Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Restaurants are high-traffic, high-risk environments. Between cash handling, late-night hours, and constant employee turnover, they’re exposed to a unique set of physical and security threats. Here are eight issues that could seriously hurt your business and what to do about them.
8 restaurant threats the industry needs to be aware of
Internal theft from staff
Whether it’s skimming cash, giving friends freebies, or voiding tickets after payment, employee theft is one of the biggest threats to restaurant profitability. Without video synced to transaction data, it’s hard to catch.
What it looks like:
Disappearing liquor
Voided tickets after a rush
Fake refunds to employee credit cards
Break-ins and after-hours theft
Restaurants often have weak perimeter security and visible assets like safes or POS terminals. Without remote monitoring, you may not even know there’s been a break-in until morning.
What it looks like:
Forced entry through back doors
Missing cash or electronics
Broken windows with no video proof
Fake slip and fall claims
Some customers (or even employees) stage accidents to try and collect from your insurance. Without video footage, you’re left paying out or battling in court.
What it looks like:
Claims with no witnesses
Conflicting stories from staff
No video to confirm or deny
Late-night violence or harassment
Bars, QSRs, and late-night diners are magnets for aggression. That puts your team and customers at risk – and opens you up to lawsuits.
What it looks like:
Fights in the parking lot
Verbal abuse of staff
Unreported incidents that later go viral
Drive-thru incidents
Speed and volume make drive-thrus a hot spot for order disputes, theft, and even vehicle damage. Video coverage is often limited – if it exists at all.
What it looks like:
Customer claims they didn’t get food
Cash handed through the window disappears
Accusations of rude or unsafe staff behavior
Vendor and delivery fraud
Not every invoice tells the full story. Over-delivering, shorting stock, or swapping product quality is easy when no one’s watching.
What it looks like:
Invoices don’t match video
Vendors entering off-hours
Product being dropped, then picked up again later
Unauthorized access or loitering
Unsecured entrances and poor access control make it easy for unauthorized people to enter your building or hang around the premises.
What it looks like:
Ex-employees entering after hours
Strangers accessing back rooms
People loitering near entrances or dumpsters
Cash handling issues
Even with POS systems, human error – or manipulation – at cash drawers can create major discrepancies. Without visual context, it’s impossible to know what really happened.
What it looks like:
Missing deposits
“Forgot” to close till
Cash drawer always off by a small amount
Solink helps keep you safe from threats to the restaurant industry
Solink offers essential support for restaurants confronting various challenges in today’s competitive market. By integrating advanced video monitoring and analytics, Solink enhances security and operational efficiency across restaurant operations, helping to identify and mitigate risks effectively. With Solink, restaurants can bolster their defenses, ensuring strong protection against the evolving challenges of the industry.
Want to help strengthen your restaurant business against industry threats? Discover what Solink can do for you.
