The cleanliness of restaurants: ATP tests (reality) vs consumers’ perception

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to empirically assess restaurant surfaces’ cleanliness and compare them to customers’ perceptions about the cleanliness of surfaces when dining in a restaurant. Design/methodology/approach This study used two methods to collect data. The first was a survey method to gauge customers’ perceptions and an empirical test to measure cleanliness using an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meter. Two data sets were collected to compare customers’ perceptions and actual cleanliness measurements. One data set surveyed respondents as to their perceptions of high- and low-touch restaurant surfaces among 19 areas of the dining room and 15 surfaces from the restroom, and their perceived cleanliness or dirtiness of those same surfaces. The second one conducted empirical measurements of the cleanliness of these surfaces using an ATP meter, which were then compared to customers’ perceptions. Findings Although all surfaces had higher ATP readings than a 30 relative light units’ threshold, there were significant differences in ATP readings among surfaces. Results showed a fair amount of consistency between the consumers’ perceptions of cleanliness and the actual results of ATP readings for the cleanest areas, but very little consistency in customers’ perceptions and experimental measurements for the dirtiest areas. Practical implications This study empirically demonstrated the need for improved cleaning techniques and the importance of proper training for foodservice employees. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, results of this study suggest an additional responsibility on managers and staff to ensure clean environments and the imperative to address the concerns of their customers. Originality/value Based on an extensive literature review, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior studies have compared consumers’ cleanliness perceptions with empirical measurements of cleanliness in restaurant settings using an ATP meter. The results of this study provide restaurant managers a better understanding of customers’ perceptions of cleanliness. It also provides restaurant managers and staff information to develop more effective cleaning procedures. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, perceptions of cleanliness and measures of actual cleanliness are more important than they have been in the past.

Key factors driving customers’ restaurant dining behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Previous research has shown that sanitation in a restaurant environment could impact customers' positive or negative emotions (Park et al, 2016). Similarly, researchers (Kim et al, 2021a;Naumov et al, 2021) demonstrated that trust in the cleanliness of restaurants and sanitation of accommodations is an important variable predicting customers' intentions to visit. Recovering the hotel industry from large-scale public health crises such as SARS or pandemic, researchers (Jiang and Wen, 2020;Kim et al, 2005;Choi, 2019) widely discussed the importance of hygiene and cleanliness for hotel operations to meet guests' high expectations of their safety while traveling.…”

“…The COVID-19 pandemic specifically has forced many businesses to close for some period of time and most countries in the world have closed their borders at some points during the past year. Among all sectors of the economy, the restaurant industry, a highly social and interactive service business, has been one of the most severely affected financially and economically (Kim et al, 2021a(Kim et al, , 2021b. It is expected to have an unprecedented decline until a new treatment or vaccine for COVID-19 is widely available that can resolve the original strain and focus on the new variants recently introduced to the world in 2021.…”

“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants must ensure the safety of their customers when they dine and increase comfort and trust in the restaurants. To secure a safe, clean and healthy dining environment, restaurants must improve cleaning techniques, conduct proper and mandated employee training and arrange their layouts following CDC protocols and place clear signs, symbols and signage associated with COVID-19 safety measures in places that will be easily seen and understood by customers (Kim et al, 2021a). According to Bitner (1992), spatial layout refers to the arrangement of the furniture and equipment in the restaurant and its arrangement should correspond with the needs of the service delivery process (Nguyen and Leblanc, 2002).…”

Sustainable Facilities Management for Muslim Friendly Tourism and Hospitality

“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a need for improved cleaning and handling techniques and the importance of proper training for the employees. This is important to ensure the cleanliness of food stall facilities (Kim et al, 2021;Truong et al, 2017).…”

Multi‐item unidimensional measurement scale construct: Perceived hygiene development (pHd)

“…The COVID‐19 pandemic has created an environment of rapid adaptations and the adoption of new practices (Pillai et al, 2021). Service industry practitioners have adapted their servicescape (Bitner, 1992) in order to meet the hygiene expectations in service areas (Kim et al, 2021; Taylor, 2020). For instance, restaurants have practiced sanitizing common touchpoint areas, ranging from table surfaces to door handles, in their physical servicescape settings.…”