Restaurant Security Cameras - A necessity?

If the register in your store is holding $Thousands at the end of the night, is it necessary to have a safe or empty the drawer? Most likely your answer is yes. Restaurant security cameras provide many valuable and needed functions for your restaurant. Restaurants are one of the first businesses to be affected by gas and raw material price increases. What is also evident, is that restaurants are one of the first hurt by an increase in the cost of living or recession...people just stop going out to eat, and when they do go out, they order less expensive and spend less money. This puts restaurant owners in a difficult position to begin with...but you already know that. Owning a restaurant is not for the feint of heart, clearly. The fact is that there are many additional factors that make it even more difficult to keep the doors of your restaurant open. From dine-and-dash customers to vandalism to less-than-honest employees, the budget of your restaurant can absorb many unexpected hits.

Restaurant security camera systems can help you keep an eye on your restaurant, watch your registers, monitor your customers, watch your kitchen and supplies and more. These security camera systems can let you record exactly what is happening, so that when problems occur you will have a complete and honest recording. There are various types of restaurant security camera systems that can help to secure your restaurant.

Restaurant Standalone DVR Systems

Standalone DVRs (Digital Video Recorders) are a great selection for smaller restaurants. These embedded style standalone dvrs provide the ability to digitally record from your cctv security cameras onto an internal hard drive, and even provide basic remote viewing capabilities. These systems are generally chosen for small installations, because they do not require a PC on location, and can still plug into a DSL or Cable broadband internet connection and allow you to watch your cameras remotely over the internet.
Standalone DVRs and Standalone DVR Systems

PC-Based Restaurant DVR Systems

For larger restaurants or installations where higher resolution video is required, PC-Based DVR Systems are a great selection. These systems in general provide higher quality recording, better quality remote viewing and additional access from Windows Mobile PDA Phones and Smartphones. These systems are the clear choice when you want to be connected to your restaurant at all times. PC-Based DVR systems are also more easily expandable for future, as well as upgradable to hybrid DVR Systems that are compatible with newer megapixel IP cameras.
Restaurant PC-Based DVR Cards and Systems

Restaurant Security Cameras

Restaurant Security Cameras are popular to provide coverage of 5 main areas of your restaurant: the customer area, the kitchen, the cash register, the storage rooms and the parking lot area. Each area has specific needs that can affect the type of security camera that is selected. That is why we have broken down each of these areas of the restaurant seperately, to provide better coverage and understanding of your restaurant's specific needs.

Restaurant Customer Area Security Cameras

Restaurant Kitchen Security Cameras

Restaurant Cash Register Security Cameras

Restaurant Parking Security Cameras

Restaurant Cash Register Security Cameras

The cash register in your restaurant holds a great deal of cash, making it a key target for would-be thieves. But it is also an area where employees might decide to skim off the top, giving them easy access to quick cash. That is why it is ultimately important for you to provide coverage of the cash registers in your restaurant when you are planning a CCTV Security camera system. There are several different ways to provide this coverage, depending on the desired results and budget.

Cash Register Security Cameras for your Restaurant

Indoor Dome Security Cameras provide great quality footage of restaurant cash registers. It is obvious that coverage of your cash registers are needed for your restaurant security camera installation, but how you provide that coverage will depend on the desired picture and budget for your surveillance camera installation. The 2 main types of security cameras that can be used for your restaurant register cameras are analog CCTV Cameras and MegaPixel IP Security Cameras. Below we will discuss the benefits of each type of camera.

Conventional analog-style CCTV security cameras are still very popular for restaurant security camera installations covering registers because they can be mounted above the registers either providing a wide-angle view to show the people standing at the register as well as a shot of the cash moving into and out of the register. However, with this configuration (analog cctv camera with wide-angle lens) it will be difficult to determine the exact denomination of the cash. So if using a wideangle analog security camera, then you will be limited to watching where the bills are moving to and from (such as the slots to determine denomination).

With analog security surveillance cameras, you can also mount the camera with a fixed zoom lens. This type of arrangement provides a much narrower field of view, so you can tell the denomination of the bills in the drawer, but may not be able to see the entire area around the register. So while you will see the money entering and leaving the register and even be able to count it, you may not be able to see where the money went. This is why with analog restaurant security cameras covering the cash register, it is often recommended that you have 1 camera covering the wide angle view showing who is at the register and the register itself, while the second camera can show the denomination of the bills.

Arecont Vision MegaPixel Day/Night IP Security Cameras for restaurant security Another new option for covering the registers of your restaurant with security cameras, is to use a high definition IP security camera like Arecont Vision's MegaPixel IP security cameras. These cameras connect to your computer network with a standard ethernet cable, and record video in a higher definition video than is possible with an analog security camera. With resolutions up to 2592x1944 (5.0 MegaPixel), these HD security IP Cameras are a great choice because a wide-angle lens can provide coverage to show who is at the register, as well as the denomination of the bills that are changing hands simultaneously, however these cameras are slightly more expensive and will require a PC-Based NVR (Network Video Recorder) or Hybrid Analog/Digital PC-Based DVR system.

Regardless of the type of camera you choose for the cash register areas of your restaurant, it is certain that coverage it is important, so it is important that you weigh out the options and select a camera for your restaurant that will suit your needs and budget.