{"id":5414,"date":"2019-06-17T17:22:07","date_gmt":"2019-06-17T21:22:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/responseblog.wpengine.com\/?p=5414"},"modified":"2021-08-04T10:01:49","modified_gmt":"2021-08-04T14:01:49","slug":"why-your-bathrooms-matter-to-your-restaurants-brand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/responseblog.wpengine.com\/2019\/06\/why-your-bathrooms-matter-to-your-restaurants-brand\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Your Bathrooms Matter to Your Restaurant\u2019s Brand"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a recent survey we conducted, we asked people what the most important features were to them when considering dining at a polished casual dining restaurant. The top response? “Clean bathrooms” which 72% of the respondents said was “very important” or “fairly important”.<\/strong> A bathroom is symbolic for how much a place pays attention to details. And the condition of a bathroom is an indicator for how clean the food prep areas may be. Famed chef and restaurateur David Chang once said<\/span><\/a> (in regards to bathrooms):<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf they care about that… rest assured everything will be taken care of.\u201c<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bathrooms aren\u2019t strictly the domain of operations but an integral part of the brand experience. <\/span>A restaurant\u2019s brand is collectively made up of all the experiences someone has. Whether their initial exploration on the website, the food and service, the presentation, and yes, their experience in the bathrooms. Great marketing layered on great product and great operations helps to build noteworthy brands, and bathrooms are another example of where brand marketers need to be thinking about guest experience. Beyond cleanliness, consider what a guest may be experiencing in the bathroom and why they may be there (beyond the obvious). For some, it\u2019s their time to check their phone so they don\u2019t feel they\u2019re being rude at the table. For others, its their chance to get themselves together in the mirror. In a New York Times article<\/a>, a bathroom attendant by the name of Pat Velasquez said:<\/span><\/p>\n

“People cry in here. They lean on my shoulder. I\u2019m like a psychiatrist. Sometimes they\u2019re drunk and throw up. Or they come in and make private calls. Or they want to smoke and are disappointed that I\u2019m here, so they can\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

No matter what the reason is, there is an opportunity to make it an experience that is memorable, reassuring, and even fun. <\/span><\/p>\n

create moments and memories<\/h4>\n

Some restaurants go high design with their bathrooms like The Capital Grille in Nashville<\/a> and others utilize small touches that make the bathrooms Instagram-worthy like Citrus & Salt<\/a> in Boston or Vic\u2019s<\/a> in New York City. <\/span><\/p>\n

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If you see the super cute wallpaper and don\u2019t take a pic for insta, did you really even eat at #vicsnewyork? \ud83d\udc95\ud83c\udf38\ud83d\udc85<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Vic’s<\/a> (@vicsnewyork) on