The problem nobody wants to look at
Every restaurant has voids and comps. Many have an ordinary explanation, such as a kitchen mistake, guest recovery, or training issue. An unusual pattern merits investigation, not a theft conclusion or a recoverable-cash estimate.
What should I check when a restaurant transaction is voided later?
Compare the original transaction with the later adjustment. Record the sale time, adjustment time, items, payment status, reason, and approval if your POS provides them. Ask the manager to explain the change and check the supporting records before assigning a cause.
- Record the stated reason.
- Confirm approval according to restaurant policy.
- Check the transaction, adjustment, and payment timing.
- Compare similar shifts while allowing for differences in sales volume.
- Assign the next step, owner, and review date.
Void vs. comp: check how your POS records it
Voids and comps are recorded differently across POS systems. Follow the vendor's documentation and your restaurant's policy before interpreting a record.
Square describes voiding an item that was ordered but not yet prepared, and comping a charge because of a mistake or as a gesture of goodwill. Toast distinguishes voids, comps, and refunds, with exceptions based on payment status, business day, and payment type. Sources checked September 8, 2026.
Record the reason, timing and approval
- Location and transaction reference
- Reason and approver
- Finding and assigned owner
- Next step and review date
- Result
- Mark missing information as unknown
Investigate the exception before assigning blame
Reconcile the transaction, adjustment, approval, and payment records before assigning a cause. Keep suspected losses, estimated savings, and verified recovery separate. These are practical review steps, not claims about existing automated capabilities.
The void and discount transactions worth investigating
One restaurant's review classified 52% of its January-August 2026 void dollars as banquet bookkeeping. That included a $250 dessert item classified as a package placeholder based on its pricing. The next action was to separate those entries before investigating the remaining voids.
In a burger group's January-July 2026 records, every reason and comment field was blank across 18,573 discount rows totaling $166,867. Most discounted dollars came from loyalty activity and promotion buttons. The finding called for reviewing the rules behind those discounts; it did not establish unauthorized giveaways.
Marty can review the records behind your void and discount totals in a paid Cash Recovery Plan. We'd separate the transaction categories and recommend which entries, rules or approvals your manager should examine. We agree on access, scope and the fee before starting. Your team decides what to change; ongoing help is optional and agreed separately.
Book a Free Working Session →Sources: Anonymized Marty plans dated September 4, 2026 and rerun August 28, 2026, reviewed September 9, 2026. Historical findings; no verified money recovered claimed.
Check what happened next
After a training correction, check subsequent comparable shifts to see whether the pattern changed. The paid Review documents the evidence and recommended next step. Optional monitoring and manager follow-through can be discussed after the Review, with timing dependent on authorized data.
Works with your POS
Read-only connections to Toast, Square, Clover, Lightspeed, Aloha, Micros, SpotOn, Shift4, and others. Marty reads voids, comps, discounts, and deposits. It cannot change anything and never sees payment info or guest details.