New Research Notes Importance of Restaurant Employee Handwashing

Published on Monday, October 24, 2011

Written by The Editors

Handwashing and bathroom cleanliness important to restaurant goers

In a new study of close to 3,000 U.S. and Canadian adults and college students less than half of the respondents said they always make it a point to wash their hands before eating in a restaurant. Of greater concern to foodservice operators, more than 60 percent of U.S. and Canadian adults surveyed would not eat a restaurant if they noticed a restaurant employee use the restroom without washing his or her hands. Forty-nine percent would tell their friends not to eat there.

Other noteworthy findings include:

• more than 80 percent of both U.S. and Canadian adults would avoid a restaurant whose restroom they found to be unclean;
• nearly 90 percent of U.S. and Canadian adults would think less of a restaurant's conditions if they did not have proper handwashing tools available
• more than 70 percent of both U.S. and Canadian adults prefer to dry their hands using paper towels when washing their hands in a restaurant restroom.

The study, commissioned by SCA North America in honor of Global Handwashing Day, was conducted by IBOPE Zogby International.