At RLPSA 2025, Envysion Product Manager Steve Kirsch shared insights on how AI loss prevention tools are reshaping QSR operations.
AI is reshaping the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry, not by replacing people, but by making every part of the business smarter, faster, and more secure. At this year’s RLPSA panel, Envysion Product Manager Steve Kirsch shared how AI is evolving beyond traditional video surveillance to drive meaningful ROI, improve culture, and strengthen operations across the board.
Here are some of his key insights from the panel discussion.
What smart loss prevention sensors beyond cameras are helping QSRs improve safety and security?
Video still plays a critical role in loss prevention, but AI-powered sensors are expanding the toolkit in exciting new ways. Devices that monitor air quality, sound, and environmental factors are now supporting safety in areas where cameras can’t legally go, such as restrooms.
Steve points to sensors that can detect:
- Carbon monoxide or gas leaks in kitchens
- Smoke, vape, or THC in restrooms
- Specific words, tones, or distress phrases that could indicate threats to employee safety
Many of these sensors analyze data in real time without storing audio, an important distinction due to varying state laws. For example, HALO Smart Sensors don’t record audio but can still trigger alerts based on what they detect.
These tools give operators new ways to identify potential risks, improve employee safety, and prevent incidents before they escalate, without overstepping privacy boundaries.
How Can Restaurant Automation with AI Improve Guest and Employee Experiences?
AI isn’t just about risk mitigation. It’s about operational efficiency. According to Steve, AI can help QSRs:
- Predict demand more accurately to reduce food waste
- Adjust staffing and inventory in real time based on order volume
- Improve throughput and wait times, especially in high-volume settings like drive-thru or mobile order pickup
The result? A smoother, faster guest experience and a better work environment for employees.
Steve encourages operators to focus on the problems they want to solve first, whether it’s waste, labor, or throughput, and then find solutions that can scale across multiple needs. Ideally, one platform should offer several connected tools instead of requiring multiple vendors.
Why QSRs Are Turning to AI for Restaurant Security & Loss Prevention
AI isn’t just smart. It’s saving time, money, and teams across the restaurant industry. Here are some quick stats driving urgency for AI adoption in restaurants:
- 75% of employees admit to stealing from their employer at least once (CalRest.org)
- QSRs lose up to 7% of annual sales to employee theft (QSRAutomations.com)
- AI reduces food waste by up to 30% (TheRail.Media)
- AI-powered scheduling cuts labor costs by up to 10% (Smith.AI)
- AI video tools can cut review time by up to 80% (VidBoard.AI)
What ROI Should You Expect from AI Loss Prevention Tools in Restaurants?
Steve breaks ROI into four essential categories that every QSR operator should track:
- Sales metrics – Not just revenue, but discount rates, refunds, and order accuracy
- Cost controls – Especially around food and labor costs (COGS)
- Satisfaction – Guest satisfaction (CSAT) and employee satisfaction (OSAT)
- Operational velocity – Speed of service, from drive-thru times to front counter throughput
AI loss prevention tools should show progress across all four pillars. For example:
- Smarter inventory systems increase satisfaction while reducing waste and improving margins
- AI order-taking boosts accuracy and speed while freeing up team members to focus on service
But the key, Steve notes, is to treat these KPIs as an interconnected ecosystem, not isolated metrics. That’s where true, lasting value emerges.
How to Use AI-Powered Restaurant Security Tools Without Creating a “Surveillance Culture”
Implementing AI can raise concerns about surveillance, but it doesn’t have to. As Steve explains, it all starts with culture and communication.
Successful organizations establish a foundation of trust before rolling out AI-powered LP tools. Then they communicate clearly about why the technology is being used.
Instead of framing it as a “theft detector,” Steve suggests positioning LP tools as a “business health monitor”, something that benefits everyone by:
- Identifying operational inefficiencies
- Preventing costly shrink or waste
- Protecting the team’s bonuses and labor hours
He calls this the “three C’s approach”:
- Clear Purpose – Be transparent about the goals
- Contained Scope – Set boundaries on data usage
- Consequential Benefits – Show how the tech improves outcomes for everyone
When employees understand that these tools are there to protect their jobs and create new opportunities, resistance fades and adoption improves.
Will AI Tools Replace Jobs in Restaurant Loss Prevention or Create New Roles?
The fear of job displacement is real, but in Steve’s view, AI is a tool for elevation, not elimination.
Loss Prevention teams are often stretched thin. AI helps by automating tedious, time-consuming tasks, like scanning POS data or reviewing hours of video footage, so LP professionals can focus on higher-value work.
In practice, that means:
- AI flags issues → LP teams investigate and take action
- AI identifies risks → Operators fix problems faster
- AI spots patterns → Teams build stronger, more proactive strategies
As Steve puts it:
“AI won’t replace LP professionals. But LP professionals who use AI will replace those who don’t.”
And the data backs it up:
According to Gallup, AI usage among U.S. workers nearly doubled from 21% to 40% in just two years—yet only 15% believe AI will replace their job in the next five years.
This reinforces Steve’s core point: AI amplifies human work, it doesn’t replace it.
Some operators are even creating new hybrid roles that blend LP, operations, and analytics, turning LP into a driver of profit protection and business intelligence.
Final Thought: The Opportunity Ahead
AI is not a silver bullet, but when deployed with purpose, transparency, and the right metrics, it can become a force multiplier across the entire business.
Whether it’s smart sensors, predictive scheduling, or automated investigations, the goal isn’t just to detect loss, it’s to drive better business decisions every day.
As Steve emphasized at RLPSA, the real question isn’t if you’ll adopt these tools. It’s how fast you can use them to elevate your team and protect your brand.
Want to see how AI can improve your restaurant’s security, service, and bottom line?
Chat with our team to explore how Envysion’s AI-powered tools can help you protect profits, improve operations, and support your team.