There’s absolutely no question your restaurant depends on customers for its very existence. While there may be busy and slow seasons, there’s just no time when unpleasant odors are convenient. These distract staff, cause customers to either shy away or outright leave, and, cost you money in lost revenue. Some eateries experience trouble in bringing conceptualization to reality, others have to better their menu items, and, still others suffer from foul smells.
Eliminating Restaurant Odors
To attract and retain a repeat customer base, your restaurant must deliver three things, and, do these exceptionally: food quality, customer service, and atmosphere. While customers will forgive an occasional bland meal or overlook an instance of mediocre service, they won’t be so kind when it comes to odors. The reason is because these are a strong indication of either apathy or something wrong with the food.
The lingering odor of stale grease is not the takeaway your guests are craving. Save yourself and others the embarrassment of a smelly kitchen by using a variety of odor busters to enhance the scent of your home. Proper ventilation, the cool smell of citrus and a few minor kitchen upgrades are all you need to eliminate the stubborn, lingering smell of grease that accompanies everyday cooking. —San Francisco Chronicle
Either one is alone enough to cause customers to take their dining experience elsewhere and never return. That’s simply too big a risk to take, after all, it’s not only those diners who actually experienced the foul smell, but also, those many more who will hear about them. Studies have found that when a customer is happy, he or she will tell about 3 people about their great experience. Conversely, and most disturbingly, unhappy customers will tell at least 10 people about their negative experience. So, it’s important to know what can you do to eliminate restaurant odors:
- Open the windows and doors. When the weather permits, it’s generally a good idea to open the windows and doors, if possible. The gentle breeze will do much to carry unpleasant smells out of the dining area, while providing guests with a nice experience. If it’s not possible to open windows and doors, an alternative is to run fans, faced toward the kitchen.
- Go through all food items daily. Food is costly, and, just like employees, is one of the single largest expenses in a restaurant. Planning for each service is key to buying, cooking and serving, to use as much as possible. If food is left unchecked, it can spoil, spawning unpleasant smells.
- Install a larger hood system. You as a restaurant owner know the importance of having a good hood system. What you might not have considered is its size. Examine it for effectiveness and replace it, if necessary.
- Have your HVAC system checked. One big culprit that might not only be the source and broadcast of odors is your HVAC system. There are many points and parts which can cause smells to occur and of course, this system will broadcast those odors across the dining room.
While these are all helpful tips, it’s also important to understand what you shouldn’t do because you might unwittingly compound the problem. First of all, don’t try to cover-up odors with aerosol air fresheners. While these might mask some odors, they too have a distinct smell, and to be effective, you’ll need to spray a lot.
