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ARE YOU SET UP TO PROTECT AGAINST THE
"WAGON WHEEL" SCAM?
One of the most common problems across the hospitality industry is employee theft of time, food and cash. The "Wagon Wheel" Scam is used by servers to profit from self-serve items such as beverages and salads. The scam works with checks paid by cash and goes like this:
1. The guest check is printed, presented to the guest, and cash payment received.
2. Prior to closing out the guest check, the server utilizes the separate check functionality built into the POS and splits off common menu items such as self service beverages and salads to a separate check.
3. The original check (less the self serve menu items) is closed out to cash.
4. This leaves the second check available to use the common menu items on another check.
5. This cycle is repeated throughout the shift, with the common self-serve menu times circulating on and off checks like a "Wagon Wheel".
This scam increases the server's cash take and deprives the restaurant of revenue from its most profitable menu items. With the correct POS configuration along with monitoring reports, this scam is easily defeated.
Here are a few key actions to prevent the "Wagon Wheel" scam.
A. Your POS system should be set up to limit the number of times a check can be reprinted. If a check needs to be reprinted multiple times, a manager's authorization should be required.
B. The split check functionality can be made to require a manager authorization as well. A competent manager will recognize the fraud possibilities of moving only the self-serve items to their own check.
C. Your POS system should be set up to only allow one check per table. This eliminates the possibility of starting a new check prior to closing out the check that was left with the self-serve menu items.
D. Watch your reports. Checks closed to cash that have been open for an unusually long time should be a red flag and watched closely.
Reprinted with permission from MICROS Mid-Atlantic
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PCI compliance is a major issue facing every restaurant handling credit cards today. PCI compliance goes beyond just making sure your POS software is verified, but this is a good place to start. Have you checked to see if the version of POS software you are running is on the List of Validated Payment Applications? 
The rise in availability of above-store reporting tools has made reviewing data from single stores or multiple stores a much simpler process than ever.