Moving tables around in the POS system can be an indication that the server could be "hiding the pea under the shell".  When a table or order is changed and moved around, the audit trail sometimes can be hard to follow.

Unfortunately, all POS (point-of-sale) systems are designed with a few "holes" in the audit trail.

Fortunately, some of the holes in the audit trail of your POS system might be exposed in the reports.  The most effective method of determining if one or more employees is giving out free food or worse yet, collecting the money and not putting it in the drawer or their bank, lies in watching for ordering ratios and trends.  A little about that later.

Here's How It's Done

A server takes an order for soft drinks and adds them to, for instance, Table 4.  He serves the drinks; everything is normal, except one thing - he doesn't "send" or "finalize" the soft drinks.  This allows them to be moved to another table, usually without the manager's approval.  Guests are now seated at Table 6 in the same server's station and order - you guessed it - soft drinks.  The clever server can now move the soft drinks from Table 4 (after presenting the check and collecting the money) to Table 6 and 

is no longer responsible for the money!  

Some POS systems have options that do not allow servers to transfer items to and from their own tables without manager approval.  No problem - two or more servers get together and transfer the items to each other.

Ratios and Trends

Once an employee has spotted an opening, he needs to use the sequence or trick more often than the other employees.  Now you got him!  If you can identify key ordering ratios and compare those ratios to other employees, a pattern will come into view.  

Once an employee has spotted an opening, he will use the sequence or trick more often than the other employees.  Now you got him!

Trends can also point to potential problems.  If an employee's sales of a particular item has fallen off in the last week or two, it could be that this employee has discovered an opportunity.

What Now?

The most effective approach is to use the processing power of a computer. 

All employees fall into behavior patterns after working in the restaurant for a while.  “The challenge is to compare the behavior of all the employees to each other and to themselves over time.  This approach is the only way to consistently ferret out the potential losses. 

In Sight Commander Systems has developed a suite of programs that analyzes restaurant employee behavior and activity in order to highlight potential problem areas.  If an alert is detected by The Analyzer, the owner or manager is notified by email.  The owner can then access the computer at the restaurant and view the actual detail of the behavior that caused the alert. 

Video cameras may be effective for insurance, Workers’ Comp, and liability issues, but need to be part of a more complete system in order to be effective as loss-deterrence tools.

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/