JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Police warn a restaurant racket has been fooling plenty of local businesses into giving away cash.

Jacksonville police said crooks have struck several restaurants with a scam that starts with a simple phone call.

In one incident, the caller spoke to the store manager at the McDonalds in Baldwin and said he was "Mr. Tate from the McDonalds Regional Office located in Tampa Bay, Florida," according to a police report.

Police said the caller was familiar with McDonald's corporate policies, and they said he knew the owner of the store and identified him. He said he was requiring the manager of the store to send $700 to a company because of rude service.

The caller told manager to drop of the money at the corner of Dunn Avenue and Bridges Road -- residential area -- and leave the money in an envelope in a ditch.

Police came to the area after workers became suspicious, but the envelope with $700 was already gone.

According to investigators, that incident was the latest of at least 15 in the Jacksonville area. They said 50 percent of the time the suspect is believed by the restaurant employee and able to get away with cash.

Similar incidents have taken place at the Five Guys on the Southside, Gators Dockside Bar in Argyle Forest, Church's Chicken on Merrill Road and at the Pizza Hut in San Marco.

Police warn restaurant employees that if a caller contacts their business with a similar story, he or she should get off the phone and call the number where the real boss can be reached.