The restaurant industry is pretty much the same as any other when it comes to staff pilfering and theft. What sets it apart from many other businesses is that the majority of restaurants are small businesses for whom the loss of a few hundred bucks a night is a big deal. Wal*Mart doesn't mind, they just pass the cost on - you do mind and can't just raise prices.

We ask Mike White of  Omni Career Search - a well known recruiter and restaurant consultant who is certified in Loss Prevention (LPC) - to share some common questions about pilfering and how best to avoid it.

Q: I have read your past Q&A segments and was wondering if you know of a way to track draught beer sales? My establishment sells a lot of draft beer and we are not sure how to track and find waste or theft.

Unfortunately there is no foolproof method of accounting for every ounce of draft beer. The following recommendations will help you maximize your profits and yields with your draft beer:

* Implement a 30/60/30 policy. The bartenders have 30 seconds to greet the guest, 60 seconds to make the drink and 30 seconds to ring the drink in. This policy is for cash and carry as well as all tabs that are run. Tabs should be maintained after each and every transaction and the check placed in front of the guest each time the tab is updated.

* Have your draft lines cleaned at least once a month. This will assure a quality draft and cut down on your foam pours.

* When a keg is changed make sure the bartenders are staying with the pour of the new keg. Many bartenders will grow impatient and walk away from the spitting tap until they see the tap overflowing and pouring steady.

* Know your theoretical yield.

* Make sure you assign separate PLU numbers for each draft handle.

* Do a weekly inventory.

* Occasionally watch your bar staff from a distance.