RESEARCH REPORT

3% of restaurant locations drive 81% of serious security events

The 2026 Restaurant Security Impact Report analyzes 1.1 million monitoring events across 9,392 U.S. restaurant locations and 78 brands to reveal where risk concentrates, when it peaks, and what stops it before police are called.

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Restaurant risk is not spread evenly

Across 9,392 locations, serious security events cluster in a small share of sites, concentrate in specific hours, and follow seasonal patterns. The data shows where risk actually sits, so security effort can follow the risk instead of being applied the same way everywhere.

13,486

High-priority security events analyzed

74%

Of threats come from just three categories

6 PM

Peak escalation window across all locations

Key findings from the report

Each finding is backed by real operational data from monitored restaurant locations, not survey responses. Here is a preview of what the full report covers.

81%

Of high-priority events come from just 3% of locations
The top 100 sites alone account for 59%, which makes the case for tiered, risk-based coverage instead of one playbook chain-wide.

98.4%

Of all monitored events resolved without a dispatch
Intervention specialists with live video and two-way audio handled the vast majority remotely, so teams deal only with what matters.

44%

Of false alarms fire between 7 and 10 AM
Opening-hour arming errors drive a large 8 AM spike, and video verification clears them before they become fines or dispatches.

225

Staff requests for live help every day
Employees initiated 82,248 monitoring, voice-down, and escort requests over the year, peaking during late closes and holidays.

61%

Higher risk in January than the summer low
Restaurant risk runs year-round and around the clock, with nearly 30% of serious events landing overnight.
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Built for retail loss prevention professionals

VP / Director Loss Prevention & Asset Protection

Benchmark your program against real operational data from 9,392 locations

IT and Operations Leaders

Align monitoring coverage to actual risk patterns by daypart, day of week, and location

Owners and Multi-Unit Operators

See where security spend reduces risk fastest across a growing portfolio

How interactive monitoring changes outcomes

Interface Systems combines AI-powered technologies with expert remote video monitoring by trained intervention specialists from its U.S.-based Interactive Security Operations Centers (iSOCs). .

98.4%

Events resolved without dispatch

97%+

False alarms cleared by video verification

225/day

Staff assistance requests answered

Real operational data, not survey responses

This report draws on anonymized operational data from Interface Systems’ iSOCs, covering June 2025 through May 2026. The dataset includes 1.1 million monitoring events, 13,486 high-priority security events, 9,392 U.S. restaurant locations, and 78 distinct restaurant brands. High-priority events cover criminal activity, disruptive activity, and emergency response. Routine events such as video tours, false alarms, and system health checks are excluded from the high-priority analysis.

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