No restaurant owner or operator wants to close their doors – even
temporarily. Every minute that passes means lost revenue and sends a bad
message to would-be customers. However, without the proper planning, it
can be a reality for many restaurants. To help foodservice operators
prepare for situations that could have a substantial impact on their
business, Cintas
Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS) today identified the top five things that
could force a restaurant to close.
“Something little, like a clogged drain or a window crack, may seem
insignificant at the time, but it can quickly escalate into a major
issue,” said Ann Nickolas, Senior Director of Foodservice, Cintas
Corporation. “Just as you would have a disaster preparedness plan in
place, you should plan for other situations that could force you to
close your restaurant’s doors until the situation is resolved.”
Cintas identifies the following five incidents that could cause your
restaurant to close:
1. The front door breaks. A broken gate or front door caused by
an attempted break-in or malfunctioning hardware can be one of the
quickest and easiest ways to keep customers from entering your
restaurant. To keep doors open, have an emergency repair company on call
that can fix the issue at any time of the day.
2. The drain clogs. Pipe blockage or a backed-up drain can create
a big problem in a restaurant, causing water or sewage to drench the
floors of your restaurant. Prevent clogs or buildup in drain lines by
implementing a drain line maintenance program that flushes drains with
“good” bacteria to keep lines clear.
3. A fire destroys the kitchen. The most recent data from the
National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) indicates restaurants
experience an average of 7,640 fires a year, 57 percent of which were
started by cooking equipment. Regularly cleaning and maintaining hood
suppression and kitchen exhaust systems substantially limit the impact
of a fire and help prevent property damage. A trained fire protection
specialist can also notify you of other issues that exist at your
restaurant, such as grease on the roof, faulty fan wiring or excess
grease in the ductwork that could disrupt your operations and cost you
money.
4. There’s a bug or rodent infestation. Nothing can get people
talking negatively about your restaurant more quickly than the presence
of bugs or rodents. The mention of a rodent in an online review can
prevent people from patronizing your restaurant and quickly alert local
public health officials, resulting in a potential restaurant closure.
Have a pest control specialist regularly inspect your restaurant to
prevent an infestation and have a company on speed dial should an
infestation occur.
5. Unsanitary conditions. Local health departments regularly
inspect restaurants to ensure food is properly handled and stored.
Inspectors also check to ensure the proper processes are in place to
prevent cross contamination. By implementing chemical dispensing
systems, foodservice operators can help ensure cleaning chemicals are
readily available and properly diluted. This will help encourage use,
improve overall sanitation levels and limit the opportunity for a
restaurant closure.
For more information on Cintas’ solutions for restaurants, please visit www.cintas.com/foodservice.
About Cintas:
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas Corporation provides highly
specialized services to businesses of all types primarily throughout
North America. Cintas designs, manufactures and implements corporate
identity uniform programs, and provides entrance mats, restroom cleaning
and supplies, tile and carpet cleaning, promotional products, first aid,
safety, fire protection products and services and document management
services for more than 1 million businesses. Cintas is a publicly held
company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol
CTAS and is a component of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.
Copyright Business Wire 2014