People out to eat sitting around a table.

Small Flies and Customer Experience

You’re enjoying a meal with friends at a restaurant and mid-sentence, you notice a fruit fly buzzing around in front of you. While you probably find this to be a nuisance, did you know it is also a sign of sanitation issues in the restaurant? 

Small Flies and Customer Experience

You’re enjoying a meal with friends at a restaurant and mid-sentence, you notice a fruit fly buzzing around in front of you. While you probably find this to be a nuisance, did you know it is also a sign of sanitation issues in the restaurant? More and more consumers (and health inspectors) know that small flies can be a sign of larger concerns in a foodservice facility. What used to be an isolated experience for a few customers can now have a major impact on traffic to your location because of social media and online access to restaurant reviews. The business impact of a negative review can be significant, as research shows that an extra-half star rating on Yelp.com can cause restaurants to sell out 49% more frequently.1

Good facility sanitation is critical in the fight against small flies. If you notice these types of flies in your facility, try to see where they are congregating. Look for nearby moisture and decay (sometimes under and around rotting fruits and vegetables, drains, floor mats and garbage containers), which may be the breeding source. Outside attraction can be reduced with the use of high pressure sodium vapor lights; elimination of vegetation near the foundation; cleaning of garbage containers; and sealing of cracks and crevices. If flies persist after a thorough cleaning, Ecolab can help with treatment and ongoing protection. 

1 https://are.berkeley.edu/~jmagruder/Anderson%20and%20Magruder.pdf

 

 

More Resources

Fruit fly.

Facts About Small Flies

Depending on the types of flies that are present, different actions may be required for treatment and elimination. Understanding some of the more common types of small flies and their preferred breeding sites can help with fly prevention in your facility. 

More
Fruit flies on an orange.

Small Flies and Food Safety

Although the fruit fly (also known as a small fly) has historically been considered a nuisance pest, recent research proves that small flies contaminate food with bacteria carried from unsanitary surfaces (such as trash, drains, mops, etc.). 

Small flies on fruit.

Fly Control and Prevention

There are many simple actions that can make a big difference in avoiding a fruit fly infestation.