All restaurants suffer employee theft to some degree.  For some employees, it's snacking or drinking.  For others, it's giving extras to customers (usually regulars), hoping for bigger tips.  For some, it might be forgetting to ring something in that they get themselves, such as soft drinks, desserts, or salads.  Bartenders often "forget" to ring drinks in because they serve and sell everything themselves.  Some employees unfortunately, commit out and out larceny.  Here is a list of clues you might get from your customers to look out for to protect yourself.

These early warning signs may seem obvious, but they still bear constant attention and reinforcement for the managers.

Customer complaints of short-changing or substitutions in orders. All servers make occasional mistakes.  However, a pattern or increased frequency of problems making change or of ordering mistakes might indicate that the server has found a loophole in the system.

Unusually friendly relationships or loyalty between employees and outsiders. Regular customers are the life blood of

many restaurants and bars.  These regulars can also be your biggest exposure to fraud.  Servers can usually get away with not giving receipts to these customers, which opens up the door for the tricky server.

Any Customer who insists that only a certain employee handles their sale.  These regular customers could possibly have some sort of "understanding", which probably works to everybody's benefit (except yours, of course).  This activity is tricky to expose, but managers need to be vigilant in watching for this.

Customers who meet with employees regularly at unusual times, such as at closing. Servers need to have their personal or business meetings off hours and off premises.  They need to know that unusual meetings at unusual times is not normal.

Anonymous phone calls or letters concerning theft.  Anonymous customer calls can be the first sign of problems.  Sometimes, the customer does not want to get involved, but has enough of a conscience to warn you.  Take these warnings seriously, but be careful that they are genuine.

Frequent hang-up phone calls to a substitute employee working a shift normally handled solely by another employee.  All employees need to be on the lookout for this activity.

The employees need to know that if they are found in unauthorized areas, you will assume that they are there for the wrong reasons.

Customers who visit your business an unusual number times daily, or who loiter in your business for an excessive amount of time.  Management needs to be suspicious of customers who seem to be there for reasons other than enjoying your food.  This is especially true when the same customer seems to spend more time with one server.

Brian McMillan is Director of Product Development of In Sight Commander System, Inc.  a software development company specializing in restaurants and video surveillance systems.  He can be reached at (714) 940-9800 or http://www.insightcommander.com/