A new survey on consumer behaviors and attitudes toward hand washing before eating shows only one in three Americans clean their hands before eating in a restaurant. The figure holds the same for adults and children, whose parents claim they just don’t think about hand hygiene when taking their family to a restaurant.
There is good news, though. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, revealed that a majority of consumers who patronize fast-food restaurants – one of the most popular types of dining establishments frequented by consumers – have a strong preference for the inclusion of hand wipes with meals.
What’s more, there appears to be a clear benefit to restaurant owners. More than 60% of respondents said they would be more likely to patronize a restaurant that offered hand-sanitizing wipes with their drive-through or take-out meals.
“This study indicates consumer practices and preferences loud and clear,” says Nadine Brewer, consumer insights manager at Nice-Pak Commercial, a manufacturer of hand and surface wipes and the company that commissioned the survey. “The benefits to restaurants are evident. Restaurants would do well to give their customers hand-sanitizing wipes to clean hands prior to eating – when soap and water are not available.”
The independent survey queried adults ages 18 and older about their dining and hand hygiene habits. It found 84% of respondents strongly agree with the statement, “I wish fast food restaurants would give their customers individually packaged, disposable hand wipes with their drive-thru meals,” while 62% said they would be more likely to patronize restaurants that offered the hand wipes.
Cleaning hands before dining is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infections.
Nice-Pak Commercial said its Sani-Hands II Instant Hand Sanitizing Wipes and Sani-Hands for Kids Antimicrobial Alcohol Gel Hand Wipes are clinically proven to kill 99.99% of germs while removing bacteria and soil from hands.
In the past 50 years the company has pioneered new and innovative uses for pre-moistened wipes. Its brand family includes Sani-Cloth, SaniSurface, SaniHands, SaniCart and Nice ‘n Clean.