Restaurant group commended for tagging system
A LEADING restaurant group’s new tried and tested tagging system to keep children safe this festive season has so far been such a success that the eatery may keep it permanently.
In an attempt to avoid kidnappings or children running out of the restaurant without their families knowing, Spur Steak Ranches started tagging children with the magnetic detectors usually used in clothing stores. Those magnetic tags are used to prevent shoplifting.
At Spur, the little grey plastic items are attached to the children’s clothes as soon as they enter the restaurant. The detectors situated at the entrance of the restaurant will beep if the child leaves, alerting staff and families.
Jo Judnick-Wilson commended Spur in Sunninghill, Johannesburg, for the new system.
“There is a staff member at the door who takes the tags off with a machine (no damage to clothes it’s magnetic-based), – checking that the kids are happy and with their parents.
“I must admit not only did I have a meal without indigestion from anxiety, but the kids felt safer too,” she said in a Facebook post.
Her post received more than 6 000 shares, with many expressing their satisfaction with Spur’s safety measures.
“You could change their clothes but because of the tagging system, there is a dedicated person at the door looking to remove tags.
“I think they’d be suspicious of a child leaving without a tag. So there is an added level of exit control and monitoring too,” Judnick-Wilson said.
She commended Spur Steak Ranches for taking the initiative to keep children safer and pledged her ongoing support for the restaurant group.
Spur spokesperson Moshe Apleni said they were testing the initiative at a few restaurants, but were happy that customers found the precautionary measure to be good.
“At Spur Corporation we take the safety of our customers and children very seriously and provide our franchisees with the necessary tools, operational support and training to ensure safe and happy visits to our restaurants.
“Our focus has always been to provide a safe, welcoming and inviting restaurant where families can relax and enjoy themselves.
“Our franchisees undergo training to prioritise the safety and comfort of all customers and to handle numerous situations, including the serious threat or risk to children.”
Apleni added that since safety was such a high priority, they were also updating and improving their policies and facilities and were busy investigating technology to enhance the safety of children in the play areas.