A recent study by Harris Interactive points to the significance of a clean restaurant environment – cleanliness ranked only slightly below quality of food as an important factor when consumers choose a restaurant. “Our research shows that consumers make their judgments about restaurants based on specific criteria. Great chefs and servers are not enough; today going the extra mile means maintaining a clean and sanitary environment,” says John Luposello, dir. of marketing, Nice-Pak, Inc.

Source: Online survey of 2,000+adults conducted by Harris Research on behalf of Nice-Pak, Inc., a global manufacturer of wet wipes.

The study also asked consumers about areas in restaurants they consider the most important in terms of cleanliness. Not surprisingly, the kitchen (whose spotlessness 95% rated as absolutely essential/important) and restrooms (92%) are key areas, but employees’ hands and tabletops were more so (98% and 96%, respectively). “The front of the house is what people see when they enter and are seated,” says John. “Clean floors and sparkling tables send a strong message that the management is concerned about cleanliness and sanitation and instills a sense of confidence.” Because the cleanliness of employees’ hands is difficult to judge, John recommends placing hand sanitizing products, in visible places – outside the kitchen, in wait stations, near cash registers. “Today’s savvy consumer is aware of the importance of proper hand hygiene. They know that until the plate gets to the table, employees’ hands can make the difference,” he says.