Why Restaurant Sanitation is No Place to Scrimp

It's tempting in a tough economy or just a slow period at any restaurant to save a little money by cutting corners on a few items on that daily cleaning list. It's understandable the desire to get the staff off the clock and out the door 15 or 20 minutes sooner, thus saving a few very precious dollars each day.

But don't do it. Don't sacrifice cleanliness and jeopardize the reputation of your restaurant by taking the shortcuts or easy ways out. Your reputation is all you have, and don't ever doubt that in the eyes of your customers, cleanliness is indeed next to godliness.

Julie Nelson, a restaurant inspector in Greene County, Missouri, which includes the city of Springfield, population 156,000, sees it happen all the time - restaurant owners and managers who gamble the reputation and safety of their business all in an attempt to save a few bucks.

"A very common violation is grease buildup in the hood, and not only is that a health issue, it's a fire safety issue," says Nelson, one of eight inspectors covering about 1,200 restaurants in the county.

Grease buildup is the cause of more than 50 percent of restaurant fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association, but grease also contributes to odor problems in a restaurant, and odors attract rodents. Cockroaches are particularly attracted to grease buildup. You want your customers to be attracted to the smell of the food, not the smell of grease.

The volume of fried foods served at your restaurant determines how often the hood and exhaust system should be cleaned, but at a minimum the hood should be cleaned weekly and the exhaust system quarterly.