Your restaurant customers care more about odours than you think: Here’s why

The Covid-19 pandemic was a particularly challenging time for restaurant operators.

In the US alone, there was a 65.91%^*1 year-on-year decline in the number of consumers dining in restaurants as of January 2021, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the UK, revenue in May 2021 remained down 25%^*2 when compared with May 2019.

Plus, restauranteurs had to grapple with changing distancing, masking, and cleaning rules, and the knock-on effects of staff absences and enforced quarantines. And, according to the OECD^*3, food supply chains experienced “unprecedented stresses” too.

As a result, the quality of restaurant service sometimes suffered.

Today, things are certainly easing. But with many of these pressures leaving long-lasting impacts – or still remaining in place – how can restaurant operators bounce back from the pandemic? And what are your customers most concerned about?

Customer experience is more important than ever

With consumer confidence still returning to pre-pandemic levels, providing a comfortable, hygienic, and relaxing environment for customers remains crucial.

Awareness of the hidden risks of airborne viruses and bacteria is still high, and many customers continue to take their personal space much more seriously than before. Surface infection risks are also at the front of many customers’ minds, who expect heightened cleaning regimes to remain in place. That means your staff are still expected to regularly sanitise surfaces and their hands, and ensure that the dining environment is kept clean and healthy – as well as the food.

At the same time, the pandemic laid a heavy blow on the resilience of restaurant staff, and many left the sector altogether. Those who remain are less tolerant of poor working conditions and are also themselves conscious of the health risks of coming in to work in a public-facing role.

That means that restaurant owners need to work harder to attract and retain talent, whilst balancing the demands of the increased cleaning regimes that customers expect.

Customer experience is more important than ever

Even so, many restaurant owners have got their priorities wrong – and odours are key

When it comes to your restaurant environment, temperature and humidity are clearly important. Which is why air-conditioning systems that support a comfortable environment are common, especially in more extreme climates.

However, most owners significantly underestimate the importance of odour control in cleanliness. A survey carried out by Kao Professional Services found that whilst 57.1%^*4 of customers prioritised odours inside a restaurant as a contributing factor to their impression of cleanliness, only 39.5%^*5 of owners followed suit.

That means there’s a significant disconnect between what customers want from their dining experience, and what most restaurant owners are focusing on. And it’s clear that odour control has never been more important in attracting return customers.

With chefs and waiting staff quickly becoming accustomed to overpowering cooking and rubbish smells, we simply can’t expect them to experience things from the customers’ perspective. And this recognition gap means owners are disconnected from what their customers most desire.

Getting control of the odours in your restaurant will contribute to a much more comfortable and desirable dining environment.

Even so, many restaurant owners have got their priorities wrong – and odours are key

Tip – Odour control is crucial, but it’s complicated

Bad odours are one of the most off-putting things a potential customer can experience. But on the other hand, appetising cooking aromas can be an important element in someone’s meal – and can even be a crucial factor in pulling them in in the first place. As one restaurant manager explains, “We get compliments on the smell from time to time, probably it is about twice a week that a customer walking past says, ‘Oh that smells nice.’”

So whilst it’s important to be seen to be taking cleanliness and hygiene seriously – even if your standards were already high – you don’t want to simply eliminate or mask every smell. “You need something that absorbs smell rather than counters the smell like scented candles,” another manager acknowledges.

That means you need a way of controlling rather than completely eliminating odours in your restaurant, and of targeting that odour control to sensitive areas, such as fridges, rubbish storage areas, and of course your dining room.

So it’s no surprise that many restaurant owners are turning to air conditioning with integrated deodorisation to improve their environment.

Introducing nanoe™ X technology: Odour control and quality air

Integrated into air conditioning, nanoe™ X inhibits viruses, bacteria, mould, allergens, and hazardous substances contained in fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) that exist in the air around us.

By spreading hydroxyl radicals – that are derived from nature – nanoe™ X also tackles bad odours throughout your restaurant, creating a more appealing environment for customers and staff alike.

nanoe™ X effects on odours

**Durian odour^*6**

nanoe™ X reduced durian odour
intensity faster than natural reduction

**BBQ odour^*7**

nanoe™ X reduced BBQ odour
intensity faster than natural reduction

Built into an air-conditioning unit, it requires no additional space, and can be operated via remote or over wifi for 24-hour deodorisation. Restaurant owners typically prefer to run the system in air-conditioning-only mode during opening hours, before activating the nanoe™ X function during closed periods to eliminate odours.

24-hour continuous deodorisation at restaurant

Learn more

It cuts down on the cleaning your staff are required to undertake, and is also an economical and climate-conscious choice. The technology is highly energy efficient, and using a combined solution means avoiding the need for separate air-conditioning and purification devices.

It’s an important step in demonstrating to your customers how seriously you take not only their health, but also the quality of their experience.

With the right measures, you can show your customers an unforgettable time

Our slow release from the intense pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic has given the restaurant industry an unprecedented opportunity to transform the way it serves customers. With hygiene consciousness remaining high, people continue to expect more from restauranteurs and the level of cleanliness you provide.

Plus, with odour one of customers’ biggest concerns, there’s never been a better time to get control over your environment and create a truly exceptional restaurant experience. And that’s where nanoe™ X can help.

*1 Statistic taken from Statista
*2 Statistic taken from the Office for National Statistics’ report ‘Coronavirus and its impact on UK hospitality: January 2020 to June 2021’
*3 Statistic taken from ‘Food Supply Chains and COVID-19: Impacts and Policy Lessons’, published by the OECD, June 2020
*4 Statistic taken from Kao Professional Service Survey 1 (in Japanese)
*5 Statistic taken from Kao Professional Service Survey 2 (in Japanese)
*6 Testing organisation: Panasonic Product Analysis Center. Testing method: Verified using the six-level odour indication method in an approximately 23㎥-sized test chamber. Deodorisation method: nanoe™ released. Target odour: Surface-adhered durian odour. Test result: Odour intensity reduced by 1 level in 0.5 hours. (1V332-180402-K01)
*7 Testing organisation: Panasonic Product Analysis Center. Testing method: Verified using the six-level odour intensity indication method in an approximately 23㎥-sized test chamber. Deodorisation method: nanoe™ released. Target odour: Surface-adhered BBQ odour. Test result: Odour intensity reduced by 1.2 levels in 2 hours. (4AA33-151221-N01)