Challenges are directly impacting food safety standards, with one in five franchise managers and employees believing food safety has been at severe risk on their site in recent weeks
Cape Town 22 March 2022: Leading global public health and safety organisation, NSF International, has commissioned an independent study into the state of quick service restaurant (QSR) operations around the world. The survey revealed the top five key areas of concern:
- Covid-19 regulatory requirements
- the rise of home delivery
- equipment malfunctions
- lack of training
- staff turnover
This is a pivotal moment for QSR brands. We know that many of the trends and corresponding challenges brought about by the pandemic are here to stay, so restaurant owners and managers need to adapt in order to survive – and to do so safely. Our recent study looked at QSR operations in five major markets including the US, UK, China, India and Latin America. The findings were consistent in restaurants in each market. New regulations and procedures, staff training and retention, and the need to accommodate rapid delivery and takeout orders have all taken a toll on the ability to keep operations running smoothly, and this is seen in South Africa as it is around the world.
Wouter Conradie, Supply Chain Food Safety Director for Europe and Africa, NSF International.
1. The impact of Covid-19
QSR operations is a constant balancing act between quality, customer-centricity, and food safety whilst under pressure to maximise efficiency and speed. Yet the events of the past 24 months have upset this balance. As a result of the pandemic, the overwhelming majority of QSR franchises and employees raise concerns over the new regulatory requirements (67%). This has created a knock-on effect, with survey respondents citing further challenges in the form of longer customer waiting times (35%) and increased running costs (37%). Interestingly 87% say COVID-19 has increased customers awareness of food safety issues.
2. A rise in-home delivery
One in 5 (22%) QSR managers said home delivery has increased food risks due to added pressure on employees. Survey respondents noted that increased customer demands over the speed of delivery (38%) and keeping food at the right temperature (34%) were the biggest tensions. Alongside the increased work pressure, QSR brands are concerned about ensuring that third-party logistics partners have adequate food safety training, clean and suitable vehicles, and appropriate food boxes to ensure standards are upheld across the purchasing chain.
3. Equipment breakdowns
The fast-paced, high-pressure nature of QSR work makes equipment breakdowns prevalent – and deeply disruptive – putting both consumer and employee safety at risk. Nearly a third (26%) of QSR operations simply switch off machinery due to a lack of time or expertise to troubleshoot the problem, with 34% temporarily discontinuing a menu item because of non-functioning equipment. One in 5 QSR managers and employees also admit to skipping automatic cleaning cycles (19%) or ignoring error messages on equipment (16%), a practice that was of concern to Wouter. “For so many of QSR workers to be actively ignoring cleaning protocols puts food safety at a huge risk. Food safety standards should be held in the highest regard – it is the factor that has the potential to make or break a QSR establishment, above all others.”
4. Staff turnover
Two thirds (67%) of QSR managers have found staff turnover to be an issue for their business, with 13% believing it to be the biggest negative impact on operations. Covid-19 has only heightened the issue, with 38% of respondents saying finding and keeping staff is a huge challenge following the pandemic. More than a quarter (28%) of respondents in the sector actively looking for a new job
5. Lack of training
Already a key aspect of operations for any QSR brand, training has become even more critical as Covid-19 increased staff turnover and necessitated new regulations and procedures – in fact, 73% of QSR respondents say the pandemic has increased their training needs. But at the same time, the pandemic has also made the process more challenging. Worryingly, only 1 in 5 (22%) of frontline staff believe their training is very effective. More than half (55%) had to cancel or delay employee training due to Covid-19. The lack of immediately available training, coupled with inconsistent quality of courses has a clear, real-world impact on food safety. And inadequate staff training was the second biggest threat to food safety at their location.
If this is not tackled Wouter fears a poor precedent is being set for the future of QSR operations: “Training is vital at every level in food services. Each employee should be clear on not only their employer’s expectations but the national standards and regulations – training is the most effective way to ensure this. For those that had training efforts hampered by the pandemic, I would encourage looking further afield and considering digital training systems, which deliver consistent and reliable training programmes, and can quickly help to resolve a huge hurdle for the QSR sector.” For more information about NSF, or to read the full global report, please visit: https://bit.ly/3t245Jn
Notes to editors
About this study
NSF’s study surveyed a random sample of n=687 workers and decision-makers in the US, UK, China, India and Latin America. The study was double-blind and fielded by Lucid, a global leader in managed survey sample. The margin of error for this study is +/-3.76% at the 95% confidence level.
Responder Breakout:
- N=687 complete survey responses
- All respondents were currently employed in the QSR industry
- All respondents represented QSR brands with multiple restaurants
- All respondents worked at QSR brands that are global, national, or regional
About NSF
NSF is an independent, global organisation that facilitates the development of standards, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences and consumer goods industries to minimise adverse health effects and protect the environment. Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. With operations in 180 countries, NSF is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Food Safety, Water Quality and Indoor Environment.