OSHA issues workplace violence guidance for fast-food restaurants

Federal workplace safety guidance lays out concrete steps fast-food employers can take to reduce assaults, robberies and other violent incidents in restaurants and drive-thru operations. The recommendations target common risk points for Taco Bell crew members and other quick-service staff, from late-night drive-thru lanes to poorly lit parking areas and unsecured back doors.

Key employer actions include developing and implementing a formal workplace violence prevention program and training employees in de-escalation and reporting procedures. Practical measures spelled out include limiting cash on-hand by using drop safes and signage, installing adequate lighting and surveillance around parking lots and dumpsters, and using panic buttons or silent alarms where appropriate. Employers are also advised to keep back doors locked except for deliveries, rotate staffing, and avoid leaving young or lone workers unsupervised during higher-risk night shifts. Coordinating safety plans with local law enforcement is part of the recommended approach.

For Taco Bell crews, the guidance touches multiple day-to-day realities: drive-thru windows and late-shift closing routines, cash-handling practices at registers and in managers’ drawers, and the risks faced by younger or less-experienced crew members working alone. The recommendations aim to reduce on-the-job threats that can erode morale, increase turnover and create legal and financial exposure for franchisees and corporate operators if hazards are not addressed.

The guidance includes training resources and eTool modules specific to young-worker restaurant safety for serving and drive-thru operations, emphasizing that prevention combines engineering changes, administrative policies and worker training. Workers who believe their workplace remains hazardous are directed to file confidential complaints so inspectors can evaluate conditions and, if necessary, enforce standards.

Implementing these measures will require changes in scheduling, cash protocols and store wiring or camera investments. Some franchisees may face short-term costs to add lighting, surveillance or alarm systems, but advocates for crew safety say those investments can lower the human and financial costs of violent incidents. Rotating staffing and avoiding lone-night shifts may complicate labor allocation during peak windows, but can also reduce the risk of traumatic incidents that prompt resignations or damage a location’s reputation.

For crew members, the guidance signals that workplace safety is a management responsibility that should be visible in daily operations: clear reporting steps, routine drills, and hardware such as safes and panic alarms. For managers and franchise owners, it outlines a checklist of preventive actions and training priorities. As incidents of violence in quick-service settings remain a persistent concern, the emphasis now shifts to implementation: employers will be judged by whether they put these recommended measures into practice and how quickly they protect the workers behind the counter and in the drive-thru.