Section 10: Common Types of Theft – Cocktail Server Theft
Section Goal: Implement internal controls to eliminate theft by cocktail servers
This section of food and beverage associates is often overlooked in regards to internal controls. The servers in a restaurant can be involved in theft just as likely as bartenders are. The types of theft of restaurant servers are similar to bartender theft. They can include: Not ringing transactions, POS manipulation, misuse of promotional material, and collusion. Usually, with the proper beverage ordering standards in place, a server would have to collude with the bartender to steal. This makes it much more difficult for servers to steal but much more difficult to catch. ♦
Internal Controls to prevent cocktail server theft:
- Implement and standardize a proper drink ordering process. Servers should not order drinks by ‘calling out’ the drink to the bartender. There is a proper and controlled way for servers to order drinks from the bartender. Please see our article on Cocktail Server Internal Controls, for details on a proper drink ordering process and what it can help prevent.
- Extend all controls that are in place for your bartenders to the servers. The job the servers do is slightly different from the bartenders, but the same standards are applicable. From making sure that each server has a unique POS card to not allowing the “No Sale” button to be used, all of the controls discussed above that are applicable should also be applied to the servers.
- Do not allow unauthorized employees behind the bar. Servers should not be allowed to go behind the bar for any reason. Bartenders, bar-backs, and managers should be the only individuals allowed behind the bar during business hours. Allowing anybody to go behind the bar will cause a loss of accountability as the bartender may not have been the only one pouring beverages or handling transactions behind the bar.
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Click here to continue to The Self Assessment
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Your progress so far: 1.Introduction, 2.Understanding Budgeted Cost, 3.Inventory Inaccuracies, 4.Perpetual vs. Periodic Inventory, 5.Poor Pour Practices, 6.Causes of Internal Theft, 7.Common Types of Theft, 8.Self Assessment, 9.Review and Conclusion
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