Restaurants have always been harder to protect through physical security measures because of the number of guests and staff that come and go each day. Like retail stores — but more — restaurants have a number of unique security concerns that require equally unique solutions. Whether you run a small cafe, a bustling bar, or a 24-hour eatery, restaurant owners everywhere understand how complicated it can be to protect their business without driving away customers. 

If you’re looking for the right way to protect your space, start by connecting with a local locksmith team, like Redlands Lock and Key here in the Inland Empire. Ready to get going? Start with these security tips: 

Managing Access

Any restaurant will see a number of people coming and going on a day-to-day basis. That’s the hope, after all — to keep your space at its capacity with paying customers all day long! But this is also what makes restaurants more of a security hazard, specifically because it is hard to track everyone who is coming and going. And given the fact that you have likely poured a lot of effort into creating a welcoming space, you don’t want to negate that by adding too many locks and security measures. So what’s the solution? A balance between welcoming and secure. We recommend smart locks for this purpose because they can give you an up-to-the-minute view of your restaurant’s security. Keyless electronic locks give you the flexibility to give certain employees keyholder access, secure offices and other non-public areas, and monitor it all whether you’re at the restaurant or not. A wifi-connected access control system also gives you the control to set unique identification codes, and to change those codes in real time, as often as you need to. 

A Cash-Management Focus

Keeping cash on hand is an important part of everyday business, even with credit cards becoming a much more prominent form of payment. Sadly, this means that restaurants are also a much more popular target for burglary. Whether it’s a shared jar for tips or an array of cash registers, the fact that you have cash on hand makes your space more of a target for burglary — by both external and internal parties. In order to protect any cash on hand, make sure you have a well-observed system in place for moving cash, counting out register drawers, and storing any cash between trips to the bank. It’s a good idea to have video cameras watching the registers, as well as a lockable, monitored back room where cash can be counted and secured in an on-site safe. And, of course, it’s always a good idea to remove temptation by depositing most of your cash at regular intervals. An electronic access control system can give you greater control over protecting those more sensitive spaces, too. 

Physical Security Concerns

While cash theft is a prevalent concern, you also want to make sure your business as a whole is protected. If you’re concerned about your restaurant’s security, the first step should always be a risk assessment. Are there any spaces in your restaurant that are not monitored by video cameras, and should they be? Can you securely lock any space that employees don’t need access to? Do you still use physical keys to lock everything? These answers will give you a good starting point for concerns to discuss with your local locksmith to set up more effective security measures throughout your restaurant. 

Are you looking to make sure your Inland Empire-area restaurant is as secure as it can be? Connect with Redlands Lock and Key for local, experienced commercial locksmith services today!