A survey commissioned by Cintas Corporation and conducted by Harris Poll identified some common issues that would keep Americans from returning to restaurants. Conducted online among 2,034 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, the study found that 97 percent of U.S. adults would be influenced to not return to a restaurant if they experienced some type of issue related to the facility

The top five factors that would turn diners away from a restaurant include:

  • Dirty surfaces (e.g., tables, chairs, booths, dust on decor, dust bunnies on floors) – 86 percent
  • General bad odor – 85 percent
  • Dirty restrooms (e.g., floors, stalls, mirrors, odor) – 80 percent
  • Dirty/slippery floors (e.g., wetness, dirt/dust) – 72 percent
  • Entryway cleanliness (e.g., cigarette butts, overflowing trash cans, unkempt appearance) – 70 percent

Consumers also cited plumbing issues (e.g., toilets and/or sinks not working) (68 percent), broken or cracked glass (e.g., counters, windows) (53 percent), noise (e.g., loud music, loud employees, phones ringing) (47 percent), dirty/discolored ceiling tiles (47 percent), poor outdoor patio conditions (37 percent), lighting issues (e.g., light fixtures out, not working properly, poor lighting) (36 percent) and other issues (21%) as factors that would influence them in choosing to not return to a restaurant.

Why is this Important?

Retaining customers is essential to the success of your restaurant.

The reasons are in the revenue. Your repeat restaurant customers account for at least 1/3 of your revenue. This is astounding since they may only account for about 15% of your base. What’s more, a Harvard study found that if you increase repeat visits by 5%, you have the potential of increasing profits from 25-125%.

Your repeat customers are so important, so you want to do everything in your power to keep them coming back. Most of these customers already like your restaurant, and their lifetime value is worth a lot to your restaurant. In addition, your repeat customers are your brand ambassadors, spreading the word of your great food and superb customer service throughout your city.

Where does Fikes fit in this equation?

We understand that running a business has many challenges, and most of them don’t include restrooms. By offering an array of services that concentrate on the restrooms, we can take restrooms off your plate so you can focus on the other challenges. We have a solution for your business, including:

Using Fikes as part of your Restroom Cleaning Procedure gives your staff a clear expectation of cleanliness that your new and repeat customer will not only notice, but appreciate.

Contact Fikes to Discuss Your Restroom Cleaning Service Options

*This blog was originally published on February 7th, 2017.