If you own a restaurant, or are planning on owning a restaurant in the near future, you may already be aware of the unique security risks associated with owning and running a restaurant. Among other security risks, you should consider the risk of internal theft (employee theft of money or goods), robberies, and scams.

Hiring employees you trust is a great start towards preventing internal theft. Be selective when hiring. Simply checking with a potential employee’s references is a good start, but you may also want to ask for a background check. Know your managers, and be careful when entrusting anyone with access to money and credit card information. Many restaurant Point of Sale (POS) systems keep track of voided sales and other important information that can help locate any discrepancies. Have a trusted employee double check all end-of-shift sales information.

Internal theft may also include theft of goods, especially in a restaurant environment. Maintain a consistent inventory system, and track any wastage that occurs. Wastage may include spoiled or damaged products – but it could also include food eaten by employees. Maintaining an inventory will also discourage staff from giving away unauthorized “freebies.”

External theft may occur in several ways, the most common of which will probably be guests who leave without paying, or the “dine and dash.” Although there is no sure-fire way to prevent this, other than asking guests to pay prior to eating, you can minimize the likelihood by making sure that your servers are alert. Encourage an atmosphere of teamwork and communication among your staff members.

External theft may also include robbery – which is similarly difficult to prevent. Limit the amount of cash that is on hand in your establishment by using “drop safes” to prevent access to money that is kept on site. Make frequent cash deposits (both to the drop safe and to your bank), in order to limit the amount of money on the premises. In addition to an alert staff, surveillance cameras and similar security devices can prevent robberies.

Scams are, unfortunately, a danger that almost any modern business can fall victim to. Common scams include the use of stolen credit cards, check forgery, false claims against the restaurant, and credit card skimming. Using a trusted credit-card processing company can help protect you in most credit-card related instances. Make sure staff follows your established rules for checking card signatures. Many establishments no longer accept checks as a preventative against check fraud or forgery.

False claims against the restaurant – incredibly hard to predict or prevent – may include: claims of food poisoning, over-charge claims, or claims of terrible service, just to name a few. Surveillance cameras can prevent many of these, and will aid in the resolution of most other such claims.

If a claim is made directly to the restaurant, gather as much information as necessary prior to granting any concessions of money or product. Review security camera footage to find out what really happened. Have a policy in place for dealing with these claims, from the everyday to the severe. In extreme situations it may be necessary to seek legal council.

Running your own business – whether a restaurant or any other establishment – comes with its own unique set of challenges that you may not be aware of until you have opened your business. As a restaurant owner, it is your responsibility to take steps to safeguard the security of your business, your inventory, and your employees.

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Category: Advice
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