Managing a restaurant? A new Cintas Corporation survey conducted by Harris Interactive revealed dirty dishes, unpleasant odor, and dirty restrooms as the top three reasons that a consumer would not return.
Here’s the full list of offenders as reported by the survey:
- Unclean Dishware - 86%
- Unpleasant Odors - 85%
- Dirty Restrooms - 75%
- Unclean Tables - 74%
- Poor Service - 74%
- Dirty Floors - 68%
- Poor Staff Appearance - 65%
- Dirty Glass and Windows - 51%
“Consumers have many dining options and it’s critical for restaurant owners to provide a pleasant atmosphere to attract and retain patrons,” says Brian Garry, Senior Director, Cintas Foodservice. “This research confirms that maintaining a clean environment is mandatory to provide a satisfying dining experience.”
It’s not much of a surprise to learn that 86% of U.S. adults equate the cleanliness of a restaurant’s restroom with the cleanliness of the kitchen. It might be more surprising to realize that poor service - a much maligned aspect of the industry - ranks under dishes, odors, and restrooms.
“Regardless of the quality of food and customer service, a dirty restaurant turns patrons off from returning,” says Dave Mesko, Senior Director of Marketing, Cintas.
Avoid dirty restrooms and dishes at restaurants to maximize your consumer retention potential.
