Pest Prevention Best Practices for Your Restaurant

If you work in the food and drink sector, you’ll know that – perhaps more so than in any other industry – you need to do things by the book.

There are absolutely no shortcuts where customer care is concerned and you need to put your all into ensuring that those who pass through the doors of your premises feel encouraged to return.

Of course, a key part of that is the service you offer and the food and drink you serve. That said, five-star service and Michelin star-quality food means nothing if even one customer catches sight of a pest lurking in or around their meal.

So, what do you do to prevent such an occurrence? We’ve compiled this handy guide to best practice when it comes to pest prevention in restaurants to save you some much-needed time. Read on…

One Pest Equals a Damaged Reputation

The fact is, there’s virtually no going back once pests have entered your premises and your customers have spotted them.

Word travels fast and before you know it, the reputation you’ve spent so much time and energy building up is in shreds. So, it comes down to prevention, doesn’t it? Prevention really is the cure, after all.

Posing a threat to hygiene standards in your food preparation and storage areas, mice, rats, cockroaches and flies can put a pox on your reputation in an instant. So protect your brand name – and yourself – by putting the necessary steps in place to ensure a pest infestation doesn’t become a reality for your business.

Pest control is more than just a consideration for your company – it’s a legality in restaurants, takeaways, pubs and clubs. By law, your business needs to meet specific pest control requirements, not simply as a means of ensuring the safety of your customers, but in a bid to look after yourself and your staff, too.

Common Restaurant Pests: A Quick Guide

So, what type of pests can you expect to see in your restaurant, should an infestation occur?

Mice, rats, flies and cockroaches are just four of the common threats in the restaurant and food service industry. Did you know that many of them carry harmful bacteria which not only contaminates food but can lead to illness amongst staff too?

Pest Control Best Practice: A Step-by-step Guide

If you think your business might suffer from a pest infestation in weeks or months to come, it’s important you take the necessary steps now to nip the issue in the bud. Here’s what to do:

Carry Out Regular Maintenance Assessments: Pest-proof your business by carrying out routine checks in and around your building. If you decide to skip this step, certain areas of your premises can fast become a breeding ground for unwanted insects and animals.

Consider Specialist Equipment: Have you thought about insect screens and electronic fly killing devices? Stock up on these essential pest prevention tools and make sure they’re always in good working order.

Still Got a Problem?: If you’ve put the necessary steps in place to prevent a pest problem, it’s now time to call in the professionals. Helping you eradicate the problem with minimum fuss, pest control companies are experts when it comes to controlling pests in the food service industry. Assisting you with everything from assessing and managing issues to giving you the support you need – as and when you need it – pest control companies are trained in the safe and hygienic management of pests.

Ensuring you can get back to running your business with minimum disruption, a pest control company offers bespoke, environmentally-friendly solutions for every kind of company, regardless of its size.

Working closely with your company’s local Environmental Health offices to ensure pests don’t damage your business going forwards, pest control companies offer great results and all the assurance you need that the day-to-day running of your company is back on track.

When To Take Matters into Your Own Hands?

There are three main pests which threaten to cause damage to your business. These are: flies, cockroaches and rodents. Here’s what to do if you spot any of the three:

Cockroaches: Treat cracks, crevices and wall voids – all are places where cockroaches spend most of their time – and use a combination of insecticide, roach bait and insect growth regulator.

Flies: Flies will always find their way into your business, particularly during food delivery times. But you can eradicate them by checking rubbish bins, loose floor tiles and floor and sink drains, before applying fly baits both indoors and outdoors. Sink and floor drains are key breeding grounds for flies, so keep them clean always, and ensure that outdoor and indoor bins are changed regularly too.

Rodents: Finding their way indoors via the smallest of cracks in the wall, rodents are a real issue when it comes to your food and drink business. So, what to do? Keep bins clean and empty them regularly, placing rodent bait stations in and around refuse areas where possible. Also, try to locate as many entry points as you can, sealing them with copper mesh or black foam.

Of course, we always advise that you seek the help of a pest control company, should you notice a problem that threatens to damage your company. And the reason is simple: you may think you’ve got rid of the issue but the chances are there are some more pests waiting in the wings to wreak havoc on your premises. Don’t let them get the better of you and your business and do all you can now to alleviate the issue.

The fact is, it’s now more important than ever to get the professionals in to do a thorough job. Why? Legislation is tightening when it comes to the appropriate measures for prevention and early detection of pests in the food and drink sector.

Make sure you comply with internal quality management standards and all times, training up your staff to deal with problems quickly and effectively.