Comps are a normal part of restaurant operations. But when comp patterns deviate from location norms, there's often fraud hiding in the numbers.
Every restaurant comps meals. A guest complaint, a VIP visit, a kitchen mistake — these are legitimate business expenses. The problem isn't comps. It's the pattern.
When one server runs comp rates 3-4x the location average, that's not bad luck with guest complaints. When comps spike on specific shifts with specific managers, that's not random variance. And when comp totals at one location run 2x the chain average without corresponding guest complaints, the money is leaving the business.
One server comps $400/week while the location average is $100/week. Either they're getting all the complaints or they're feeding friends and family.
Comps spike during closing shifts when oversight is lowest. The food leaves the kitchen, the comp is applied after the manager leaves, and the POS record looks clean.
An item is comped for quality, then the same item is refired. The guest gets the refire. Who got the comped item? If there's no waste recorded, someone ate it.
Manager comps that bypass the approval workflow. Not all are fraud — but the pattern matters. A manager who self-approves $800/month in comps deserves scrutiny.
Comps applied 30-60 minutes after the check closes. Comps applied during low-traffic periods. Comps applied in batches. The timing often reveals the intent.
A single location running $500/month in excess comps is a nuisance. Across 50 locations, if even 20% have comp abuse issues, that's $60,000/year in recoverable cost — and the cultural cost of unchecked theft is even higher.
Marty analyzes comp patterns across every location, every shift, every server — and flags anomalies in the Morning Deposit with dollar amounts attached.
Not "comps are elevated." Instead: "Server 14 at Location 8 ran $380 in comps last week — 3.8x location average. 60% applied during closing shifts. No corresponding guest complaints logged."
That's the difference between a dashboard and a detection system.
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