Most people would automatically believe that the most important element of enjoying a visit to a restaurant, or not enjoying it, is the quality and quantity of the food. This is not necessarily the case, as an American survey has discovered. In the study of 2.175 US adults, 88% claimed that the toilets are a very important element too. The reason for this is that, apparently, a perfect gastronomically appeasing experience can be ruined by the thought and experience of horrible toilets, leading guests to believe that the kitchen is probably in the same state.
Even 29% of those questioned claimed that they would never return to the same restaurant if they had to suffer a bad episode in the toilet. It has been suggested in many quarters that restaurant managers tend to view the toilet facilities as a mere detail and put almost all their stress on the quality of the food and service. This has been deemed, on the evidence of the survey, to be a big mistake.
The biggest problems with restaurant toilets have been named as overflowing toilet basins, dirty floors and lack of necessary things such as paper or toilet brushes. Of those questioned, 42% claimed to have actually used paper towels all over the toilet facility to avoid contact with the toilet seat etc. It is also worthy of note that a bad toilet certainly has a bad “word of mouth” effect. Half of the surveyed people said that they would tell relatives and friends about the state of the toilets in a restaurant they have visited if it meant others not having to suffer the same ghastly experience. Perhaps it is time for restaurant managers to pay a little more attention to the so-called “details” of their industry.
Maybe women should be surveyed about airport toilets, which in most airports are insufficient and they have to stand in long queues even with shortage of time
Dr..could not agree more! How often when catching a quick connecting flight at any airport in the world have women standing patiently in line out the door and down the corridor .. legs partly crossed ... only to get to the door and find .. Oh god! Can't use that! Not just airports however. I often will not eat in a place where the toilet is a bit rough. It is hard however to get away from in in the back of economy class on any airline. When only four toilets for 200 odd pax and within an hour into a 12 hour flight at least 2 are 'wet' by men with bad eyesight who fail to appreciate that women have to sit down after them! On one flight all the toilets were disgusting so a few of us in economy opened the magic curtain through to the next cabin area ... instant relief!