Interface Systems has unveiled its 2026 Restaurant Security Benchmark Report, shedding light on key security challenges and trends for dining establishments. Based on data from 1.1 million monitoring events across 9,392 U.S. restaurant locations, the report aims to assist restaurant security and operations managers in assessing risk dynamics, pinpointing critical threats, and evaluating response strategies. The study encompasses 78 brands across quick-service, fast-casual, and casual dining categories.
"Restaurant operators are balancing employee safety, customer experience, and operational efficiency across hundreds or even thousands of locations," stated Brent Duncan, CEO of Interface Systems. The report supplies actionable data, indicating prevalent threats such as loitering and disturbances, which comprise over 70% of high-priority events. Unlike the retail sector, where theft is significant, these risks trump theft in the restaurant context, with other monitored threats including battery, assault, and medical emergencies.
Concentration of Risk
The study reveals that risk is concentrated in a limited number of locations. A mere 3% of monitored sites contribute to 81% of high-priority incidents, with the top 100 sites alone responsible for 59%. This finding suggests that distributing security resources evenly across locations might not be efficient, as specific sites face disproportionate risks.
Security events peak during the evening meal rush and overnight hours, while January emerged as the highest-risk month. The use of interactive remote monitoring illustrates potential in mitigating issues, as evidenced by only 1.6% of the 1.1 million events necessitating police or emergency response, highlighting the efficiency of remote intervention specialists.
Managing False Alarms
False alarms pose a significant challenge, with over 296,000 recorded during the period studied
False alarms pose a significant challenge, with over 296,000 recorded during the period studied. Most occurred during morning opening routines. Video verification has been effective, resolving over 97% of false alarms without emergency dispatch, thereby conserving critical resources and avoiding fines.
Employee reliance on live security support is evident, with over 82,000 requests for assistance logged throughout the year. These requests, averaging about 225 daily, frequently involve live monitoring during vulnerable times such as opening, closing, and cash handling. Holiday periods also spotlight unique risks, with incidents significantly spiking after Presidents' Day compared to the tranquil Christmas Day.
The comprehensive report, based on anonymized data collected from June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026, provides restaurant operators with the insights needed to enhance safety measures, minimize disruptions, and strategically deploy security resources where they are most effective.
Interface Systems, a provider of AI-powered security and expert remote video monitoring for restaurants, retailers, and commercial businesses, today released its 2026 Restaurant Security Benchmark Report, an annual study based on 1.1 million monitoring events across 9,392 U.S. restaurant locations representing 78 quick-service, fast-casual, and casual dining brands.
The report provides operational data at a scale to help restaurant security and operations leaders understand when risk peaks, where it concentrates, which threats escalate fastest, and which intervention strategies prove most effective across thousands of monitored locations.
Informed security decisions
"Restaurant operators are balancing employee safety, customer experience, and operational efficiency across hundreds or even thousands of locations," said Brent Duncan, CEO of Interface Systems. "This report provides real-world operational data that helps them understand where risk is greatest, when intervention matters most, and how to make more informed security decisions."
Protecting people is the primary security challenge. Loiterers and panhandlers (49.8%) and disturbances (21.5%) together account for over 70% of high-priority events. Theft and loss, the dominant threat in retail, barely registers at restaurants. Other threats tracked included battery and assault, burglary, robbery, property damage, and medical emergencies.
Real-world operational data
Risk is highly concentrated in a small set of locations. Three percent of monitored locations generate 81% of all high-priority events, and the top 100 sites alone account for 59%. Uniform security spend across a portfolio overprotects most sites and underprotects the few that carry the risk.
Risk extends across the clock. High-priority events stay elevated around the clock, peaking at 6 PM during the dinner rush, while roughly 30% occur overnight between 10 PM and 6 AM when restaurants run skeleton crews or sit closed. January was the worst month, running 61% above the summer low.
Significant operational burden
Interactive remote monitoring resolves most incidents before police response is required. Of 1.1 million events, only 1.6% required a police, fire, or medical dispatch. Trained intervention specialists with live video and two-way audio resolved 98.4% remotely.
False alarms remain a significant operational burden. Restaurants generated more than 296,000 false alarms during the reporting period, with nearly half occurring during morning opening procedures. Video verification resolved more than 97% before emergency dispatch, helping operators avoid unnecessary fines while preserving first responder resources.
Reducing operational disruption
Employees rely on live support during vulnerable windows. Staff initiated more than 82,000 requests for monitoring assistance over the year, approximately 225 every day, including live monitoring, voice-down interventions, and employee escorts during opening, closing, and cash-handling activities.
Risk surrounds holidays. Christmas Day recorded the fewest incidents of the year, while Christmas Eve saw three times as many. The day after Presidents Day produced the highest incident volume of any holiday period as restaurants returned to normal operations.
The 2026 Restaurant Security Benchmark Report is based on anonymized event metadata collected between June 1, 2025 and May 31, 2026 across 9,392 restaurant locations nationwide. In addition to benchmarking data, the report offers practical guidance to help restaurant operators improve employee safety, reduce operational disruption, and align security resources with actual risk.
