Nowadays, security is of the utmost importance for businesses, especially restaurants. With supply chain disruptions and rising costs, now is the time to invest in security.
Implementing measures to protect your restaurant will help your bottom line by thwarting thieves and preventing damage to the property. Also, it’s essential to make your customers feel safe while dining. Follow these six simple ways to improve your restaurant’s security.
1. Install Security Cameras
One of the best ways to protect your restaurant is by installing video cameras. Place these surveillance devices inside and outside the building to track what’s happening 24/7. Putting cameras in discrete spots may be beneficial, so you can easily track customers and employees. Another pro tip is to put decoy cameras in obvious places to deter patrons from doing unwanted activities.
Getting modern security cameras is valuable because you’ll have documentation for legal purposes of what happens in your restaurant. You never know when a fight will break out or if somebody will attempt to take cash from the register. The security footage will back you up in any legal action.
2. Reduce Employee Theft
Your staff is the backbone of your restaurant. They work hard, but sometimes they can be guilty of stealing from your business, whether they realize it or not.
Employee theft is a more significant problem than you may think. About 75% of employees admit they have stolen from their job at least once, adding up to about $50 billion annually. Even if you have complete faith in your workers, there are still measures you can take.
The first thing you can do is communicate your expectations with every employee. Start in training and tell them you monitor for theft regularly and won’t accept stealing from the business or customers. Another way to reduce employee theft is to audit the point of sale reports — some software can isolate irregular transactions from the day and notify you.
3. Get an Alarm System
An excellent complement to your security cameras is an alarm system. These sound devices are a tried and true method of scaring off criminals and will be handy at night after your close.
Thieves may think they can break into a restaurant, but your alarm says otherwise. Certain U.S. cities have seen crime rates rise recently, so you’ll need protection for your restaurant.
Alarm systems have come a long way. Newer devices go to greater lengths to protect your restaurant and do more than make loud noises. For example, you can connect most modern alarm systems to a telephone line. So, if a criminal tries to break in after hours, the alarm will notify you and the police immediately. Other contemporary devices can monitor the environment and call 911 if it detects smoke in the middle of the night.
4. Change Your Cash Procedures
In the restaurant industry, cash is a common way for customers to pay. Many find this traditional method easier to use, whether paying for the meal or tipping. Unfortunately, that is good news for criminals. The thieves who break into restaurants search for cash because it’s the easiest to grab and run out the door. Tracking down paper money is much more complicated than any other payment, so reviewing how you handle cash is wise.
The first policy to implement is minimizing the amount of cash in the register. Employees operating the registers should deposit money into the safe regularly. They should especially remove the cash if multiple $50 or $100 bills are in the drawer. Losing these bills can significantly affect your daily losses. Also, it’s wise to switch up the schedule for deposits and cash transfers to throw off anybody tracking the routine.
5. Train Your Employees
A terrific way to beef up your security is to hire security personnel, whether from a third party or an internal hire. These security professionals know how to handle criminals and anyone threatening your restaurant’s safety. Professional security can be beneficial, especially at a bar. If you can’t afford to hire security, you should train your staff on the best practices.
Your employees are a significant part of your security, even if it’s their first day on the job. You or a trusted worker should teach new hires about the most common forms of theft in your restaurant and how to handle them. For each shift, you could appoint a particular employee to take charge of security for the night. They’d take the lead if anything were to arise.
6. Pick a Strong Safe
Another integral part of your restaurant’s security is your safe. Thieves know these lockers contain most of the cash and valuables from a restaurant, so it’s critical to pick something heavy-duty. Regarding safes, heavier is better, so criminals have a hard time removing them. Also, you can select one with a drop feature — this mechanism allows employees to deposit cash throughout the day without accessing the rest of the components.
Safes can be expensive, but they’re worth it in the long run because of the protection they offer. One factor you should consider for the safe is temperature ratings. One with a high safety rating may decrease your monthly premium with your insurance company. This investment protects your restaurant and provides peace of mind for years.
Strengthening Security at the Restaurant
Managing a restaurant is challenging because the job requires attention to detail. Your top two objectives are making customers happy and keeping them and your employees safe. Restaurants can be the target of thieves trying to make a quick buck, so use these six ways to enhance your restaurant’s security.
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