Factors Used by Restaurant Customers to Predict Sanitation Levels

Abstract

Approximately 60% of all meals consumed by Americans are prepared outside the home while a significant number of foodborne illnesses occur annually resulting in hospitalizations and death. Based on a sample of 920 restaurants, sanitation performance was assessed using readily available measures including overall hygiene, rest room conditions, and the sanitation habits of foodservice personnel. Fine-dining establishments were consistently among the top performers. However, buffet style restaurants performed surprisingly well and showed the least amount of variability across sanitation standards. French, Italian, and Japanese restaurants were generally among the top performers. Seating capacity and price were not significant predictors after adjusting for the type of establishment and ethnicity.

KEYWORDS:

• ethnicity
• foodservice
• foodborne illness
• restaurant
• sanitation
• San Francisco Bay Area

Notes