Top 5 'Dirt Traps' at Every Eatery

By Brian O'Connell ,

NEW YORK (MainStreet) — As the economy improves, more Americans are dining out, especially among baby boomer and "over-65" consumers, says a study from NPD Group, a Chicago global information provider.

Would so many Americans continue to dine out regularly if they knew how dirt and trash has accumulated at their favorite restaurant?

We may soon find out, after the release of a study by Cintas listing the "dirtiest areas" in U.S. restaurants.

The data come from online restaurant reviewers at sites such as Yelp, which holds more than 39 million dining reviews and can make or break an eatery as diners have come to trust critiques critiques from Americans like themselves.

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"Before dining at a new restaurant, many patrons now go online to read reviews about the restaurant, discover popular dishes or identify hours of operation," says Ann Nickolas, senior director of foodservice at Cintas. "Reviews citing poor cleanliness in a restaurant can be an instant turn-off for prospective diners and lead to lost business before the patron even steps in the door."

Cintas ranks those "five dirtiest areas" in a restaurant as follows:

The floors: Cintas says a dirty floor or carpet drives 68% of diners away from an eatery — in most cases, for good. Reviewers say restaurants with crumbs, stains and dirt on the floor are way too common these days.

The restrooms: Cintas canvassed reviewers about the state of American restaurant bathrooms, and the outlook wasn't good. "Reports of dirt and debris, unflushed toilets, unstocked paper goods and general malodors are frequent occurrences within online restaurant reviews," Cintas says. And diners will avoid a restaurant altogether — and once again, for good — if they see a filthy bathroom.

Also see: Does Your Favorite Restaurant Have a Dirty Secret?>>

The tables: One sure-fire death knell for restaurants is if a diner has to sit down at a dirty table and worse, clean it for themselves. "Remnants from meals, displaced napkins and general dirt left on and around tables can make guests feel unwelcome or leave them with a negative impression of the restaurant," Cintas states.

The staff: What's worse than a crumb-laden table or used napkins on the floor at a restaurant? How about a waiter or waitress with lousy grooming skills? Cintas cites one reviewer who noted an unkempt waiter at a high-end New York City steakhouse. "His uniform was kind of dirty and I didn't want to imagine if the restaurant was cleaned or not," the reviewer wrote.

The kitchen: Diners don't usually visit a restaurant's kitchen, but increasingly eateries offer "open kitchens" where customers can see their meals being prepared. "For restaurants that open the kitchen to guest viewing or those that operate behind closed doors, kitchen cleanliness is imperative in any foodservice operation," Cintas says. "Reviewers will be the first to applaud kitchen cleanliness — or highlight issues."

— By Brian O'Connell

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