MEASURES YOU CAN TAKE TO KEEP YOUR RESTAURANT SECURE
It’s important for all restaurant owners to understand that restaurants have unique security concerns. Even more so than retail, restaurants tend to be busy places with a lot of vulnerabilities that owners need to account for. Otherwise, theft can become a major problem.
To help you out, let’s talk about a few tips that restaurants can use to help improve their security and keep an eye on the largest problems they face.
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO CASH MANAGEMENT
There’s some good news here — cash is rarer in restaurants than it’s ever been! The rise of mobile payment systems and card scanners has made cash increasingly uncommon in today’s restaurants. However, compared to many other industries, cash on hand is still extremely common, which means restaurants can often be targets of thieves looking to steal a quick buck.
Our first bit of advice here is to always keep cash carefully protected. When registers are being counted or exchanged, this should be done in a secured room with watchful cameras, alarms, and strong locks. The best security restricts access (such as through a card access system) to only managers and other authorized personnel.
Second, when cash is being stored, it should be stored in a commercial-grade safe with all the proper security protections in place. Cash should be delivered to the bank at regular intervals, so you never keep much on hand at the restaurant itself.
When cash is being stored, it should be stored in a commercial-grade safe with all the proper security protections in place. Cash should be delivered to the bank at regular intervals, so you never keep much on hand at the restaurant itself.
BE AWARE OF INTERNAL THREATS
Internal theft (theft by employees) can also be a problem at a restaurant. While they can’t exactly shoplift many products, they can steal cash without any accountability. Don’t let any employees close or switch registers by themselves as a rule. Place security cameras in vulnerable areas so that employees understand that there are surveillance measures in place.
It’s also important to understand that a lot of internal theft these days use electronics. For example, a common tactic is for a thieving employee to steal credit card information by running it through a personal scanner as well as the business scanner, something that can be difficult to prevent without carefully vetting hires, restricting how cards can be scanned, and watching for these kinds of tactics.
COMPLETE A RISK ASSESSMENT
A risk assessment is a professional inspection of the restaurant. This assessment looks at current security technology, access points to the restaurant, vulnerable areas, practices, and other important points. This allows you to see what weak points your restaurant has, and the simplest ways of dealing with them. The Flying Locksmiths can provide these risk assessments and create a security plan going forward if you decide you need to take these steps.
Would you like to learn more about the security options for your restaurant or retail business? Give us a call today at The Flying Locksmiths to discuss the available options for your industry.