Research from Technomic, a restaurant industry research and consulting firm, confirms what leading chefs and restaurateurs know intuitively: Clean tableware is a leading factor affecting restaurant guests’ dining experiences.
According to a survey taken between 2011 and the first quarter of 2014, cleanliness—in particular tableware, interiors, food prep areas and restrooms—are among the top considerations for restaurant guests when determining where to eat. This survey, which averaged more than 34,000 respondents per question, ranks the following as the most important factors for choosing and returning to a mid-scale or casual dining full-service restaurant.
|
Rank
|
Attribute
|
“Very Important” Weighting
|
|
1
|
Taste and flavor of the food
|
66.10%
|
|
2
|
Dishware/glassware/silverware is clean
|
64.90%
|
|
3
|
Quality of the food
|
64.80%
|
|
4
|
Restaurant interior is clean
|
59.50%
|
|
5
|
Kitchen/food prep area (if visible) is clean
|
58.70%
|
|
6
|
Order accuracy
|
57.90%
|
|
7
|
Bathroom is clean
|
49.70%
|
|
8
|
Service is pleasant and friendly
|
47.70%
|
|
9
|
Staff pays attention to fundamentals (drink refills, clearing tables, etc.)
|
46.90%
|
|
10
|
Quality of food when ordered for takeout (not eaten at the restaurant)
|
44.40%
|
Based on the Technomic survey, four of the top 10 items that matter most to customers are about dining at a clean restaurant. That said, sparkling clean wine glasses and spotless silverware are key to ensuring diners walk away with positive impressions of restaurants—and keep coming back for future visits.