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The
Handwritten Checks Scam
In
this scam the waiter would hand write a ticket that contained self-serve items
and present that to the customer for payment. The customer would pay and the
waiter would pocket the cash since the self-serve items have never been rung
into the system. This only works with a cash payment and is highly risky because
management and customers could recognize it as invalid receipt.
Recommended Aloha system process:
Waiter
performance measures should be set up on the system.
Aloha provides the ability for management to monitor server performance through
performance measures. Performance measures allow for tracking of sales targets
and comparisons against objectives of each measure. You can define up to 99
performance measures. These measures can be easily viewed on the FOH server
sales report or checkout report. It would be recommended to configure a “Sales
to Guest” or “Sales to Check” performance measures by waiter job code on the
Aloha software. This way management can spot check any specific percentage
discrepancies that look to be out of range. If a certain waiter is not ringing
in sales and is passing hand written checks they will show a low sales
percentage in this performance measure. Corrective action and monitoring should
take place.1
Managers should
routinely visually spot check tables
and review corresponding waiter checks for accurate items, including order time
of items. Managers can easily access any waiter’s checks from a FOH terminal and
review the check under Financial/View Tables. The manager can then make sure
that there are appropriate checks for each table. If the waiter has multiple
tables open and there are no checks in the system then this waiter should be
monitored. He may be hand writing checks, if not, he should be told that when
items are ordered they need to be immediately entered into the system.2
Create table
signage indicating that if a customer is not provided with a receipt, the meal
or complimentary item is on the house.
Many establishments post signs such as “If you do not receive a receipt, your
meal is on us.” This is done to make sure that cashiers or waiters are ringing
in items through the POS system.
Utilize a
hostess station that enters the number of customers seated at a table
and starts a check. Having a hostess seat open a table through the system will
create an open check and guest count that the waiter will have to do something
with. Using this process in conjunction with performance measures would show
discrepancies in per check/person averages on the system indicating possible
waiter fraudulent activity to monitor.
1
Reference: Chapter
4 in the Aloha QuickService & TableService Manuals for Performance Measure
configuration.
2
Reference: Chapter 1 in the Aloha TableService Add-Ons Manager Guide for
Viewing a Tab or Table.
Excerpted from "How to Burn Down the House: The Infamous Waiter and Bartender's
Scam Bible by Two Bourbon Street Waiters" by Peter Francis & R. Chip Deglinkta.
© 2003 Promethian Books

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