In our fast-paced world, it’s often more convenient to go to a local sub shop or restaurant instead of planning a sit-down meal at home or packing a lunch. According to a recent Zagat poll, respondents said they eat out an average of 4.5 times per week at the 600,000 restaurants in the United States.
Unfortunately, these choices can come with a cost. According to a Fortune Magazine, 48 million Americans get sick each year from foodborne illness. The key contributors at restaurants are unsanitary environments and exposing food to improper temperatures. What happens when a restaurant has quality issues that result in customers getting sick?
Newvoicemedia wanted to know what consumers do after a bad restaurant experience, which can be anything from rude wait staff to poor food quality. Although these are not all directly correlated to food safety, they illustrate the full impact that a negative experience can have.
In the digital age, most people turn to the internet for advice. The online forums where people leave reviews and ratings of restaurants can wreak havoc on brand reputations.
Just recently, a large chain restaurant stated it lost one billion dollars in market capital over a food quality issue. Companies that break their brand promises lose more than just the immediate customer(s) that were affected – they lose future customers, and tarnish their reputation.
We live in a very connected world where people are not only consumers, but public critics. With today’s technology, a company can deploy a full complement of food safety equipment that could significantly mitigate a public incident. By utilizing a digital food safety solution, a restaurant can ensure that their food is safe to consume, their customers are safe, and their brand is protected.
The SmartSense Solution
SmartSense is a leader in food safety. Major enterprise customers trust SmartSense to provide persistent monitoring of their consumable products. Our suite of products are simple to install and easily configured. If an food safety issue arises, SmartSense has several ways of notifying customers, providing them ample time to address the situation. SmartSense also provides strong analytics capabilities to provide 24/7 insights into your environment to ensure you make informed decisions.
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Contact us today to learn how SmartSense can help your organization improve operational efficiency and overall food safety qualityFor more on federal food safety rules, read Key Federal Food Safety Laws: A Complete Compliance Guide (Updated 2026) and How to Pass a Restaurant Health Inspection: A Guide for Owners.