Global Survey Reveals Clean Restrooms Essential to Winning Repeat Customers

EAST LONGMEADOW — In the post-pandemic world, restroom cleanliness has become a critical part of the customer experience, especially in restaurants and other high-traffic facilities. A clean restroom reinforces confidence in an establishment, while a dirty one can quickly impact repeat business.

Excel Dryer Inc., a leader in touchless hand drying technology, partnered with global market research firm MetrixLab to conduct an unprecedented international study, “Post-Pandemic Perceptions of Commercial Restrooms.” The survey gathered insights from more than 4,000 participants across the U.S., Europe and Asia, including restaurant owners, facility managers, architects, design professionals, and consumers.

According to the survey, cleanliness and hygiene are the top concern in commercial restrooms, 100% agree that a dirty restroom reflects poorly on an establishment, the top contributors to a dirty restroom are paper towels on the floor and overflowing trash cans, and 80% of respondents said they would not, or might not, return to a restaurant with a dirty restroom.

“Restrooms are a direct extension of the guest experience,” said William Gagnon, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Excel Dryer. “A dirty restroom experience directly affects a business’s bottom line and works against customer retention. XLERATOR hand drying solutions are the simple answer to what’s been identified as the number-one contributing factor: paper towels.”

With 75% of U.S. consumers now washing their hands up to 10 times per day, Excel Dryer continues to support restaurants and facilities with high-efficiency hand dryers featuring adjustable controls, improved motor technology for longer life, and optional electrostatic HEPA filtration for added hygienic protection.