You never have a second chance to make a first impression, and for restaurants that initial impression is made the moment a guest walks through the front door.
Cleanliness plays a key role in how your restaurant is seen by guests. In fact, oftentimes guests see the front of the house as a reflection of the kitchen. So, if your lobby, dining area or restrooms are dirty, then it is assumed the kitchen is dirty as well.
According to an article in Restaurant Owner, you can have stellar service and great food but if your restaurant isn’t spotless, you could lose repeat customers. So, how can you help to make front-of-the-house cleaning part of your daily cleaning practices?
First and foremost, it is important to remember that cleaning is not an event, but an ongoing activity in a restaurant. While at home, you may have a designated cleaning day or timeframe, like the annual Spring Cleaning, but in a restaurant setting, cleaning must be done on a consistent, on-going basis each and every day. Some industry experts suggest including a component of daily cleaning in job descriptions for staff members; this way everyone plays an important role in keeping the restaurant clean.
Also, experts advise that being busy is not an excuse for not having a clean restaurant. Remember to clean as you go and to make sure the dining room, lobby and restrooms are always at their best. Finally, it is helpful to have a schedule that outlines daily, weekly, monthly and annual cleaning tasks that need to be accomplished. The larger tasks, such as those done on a monthly or annual basis, can also be done by a professional cleaning company, which can help to take some of the cleaning burden off of your front-of-house staff.
Guests notice the difference between a restaurant that is committed to cleanliness and one that is not. Shouldn’t your restaurant be one that stands out and keeps guests coming back?
