Restaurant footfall down by 20% as diners demand hygiene checks

Pune: Hospitality industry sources have reported an 18%-20% decline in family dining footfalls at some establishments following increased scrutiny of restaurants after recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action.A representative of a prominent association of hotels and restaurants said, “Restaurants featured negatively after FDA action have seen a significant decline in sales — with some struggling to recover even 30% of their previous business. There is a growing sense of distrust among consumers, impacting their willingness to dine out. Additionally, there are concerns about threats from consumers to restaurant owners.”Restaurants have also seen an increase in diners seeking to inspect kitchens, verify invoices for ingredients and record videos over perceived lapses in hygiene or food quality.Hospitality industry sources said the heightened focus on food safety has led to a change in customer behaviour, with some diners treating minor service issues or variations in taste as indications of possible violations.“Guests now come to us wanting to see the kitchen before they eat, but we cannot allow someone who is not following hygiene protocols to enter it,” said a senior hospitality industry source from a Pune-based restaurant association. “People want to see certificates, bills or invoices for chicken and paneer to verify the ingredients have come in on the same day. There is particular focus on non-vegetarian food and paneer,” he added.Restaurant operators said many customers are questioning routine aspects of food preparation. “They start to record videos and say the food is stale or that there is some problem with it even if there is a slight difference in taste. A human is cooking the food and there can be variations sometimes,” the representative said.People also record uncleared tables during busy periods. “On a Saturday, a table can change hands three or four times. It may take a little time to clean it before another guest sits down. But people start to record and show the restaurant, saying it is not being cleaned properly,” another restaurant owner said on condition of anonymity.Such complaints are also being used during disputes over bills. “Sometimes a guest gets a bill of Rs1,000 and wants a discount because they did not like something. If the food has been completely consumed, we cannot give a discount afterwards. Then they say they will complain and start recording the staff or the restaurant,” he said.Industry sources said the cumulative effect of the negative publicity had begun to reflect in customer footfalls, particularly among families. A source said, “We are a family dining place and have seen footfall drop by around 18%-20% after the checks. People have questioned the act of eating out when they were not sure whether the food is safe. This creates a wrong impression about the entire industry.”The hospitality industry has also called for greater visibility for restaurants that clear food safety inspections. “There are many restaurants where the FDA has carried out checks and found the premises clean and compliant. But those positive inspections are not mentioned. Only closures or violations are highlighted. Successful checks should also be communicated so people know that restaurants are maintaining standards,” a restaurant owner said.Another restaurant owner who requested anonymity said the heightened focus on food safety was welcome, but needed safeguards against misuse of complaints. “The intention is good because there are restaurants where standards are not maintained. However, there has to be a counter-check mechanism. Any small complaint cannot automatically mean the restaurant is responsible,” he said.After recent checks, some eateries and hotels are taking proactive measures to tighten internal food safety checks, including displaying hygiene ratings and conducting daily kitchen audits, said Amit Sharma, former president, Poona Hoteliers’ Association. “Food safety is a collective responsibility. Whether it is a roadside food establishment, neighbourhood restaurant, cloud kitchen or five-star hotel — basic principles of safe food handling and hygiene must remain non-negotiable,” he said.Sharma said his hotel has started to display its independently verified FSSAI hygiene rating and now follows a 47-point kitchen hygiene checklist, with daily monitoring of food storage and temperatures, personal hygiene, sanitation and food handling.