I have been a restaurateur for over thirty years now. Having managed sites for other people and even founding a successful restaurant of my own. I have had great days and rough days. I have been through the ringer time and time again. This is an industry that never stays still for long. As soon as you plug one problem another will quickly spring up. It is a constant firefight.
But there is one consistent issue that you need to be constantly vigilant about. And that is pests. I call them restaurant killers. As all it takes is a few guests seeing you have a pest problem for your restaurant reputation to go down the gutter.
In an ideal world you want to ensure you never get a pest problem. So we will be looking at the preventative measures you need to take to avoid this. We will also be looking at how to deal with a pest problem once one arises.
Preventative Measures
Working with food is naturally going to run a bigger risk of attracting pests than any other industry. So you need to be extra vigilant. The first thing you need to ensure is that your cleaning and storage procedures are up to date and followed rigorously.
Let us examine storage first. All food storage facilities in your restaurant need to be completely sealed up as much as possible. Even the smallest gaps in the walls or flooring will allow pests the chance to sneak in. You need to ensure that your dry store is installed in a cool, dry place, as the name suggests. It should be fitted with adequate ventilation too. All your fridges and freezers should be regularly maintained. Checking the seals and functionality of the device.
You also need to ensure that all food being stored is checked regularly. Expiration dates should be monitored daily, with older stock being brought forward so that it is used first. When you get a delivery you also need to check the packaging of all food products. Even the smallest breaks in packaging can lead to pests.
Cleaning is an essential part of any functioning restaurant. But it is extra critical in the kitchen and food storage areas. All surfaces, including the floors, should be vigorously cleaned every single day. Any surface that was used for food preparation, including ovens and stoves, should be properly sanitized. A lot of restaurants often forget to regularly clean their dry stores.
You also need to ensure that you have proper places to dispose of your garbage. Industrial bins, kept at least a minimum of five meters away from the property, are the best choice. Ensure that the lids are closed after every use and try to avoid overfilling them. Larger pests, like foxes or cats, will try to break open any exposed binbags. And this can lead to a serious infestation of rodents or bugs.
It is also worth placing down pest repellants in more hidden areas of your restaurant. Especially under counters or kitchen appliances. There are a huge number of restaurant safe pest repellants available on online shops like ThanosHome or Shield Pest Control. It is important to perform regular checks on these devices to ensure they are still working properly.
Dealing With A Pest Problem
So what do you do if you have got a pest infestation? The first thing to do is avoid panicking. Most pest problems, when discovered early, are extremely manageable. The first step is to assess the severity of the pest problem. Try to find where they are coming in from. How bad is the infestation? If you have rodents then you should try to follow any dirt or droppings to find where they are hiding. If it is bugs then you should look for crumbs or simply observe them as they navigate.
Next you will want to consult a professional pest control company. When it comes to dealing with an issue like this you are best off leaving it to the professionals. Too many restaurant owners try to deal with it on their own and might solve the problem for a short while. But pest control companies will ensure that the problem is eradicated entirely.
Once you have a date for them to come deal with the problem we recommend closing down your restaurant for the day. Now we know this will impact your income. But it is far safer, both for your customers and your restaurant’s reputation, to have the pest problem dealt with while the site is closed to the public.
