Clean restrooms drive customer perception and loyalty
Want to keep customers coming back to your convenience store or gas station? The simplest way to do so is to keep a clean restroom.
That is the findings of the Bradley Company’s Healthy Handwashing Survey an annual U.S. survey—the findings are applicable to Canada as well—that tracks how perceptions of public restrooms in businesses shape a customer’s relationship with a business.
This year’s findings track with previous studies; that is a public restroom in a business reflects that business’s management, brand, and values. Simply, if your public restroom does not meet a customer’s expectation of cleanliness and being well-maintained, it impacts their perception of how the business operates and values and will impact their loyalty and future business with you.
Some of the findings in this year’s survey should give any Canadian operator of a convenience store or gas station pause:
- 84% say an unclean or poorly stocked restroom damages a business’s image
- 75% will think twice before returning after a bad restroom experience
- 71% are more likely to return — and spend more — at businesses with clean, well-maintained restrooms
“A restroom is a very memorable space — good or bad,” said Jon Dommisse, vice-president of business development and strategy at Bradley. “Because we’ve conducted this survey for 16 years, we can show exactly how consumer expectations have risen over time — and what facility teams can do right now to meet and exceed them.”
Since 2009, Bradley’s Healthy Handwashing Survey has consistently identified the same top frustrations: clogged or unflushed toilets, unpleasant odors, and restrooms that look outdated, dirty, or unkempt. Women are more likely than men to observe unclean restroom conditions. These issues don’t just create discomfort; they signal to users that cleanliness and care aren’t priorities.
The ways of overcoming such negative perceptions are simple, and can be applied by any Canadian convenience store or gas station:
- Increased cleaning and restocking: The top request for the past decade
- Paper towels as an option, even with dryers: 60% use them to avoid touching restroom surfaces
- Touchless fixtures throughout: Nearly 80% say they’re important and provide better restroom experience
These preferences represent a permanent shift in public expectations. Over the past ten years, and especially in the wake of COVID-19, the study finds their importance has surged with the most gains between 2020 and 2022.
Cleanability, hygiene, and convenience are no longer extras; they’re the baseline for earning customer trust.
“Our past research shows that more than 90% of Americans associate a high-quality restroom with a high-quality business, and 70% have chosen a business specifically because its restrooms are cleaner and better maintained,” Dommisse noted. “It’s clear that these upgrades deliver measurable business returns — driving satisfaction, loyalty, and repeat visits. Simply put, the restroom is now a revenue-impacting asset, not an afterthought.”
“Clean, functional, and thoughtfully designed restrooms send a powerful message; they show guests, customers, and staff that they’re valued, while also delivering measurable business benefits,” Dommisse added. “Our long-term data proves these spaces can boost satisfaction, strengthen loyalty, and drive repeat visits, turning restrooms into both a point of pride and a performance asset.”
