Cleanliness is just as important as taste when it comes to selecting restaurants, according to foodservice research firm Technomic.

On the heels of Ecolab's "Why Clean Matters" campaign, two Consumer Restaurant Brand Metrics trend studies conducted by Technomic asked consumers to rate performance at leading restaurant chains on experience attributes. The cleanliness of tableware (dishes, glasses, silverware) consistently ranked as the most important attribute to full-service customers, with 93 percent listing it as the top attribute. Interior cleanliness came next, tying in with food temperature. And, Technomic found consumers who rated chains with the highest levels of cleanliness also indicated those were the places they were most likely to return or recommend to others.