures, cleaning, allergens and training — recorded as your team works, and ready to show whenever someone asks.
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Related: Food hygiene checklist · EHO inspection checklist · Temperature logs · All guides
Last reviewed July 2026 · HospoPilot editorial · General guidance, not legal advice.