To today’s restaurant customers, cleanliness is one of the most important things that drive them towards or away from an establishment. A study conducted by P&G Professional determined that 92% of customers weigh cleanliness heavily when considering returning to an establishment.
Another report released by CheckIt revealed that while two-thirds of customers would not return to a restaurant because of hygiene, only about 16% are turned away by poor service. Not only is food quality, presentation, and service important, but a customer’s perception of the cleanliness can make or break an experience. Knowing a kitchen is clean is critical, but what’s happening outside the kitchen matters, too. So restaurants should focus on overall facility cleanliness if they want to lure customers and keep them coming back. Having the right cleaning product both in and out of the kitchen is key.
Dawn Professional Dish Detergent available at Sam’s Club
is a great product for cutting through grease and grime in the sink. But it can also be diluted to clean countertops, dining areas, tile walls, coolers, windows and more. Dawn Professional can do the work of several different products in a very economical and efficient way.
In the sink, Dawn Professional Dish Detergent can save up to 6,000 gallons of hot water per year – one gallon can make 128 sinks and more than 640 gallons of solution. Plus, it can pull double duty on other restaurant surfaces as part of a wash, rinse, and sanitize process. So in addition to saving time, Dawn Professional can help business owners large and small cut operating costs when they use it both in and outside the sink.
Tips for Improving Restaurant Cleanliness
Cleaning a restaurant once or multiple times daily is critical. Not only do restaurant owners have to prepare for surprise inspections, but they also have to weather online reviews from customers – the good, bad, and ugly. A BrightLocal study estimates 90 percent of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business, and with photos of great meals comes complaints about restaurant cleanliness, which can quickly tarnish a reputation. So, taking cleaning seriously can drive positive word-of-mouth online and improve profits. Here are a few easy tips for tackling messes with Dawn Professional Dish Detergent.
1. More Sanitizing, Less “Sticky”
Use a good surface cleaner for your table wipe downs between every customer as part of your sanitizing process. Sitting down to a greasy table is a huge turn-off for customers, and avoiding this takes seconds. Do the same with bars and dining counters.
2. Don’t Ignore Pots, Pans, and Dishes
A dirty fork, plate or glass when a customer sits down to a meal isn’t just a game changer; it’s a game ender. Use a grease-cutting dish detergent for pots, pans, and dishes to cut through grime and remove traces of fingerprints.
3. Vent Hoods Need Serious Attention
Vent hoods are not-so-silent offenders of an unclean kitchen. They easily become greasy and attract dust and dirt. Although most customers never see vent hoods, thorough cleanings finished with a grease-cutting solution will prevent the kind of buildup that can shut a restaurant down quickly following an inspection. Even a temporary shutdown will impact business, and violations will be published, turning away patrons.
4. Warm Up To Cleaning Coolers
Contamination in a food storage area can cause serious food-borne illnesses, which can contaminate a restaurant’s reputation, too. Don’t ignore cleaning your cooler areas daily, including the seals, which are prime locations for dirt and mildew.
5. It’s All In The Details
Cleaning the big stuff is a given, but the little things can make a huge impact. At least once per week, clean laminated menus and other things that may be handled by a lot of people such as condiment and spice containers with a wash, rinse and sanitize process. Use a product that can safely and easily cut through grease and sticky substances.
Cleanliness Is Next To…
Today, restaurant owners face competition literally on every corner. And while consumers may give a restaurant a second shot after a mediocre meal, most will not return to an establishment following a facility cleanliness issue. With a versatile product like Dawn Professional Dish Detergent from Sam’s Club, owners can rise above the competition, reduce costs and keep customers coming back.
