Guest

First you have them count the drawer to make sure that it is the proper amount. ?? Is there more than one person on the drawer, To make one person accountable for the drawer helps with the shortage issue.
You will need to have 2 drawer closes for the day. There is no way that you can hold one person or persons accountable for the drawer if everyone is in it and it is open all day. Unless your doing $100,000.00+ a day you can count that drawer down in just a couple of min. You can save the credit cards for later. You want to balance the cash. However if there are tips involved in the credit cards then your going to have to balance them too. It really does sound like your going to need 2 drawers.

Guest

I think it depends on your POS system.
I manage a 400 seat restaurant with 3 bars and a total of 5 cash drawers in use at times. The opening bartenders are to count their drawers prior to ringing anything to make sure the closing manager counted right. (The closing manager signs & dates a calculator receipt, leaving it in the drawer, to show the drawer was counted down right) At shift change, myself or another manager, runs a checkout on the drawer and counts it right in front of them behind the bar. That way any over/short situations from the day shift are handled immediately. The drawer is then clocked back in for the PM shift. Any overages at the end of the night are set aside. (Don't forget that an overage can also be a sign of attempt theft!) Any shortages are paid back to the drawer via an even cut from the bartenders who worked that shift.
It's their drawer and their responsibility.
If you have drawers coming up more than a couple of bucks short, or if the number is usually a pretty round figure - like $5, $10, $20, you either have a person who cannot count or you have a theif.

Guest

The only situation where I can imagine running one drawer for two shifts is if you close between shifts and properly count down the drawer during that time. This is really no different than running with two drawers since you have to count it down again at the end of the second shift. If you are saying that you let one drawer run through both shifts with different people using the same drawer then you can’t do any thing about overages and shortages because you can't hold any one individual accountable. If there is no break in your operating hours between shifts, you must use two drawers. How could the second shift employee count the drawer and make sure it is correct without the guests being inconvenienced? Throw in improperly closed checks, tip pay outs and any other thing that might slow down the process and you’ve got a line of unhappy customers at your front door.
Two drawers is not a big deal. The benefits far outweigh the 5 minutes you might save by using one.

Mike
www.industrymag.net

Guest

You can have each server bring in a starting float of anywhere from $15 to $35 and they balance at the end of there shift and pay the house the money owed. If they're short it comes from the tips already in there pocket. You than have to make sure everything is being rung in and is accounted for. Most wine or beer reps will give you a server pouch for free if you carry their product and sell enough. It's easier to check there balance sheet they fill out for you than to do two of your own cash outs.

From Canada

Guest

Take the time to count down two drawers, it will payoff in a decrease in your shortages.

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