Updated on February 22, 2023
North America has a prominent foodservice industry that shows no signs of slowing down. Currently, there are about 620,807 restaurants in the United States and over 95,000 places to eat in Canada. With so many options available, diners can choose to go anywhere and can easily dismiss an establishment for the slightest mistake. One way to ensure that first-time customers become returning ones is to have a high-quality warewashing program. Guests eat with their eyes before they actually taste their food and drinks, so clean and sparkling dishes and glasses truly matter!
To put it simply, no one wants to eat or drink from a plate or glass that appears dirty. People tend to be vigilant when they visit a new eatery, and it is no surprise as 4 million Canadians and 48 million Americans experience food poisoning each year. This is where a strong warewashing program becomes significant. A survey of diners found that unclean dishware was the most popular reason for not returning to a restaurant, with 86% of participants citing this problem. Another survey found similar results for bars, as 56% of those individuals did not return to a bar due to the glassware appearing dirty.
Appearances matter greatly in the foodservice industry. There has even been a recent study that showed the way food was presented affected the customers’ perception of how it tasted. Chef and researcher, Charles Michael, presented the same meal three different ways and received the best reviews from his most artistic presentation. None of the ingredients changed, just the way it was arranged on the dish. If plating food the right way can cause patrons to perceive it as tasting better, imagine how a dirty dish would have the opposite effect.
Having an excellent warewashing machine and chemicals are absolutely important, but maintenance must not be forgotten either. Having regular inspections and services by a trained professional will prevent problems before they can present themselves. Consider implementing a maintenance program now, while there are no issues, and avoid a hectic night of your employees having to hand-wash each item!
