{"id":5052,"date":"2020-05-08T16:16:30","date_gmt":"2020-05-08T20:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wasserstrom.com\/blog\/?p=5052"},"modified":"2020-11-30T11:40:14","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T16:40:14","slug":"touchless-restaurant-equipment-may-be-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wasserstrom.com\/blog\/2020\/05\/08\/touchless-restaurant-equipment-may-be-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Touchless Restaurant Equipment May Be The Future"},"content":{"rendered":"
The New Normal<\/a>: Part of a new series of articles focused on restaurant recovery; issues, best practices, and process changes that will become part of everyday business going forward.<\/em><\/h5>\n

Restaurants are just beginning their long journey back. And there are a number of changes that we will see as a result. Some of these changes will be mandated by the state, local or federal government. But some changes will be made by restaurant owners to help reassure customers that it is safe to dine out again. One trend that we believe will expand is touchless restaurant equipment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Touchless Restrooms Were a Start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Bathrooms have always had a dirty reputation. No one wants to touch faucets<\/strong>, soap dispensers<\/strong>, or door handles<\/strong> in a shared restaurant restroom. This isn’t new. And we have had touchless dispensers for soap and paper towels for years. Auto-flush toilets<\/strong> are everywhere.\u00a0Motion-activated faucets<\/strong> have become commonplace. It is sometimes jarring to be in a restroom where you actually have to turn the knobs to get water.<\/p>\n

But in the wake of COVID-19, public sentiment is changing a bit. According to its “Healthy Hand Washing<\/strong>” survey, washroom fixture manufacturer, Bradley Corporation<\/a>, found that the public is heavily in favor of touchless fixtures<\/strong> in public restrooms. And even though this was the preference before COVID-19, American attitudes have changed fairly dramatically toward wanting touchless fixtures.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, restrooms already have touchless options<\/strong> for almost every part of the potty process. From auto-flush toilets<\/strong> to touchless sinks<\/strong> & soap dispensers<\/strong> and motion-activated paper towel dispensers<\/strong>…restrooms have it covered and can serve as an example for other pieces of touchless restaurant equipment<\/strong> to come.<\/p>\n

\"Results
Results of the Healthy Hand Washing Survey from Bradley Corporation<\/a> show that over 90% of respondents felt that touchless restroom equipment was somewhat or extremely important.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not All Touchless is Good<\/h2>\n

\"TouchlessThere is one prominent piece of touchless restaurant equipment that may be doomed by the current crisis: The electric air hand dryer<\/strong>. Because the coronavirus is spread via airborne droplets, using an air dryer is probably inadvisable. According to a 2012 review from the Mayo Clinic<\/a>, paper towels are a preferable solution over air hand dryers<\/strong>, stating:<\/p>\n

“From a hygiene viewpoint, paper towels are superior to electric air dryers. Paper towels should be recommended in locations where hygiene is paramount, such as hospitals and clinics.<\/em>”<\/p>\n

The Door Handle Conundrum<\/h2>\n

Door handles are one of the trickiest things to handle in these situations. However, automatic doors are expensive and often impractical or impossible to retrofit into existing structures. And door handles remain a primary hotspot<\/a> in the spread of bacteria<\/strong>, viruses<\/strong>, and other contaminants<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

So what is a restaurant to do? Fortunately, there is a relatively easy conversion<\/strong> that can be added to existing doors.<\/p>\n

\"Sani-Pull<\/a>
Sani-Pull Reduced Contact Door Openers<\/a> quickly convert existing doors to “hands-free” solutions.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Solutions such as our own Sani-Pull Reduced Contact Door Openers<\/a> allow guests to use their forearm or foot to easily open doors without touching anything with exposed skin. Simply insert your forearm or foot into the sturdy metal groove. Works for both push and pull door scenarios.<\/p>\n

This is a quick and easy way to give your customers a reduced contact option for opening door<\/strong>s.<\/p>\n

Touchless Gloves are Magic<\/h2>\n

In the new normal, gloves are going to be more important than ever<\/strong>. But gloves can cause problems if not used correctly<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We predict that you will be seeing gloves in use in new situations. For example, serving staff may be required to wear gloves<\/strong> to bring food to your table. But they will likely also be required to change those gloves very frequently.<\/strong> And that is where the hitch may be.<\/p>\n

Removing an old pair of gloves and putting on a new pair is typically a time-consuming process. But what if it were easy? Behold, the AeroGlove\u00ae sanitary glove dispenser from Bon Chef<\/a>:<\/p>\n