Most McDonald's franchisees who have been following the NRBES 2027 conversation have a clear picture of what the mandate requires and what happens if they miss the deadline. What they often do not have is a clear picture of what actually happens between the moment they decide to act and the moment each location is verified compliant.
That gap matters because it affects how you plan. If you do not know what the process involves, you cannot accurately estimate how long it takes or what it asks of you and your team. This is a step-by-step account of what a CGS NRBES 2027 compliance installation looks like from initial contact to final documentation.
Step 1: The Site Assessment
Every compliance installation starts with a site assessment at each location. This is not a sales call. It is a technical audit of what your current system looks like against the NRBES zone requirements.
The assessment covers your existing camera system, what you have, where it is, what kind of infrastructure it is running on, and where the gaps are relative to the 16 required zones. It identifies whether you have existing cabling that can be repurposed, what new cabling runs are needed to reach every required zone, what the NVR situation looks like, and what the scope of the full installation will be.
For most locations the assessment takes two to three hours. It produces a written scope document that defines exactly what needs to be done, at what cost, and on what timeline. You do not commit to anything during the assessment. You commit to the work after reviewing the scope.
Step 2: The Scope Document and Scheduling
Once the assessment is complete, CGS produces a written scope document for each location. The scope covers the number of IP cameras required, the cabling runs needed to reach each zone, the NVR configuration requirements, any electrical work needed to support the new system, and the installation timeline.
For a single-location operator, this is one document and one scheduling conversation. For a multi-unit operator with 10 or 15 locations, the scope documents cover every location and the scheduling conversation covers sequencing, which locations go first, how to minimize disruption to daily operations, and how to ensure every location is completed with enough time to address any complications before the January 1 deadline.
The scheduling conversation is where the capacity issue becomes concrete. CGS completes most single-location NRBES installations in 2 to 3 days. An operator with 10 locations is looking at 20 to 30 installation days that need to be sequenced across Q4. That is a finite amount of time, and it gets shorter the later you start.
Step 3: Pre-Installation Preparation
Before the installation crew arrives, a small number of preparatory steps happen at each location. The operator needs to confirm the office camera location and ensure access to the areas that will be cabled. Any existing analog equipment that will be removed needs to be identified. The NVR location needs to be confirmed and access arranged.
Most operators handle the pre-installation checklist in under an hour per location. CGS provides the checklist as part of the scope document so nothing is discovered on installation day.
Step 4: The Installation
The installation itself follows a consistent sequence across every location.
Day 1: Cabling and infrastructure
The first day covers the structured cabling work. Existing analog cameras and cabling are removed. New Cat5 or Cat6 PoE cabling runs are pulled to every required zone. Conduit is placed where needed. The cabling infrastructure is the foundation everything else runs on, and it is the most labor-intensive part of the installation.
Day 1 to 2: Camera installation and NVR configuration
IP cameras are installed at each required zone and connected to the new cabling infrastructure. The NVR is configured with the correct retention settings: 90 days for the office camera, 60 days for all other cameras. Camera angles are set and verified against the zone coverage requirements.
Day 2 to 3: Verification and documentation
The final step before sign-off is a full zone coverage verification. Every camera is confirmed to be covering its required zone at the correct resolution. NVR retention settings are confirmed and documented. The system is reviewed against the NRBES zone checklist. CGS produces a post-installation documentation package for each location that confirms compliance and provides a record for franchise compliance reviews.
What the Operator Experience Actually Involves
The installation requires a CGS crew on-site for 2 to 3 days per location. During that time, the location remains operational. The camera installation does not require closing the restaurant or interrupting service. There is typically a brief period during cabling work where specific areas of the restaurant are accessed by the installation crew, but this is coordinated around service windows.
The operator or a designated manager needs to be available for the initial walk-through on day one and the sign-off on the final day. Between those two touchpoints, the installation proceeds without requiring significant time from the operator.
What Happens After Installation
After each location is verified, CGS provides a compliance documentation package that includes the post-installation zone coverage verification, the NVR configuration settings and retention documentation, and a system overview for the operator's records. This documentation is what you present if a compliance review surfaces a question about your NRBES status.
CGS also registers the completed installation with McDonald's OTP records. As an OTP-certified provider, CGS's work is documented in the certification system that McDonald's uses to verify compliance status.
The Honest Timeline for Multi-Unit Operators
If you operate five or more locations and have not started the assessment process, the honest timeline looks like this. Assessments across five locations take approximately one week to schedule and complete. Scope documents and scheduling take another week. Installation at 2 to 3 days per location means five locations require 10 to 15 installation days. Sequencing those installations around your operations schedule and CGS's booking calendar in Q4 requires lead time that is shrinking.
Operators who start the assessment process in September have a manageable path to January 1 compliance. Operators who start in November are competing for the same limited installation capacity as everyone else who waited, and some of them will not get scheduled in time.
If you have not started your NRBES 2027 compliance assessment, contact CGS. The first step is the site assessment. It costs nothing and tells you exactly what you are working with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the restaurant need to close during installation?
No. CGS installations are coordinated around normal operating hours. The installation crew accesses specific areas during off-peak windows where possible. The restaurant remains open throughout the installation.
How does CGS document compliance for each location?
CGS provides a post-installation compliance package for each location covering zone coverage verification, NVR configuration and retention settings documentation, and a system overview. As an OTP-certified provider, CGS's completed installations are also recorded in McDonald's OTP certification system.
What if complications are discovered during installation?
The site assessment is designed to identify complications before the installation begins. The most common issues, cabling runs that require additional access or conduit, are identified at the assessment stage and built into the scope and timeline. Complications discovered during installation are addressed by the CGS crew without requiring rescheduling in most cases.
Can CGS complete installations across multiple locations simultaneously?
Yes. For multi-unit operators with tight timelines, CGS can deploy multiple crews to run parallel installations across different locations. This requires advance scheduling. Contact CGS as early as possible to confirm capacity for your specific portfolio size.
Ready to Start? The First Step Is a Free Site Assessment.
CGS is a McDonald's OTP-certified provider completing NRBES 2027 compliance installations across Georgia, South Carolina, and Ohio. The site assessment takes 2 to 3 hours per location, costs nothing, and produces a written scope document that tells you exactly what each location needs and what the realistic timeline looks like. Our Q4 calendar is filling. Contact us now to get your assessments scheduled. Call or text 1-800-277-9444 or visit cgsvideo.com.
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About the Author
Written by Grant Wycliff, President of CGS. Grant works with McDonald's franchisees across Georgia, South Carolina, and Ohio on NRBES 2027 compliance installations and OTP-certified technology service. CGS is a McDonald's OTP-approved technology partner with certified technicians completing IP-CCTV compliance work across multi-unit portfolios ahead of the January 1, 2027 deadline. Connect with us on LinkedIn.
