It’s imperative to keep restaurant tables clean, safe and sanitized. A clean place to sit and eat is something that paying customers should never have to compromise. A neat and clean restaurant assures the customers that they are going to dine out in a safe environment to enjoy their meal. If the tables, glasses, kitchen, restroom area etc. are unhygienic the customers will not be pleased, even if the food is great. An unhygienic environment is a breeding ground for germs, bacteria, etc. which affect our health, the customers and their employees. Customers prefer restaurants with clean tables and extraordinary health standards only. Clean tables not only provide a pleasing atmosphere but also assure the customers that the place is infection free. Say it with me now- clean, safe and sanitized.

Dirty table tops are also one of the most disgusting sites and a pet peeve of mine. I’m going to describe an incident which I experienced while on a recent trip back to my hometown. I went to a local pancake place, the table tops there appeared clean at a glance, however, were in a dirty condition. Sticky syrup solution was spilled on the table and along its sides. I placed my hands on it unknowingly and it was gross. After that I didn’t feel like sitting at that table, I didn’t want to have pancakes even though I knew they were going to taste great. I called the waitress and reviewed the problem with her. She apologized for the inconvenience and yelled for the bus person to come over with a rag and clean it up. The subsequent problem was that he came back with a little red bucket which symbolized a sanitizer with a rag in it. However, the bucket just contained bleach water and a dirty rag. He then used it to wipe the table off and offered it to me to wipe my hands off as well. Seriously, the last thing I want is to is smell bleach in the morning, before having my first cup of coffee!

A better way to do this is to use a Quat based solution which normally has no smell or at least a little fragrance. Sani Wash has an excellent one called S-1000.

Steps to Remember

• After the customer leaves, clean all dishes and silverware off into a bus pan.
• Then wipe off all foods soils, spills and crumbs onto a rag, remove the dishes and carry them directly to the kitchen’s dish machine area or waitress station.
• Never wipe the food soil onto the floor. I have recently observed this bad practice at a chain restaurant.
• Next, pick up a spray bottle of table top sanitizer, use a clean rag and spray bottle to clean the complete table including the sides.
• The final step is to leave the table to get dried in the air. Although this step seems trivial, it is the most important step of sanitizing.

Cross-contamination is also reduced if the surface is air dried instead of towel dried. Never let a customer sit at a wet table. After the table is cleaned and dried, it should be sanitized. The sanitizer should stay in contact with the surface for a specific amount of time, only then it can work properly. Say it with me again- clean, safe and sanitized!

Some restaurants like the Diners, located here on Long Island, NY use paper place mats on the table which sometimes help in the process of cleaning and reassuring that the tables are clean under your plate.

There is too much competition out there for restaurants not to take this seriously. There is no reason to settle for anything less when dining out.

Thanks for reading, I hope it adds some insight. Please share and like online and let us know if you have comments, questions or other stories to share.

Written by Jerry Bauer, Sani Wash Account Manager, http://www.hospitalitycleaning101.com

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