Three reasons to consider surveillance cameras at your QSRs

If you’re a restaurant owner or multi-unit franchisee, chances are you’ve worried about employee theft a time or two, maybe more. After all, it’s one of the biggest issues facing your type of business.

You also know that surveillance cameras can help. Typically, if someone knows they’re being watched, they won’t steal—But did you know that installing cameras can help your business beyond theft?

Here are three ways surveillance cameras can help your QSR organization:

1. Surveillance cameras reduce theft at restaurants

Many operators assume that surveillance reduces employee theft because it exposes their crime on camera, but the cameras are actually doing much more for you than originally assumed.

People act differently when they know they’re being watched. Take this study for example Washington University conducted a study observing the behavior of employees that were under electronic surveillance in 400 restaurants across America. The study found that surveillance reduced employee theft on average by 22% (equaling $24 per week saved). Three months after installing surveillance, theft was down even further, equaling $48 per week saved.

You might be surprised to hear that preventing theft is only one of the benefits to adding surveillance.

2. Helpful for property damage and liability claims

Beyond helping you prevent QSR employee theft, your surveillance cameras can help you prove a case, should you ever have to. Surveillance footage captured of your restaurant can be used to support your company when there are property damage or customer/employee liability claims.

Just one high-level example: A young person walks into your restaurant, trips, and falls. They break their nose and bruised their cheek. They claim there was a hazard that caused them to trip and threaten to sue your company. However, your camera footage reveals them using their cell phone while walking and tripping themselves. You’re no longer responsible for the damage because you have proof that they were responsible.

Long story short, just a few minutes of video could save your company tens of thousands (or more) in loss and increased insurance premiums—Well worth the cost of a surveillance system.

3. Boosts QSR employee productivity

Remember the last time you waited in line at the bank? You knew there were surveillance cameras, and depending on the bank, you could see the line of people waiting on a TV screen in the corner. Even though you weren’t planning to rob the bank, you still felt a bit nervous about the cameras fixated on you, so you stood taller, kept your hands at your side, and tried not to make any suspicious facial expressions.

The same can be said for your employees. If they knew you were watching, how would they act? Not only would they be deterred from stealing, but they’d probably work more efficiently, complete housekeeping tasks in their downtime, and get more done.

The same Washington University study that found adding cameras reduced employee theft, also found that after surveillance was installed, check revenue increased by 7% ($2,975 per week), total drink revenue by 10.5% ($927 per week), and tips by 0.3%. As a result of the cameras, employees who would have otherwise drained resources became more productive and increased overall revenue.

Check out Delaget Marketplace for video surveillance vendors

Our video surveillance partners are vetted and approved for QSR operators, using modern, cloud-based camera systems and state-of-the-art equipment.

Not only do the video solutions integrate with Delaget solutions, like our loss prevention solution Detect, allowing for a fast and easy setup, and we also offer solution discounts when you choose a marketplace vendor.

Cameras are just one way to prevent loss

When talking about restaurant loss prevention, employee theft is just a piece of the pie.

Loss prevention is about identifying and recapturing funds of all shapes and sizes. These losses can stem from various sources and are often times hard to locate and even harder to know if the investigation is worth your time and resources.

Delaget Detect makes LP easy with automatic alerts to loss, an easy-to-use search function, and ticket-level detail available.

The restaurant industry is also seeing a new form of loss that occurs due to a lack of visibility into delivery data. Use our delivery loss calculator to calculate potential delivery losses, and keep Delaget Delivery in mind for accounting as well as for loss prevention purposes.