Coffee Shops

Video Surveillance for Coffee Shops

Coffee shops have undergone a radical transformation in recent years. Once reserved for spoken word enthusiasts and hyper-studious grad students, coffee shops have become neighborhood mainstays with offerings for nearly every group imaginable. The recent explosion in coffee shop popularity has made security for employees and customers more essential than ever. Video surveillance is a great security tool for coffee shops, especially recent developments in IP camera technology. A comprehensive coffee shop surveillance system can keep employees and customers safe and encourage business growth.

Benefits of Coffee Shop IP Cameras

• Prevent theft – Wireless internet access is a major draw for customers, and many coffee shops offer free internet in order to draw in business and laptop-toting customers. Video surveillance can help prevent laptop theft, a problem that commonly plagues coffee shops.
• Protect building – Coffee shops are in every neighborhood and city – even in less-than-safe areas. Coffee shops in compromised neighborhoods may use physical security like door gates and window grating to keep buildings and the inside of the store safe during the few hours when the shop is closed. Security cameras can also help protect building facilities by capturing passers by and the faces of any potential criminals while simultaneously discouraging vandalism or theft from occurring at all.
• View footage from anywhere – IP video, which transmits surveillance footage over networks and the internet, has revolutionized the way that surveillance footage is monitored. Old-fashioned CCTV systems rely on coaxial cables for moving footage from one place to another, with their footage restricted to the building where monitoring takes place. A video surveillance system with IP cameras and a network DVR (or NVR) can transmit footage over the internet for viewing anywhere in the world. All you need is a computer or enabled mobile phone.
• Alerts – IP cameras can send e-mail or phone alerts when motion detectors are tripped or an alarm sounds. This interactive form of security makes it easier to properly respond to security concerns at the most crucial moments.

Perils of Coffee Drive-Thru CCTV

• Damages – One of the most distinctive things about most coffee shops is the espresso machine. Espresso, the basis of most coffee shop drinks, is created through a precise process of steam, heat, and pressure – all regulated in a large, steaming, hissing machine. The espresso machine, along with all the drinks and other hot liquids in a coffee shop, could spell trouble for security cameras. Place security cameras in secure locations where they may still accurately record footage, but be protected from hot drinks and bumps from customers. This can be done by using ceiling-mounted dome cameras, or by placing standard IP cameras in protective housings, or mounting them higher up on walls.
• Privacy – Protect the privacy of baristas and coffee shop patrons by keeping video surveillance in public areas only – seating areas, counter, storage rooms.

Considerations for Coffee Cart Security Cameras

Coffee shops come in many different shapes and sizes. Two coffee shops in two neighborhoods can be worlds apart – in appearance, customer base, employees, drinks served, hours, prices, and most importantly, their security needs. Because there are so many variables that make coffee shops unique, coffee shop security needs are also distinct, depending on a variety of features. Consider the following when coming up with a coffee shop surveillance system –

• Do you have a coffee cart or something larger like a kiosk in a grocery store or a dedicated building?
• Do you generally have one big rush in the morning or are you busy all day?
• What do you consider to be your most pressing security threat?
• Have you ever had theft or vandalism problems in the past?

Configuration Advice for Coffee Kiosk Surveillance

• Place cameras near all doors to capture each customer and employee as they enter and exit the store.
• Cameras above registers and store safe (if applicable) can help keep vital store assets safe.