In this guide to restaurant loss prevention, we’ll dive into the best tools and most effective tips that modern restaurant owners, managers, and operators are using today to combat internal and external loss.
From high-tech security systems to intelligent point-of-sale (POS) integrations and real-time analytics, these strategies are designed to detect suspicious activity, reduce shrinkage, and ensure accountability at every level of restaurant operations.
Whether you’re running a quick-service restaurant or a full-scale dining operation, understanding which loss prevention tools deliver the most value, and how to use them, is critical to sustaining profitability in a competitive market. Let’s explore the solutions leading the charge in restaurant loss prevention.
A simple list of restaurant loss prevention tools to use and tips to follow in the year 2025 and beyond
You must have your point-of-sale system integrated into your security cameras
Why: POS data is the single biggest signal for suspicious behavior – but only when it’s tied to video. This gives you eyes on every transaction and lets you investigate in seconds.
How to implement:
Choose a video platform that integrates directly with your POS provider – like Solink (not through a third-party report export).
Set up event-based video tagging: any time there’s a refund, comp, void, discount, or no-sale, the system flags that moment and attaches the matching video segment.
Build alerts for abuse thresholds (e.g., more than 5 voids in an hour by one employee). See more details about that by clicking here.
Use the platform daily to:
Review comps and discounts with video
Check if receipts match what the customer received
Identify if no-sale events involve unauthorized cash handling
Real tip: Train managers to review flagged events during every closeout, not just when there’s a known problem. This builds habits and accountability.
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Time tracking and video security syncing is a must
Why: Labor fraud often flies under the radar because time records are assumed to be accurate. But when you connect shift logs with video, you can verify whether labor hours match real activity.
Use motion detection to compare when someone clocks in versus when they actually start working.
Automatically flag anomalies like:
Clock-ins with no matching entry footage
Long gaps between punch-in and first order served
Breaks longer than scheduled
Create a weekly exception report that pairs flagged times with clips for review.
Real tip: Have your GM review shift-start behavior weekly. Even five minutes of idle time per shift adds up to hours of paid downtime over a month.
Making sharing, finding, saving and resolving incidents easier on yourself
Why: The best video system is useless if footage is hard to access. When something happens – a theft, a slip-and-fall, a harassment claim – you need to get eyes on it now, not next week.
Set up zone tracking detection rules (e.g., alert me if a worker is not at their post).
Train the system to look for specific behavior, like:
Entry into the back office outside of manager hours
Carrying a backpack into food prep areas
Walking behind the bar without a uniform
Use motion search to instantly find all events that match a specific movement or pattern
Turn on AI-generated heatmaps to spot dead zones (where product loss might go unnoticed) or high-risk cash handling zones
Real tip: Let the AI do the reviewing. You just act on the alerts. Review the daily report of flagged incidents and follow up only where needed.
Centralized multi-location monitoring is the future, alongside camera health checks
Why: Multi-unit operators need to manage loss across every location without traveling. A central dashboard makes it possible to act fast across your network.
How to implement:
Use one platform for all locations, with unified access control and dashboards.
Set up reports to compare refund volume, voids, drawer opens, and employee access across stores.
Add camera health monitoring so you’re alerted when a camera is offline or footage fails to sync.
Create a regular Loss Prevention Review routine:
Monday: check weekly refund stats
Tuesday: review flagged events
Friday: spot trends across stores
Real tip: If one store runs 2x more discounts per week than others, don’t guess – pull video and review. Fraud loves outliers.
Securing user permissions is a must
Why: The more people who can access your security system, the more exposure you have. Unchecked access opens the door for tampering, leaks, and internal misuse.
How to implement:
Set strict role-based permissions:
Cashiers: no access
Shift managers: view-only on their shifts
GMs: view + clip creation
Owners/LP: full access
Require multi-factor authentication (MFA) for admin roles
Audit video exports monthly – review who downloaded what and why
Disable access automatically for terminated or suspended employees
Real tip: Don’t just set it and forget it. Do quarterly audits to make sure no one’s over-permissioned or accessing video without reason.
Getting yourself backup, in the form of a team on the side of your security system
Why: The best tools still need trained eyes. Partnering with a team, like Solink, makes sure flagged issues get reviewed, incidents are resolved, and trends don’t get missed.
How to implement:
Assign a dedicated loss prevention lead to meet with a team like a Solink
Create a review queue: flagged clips go here for review within 24 hours
Build out playbooks:
How to respond to theft caught on video
How to handle cash discrepancy investigations
How to document and escalate HR incidents
Schedule weekly LP check-ins: what was flagged, what was reviewed, what action was taken
Real tip: Let the AI do the filtering. Let your LP team do the verifying. Let managers do the fixing.
Final takeaway
Loss prevention in 2025 and beyond is about visibility, automation, and follow-through. It’s not enough to record – your system should flag, your team should review, and your business should respond fast.
When you connect POS, people, and footage, you get clear answers. When you automate alerts and monitor performance, you catch issues early. And when you back it all with the right tools and people, loss prevention turns from a cost center into a competitive advantage.
Want to see it work? Schedule a Solink demo and learn how restaurants like yours are cutting shrink, spotting fraud, and getting time back with real-time video + POS alerts.
Reduce shrinkage with effective loss prevention strategies
Explore the top tools and expert tips to protect your restaurant from costly losses.
