Survey on Restaurant Hygiene and Health Management: 70% Concerned About Food Poisoning, 30% Risk Temporary Closure Over Single Staff Absence

Synchro Food Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya, Tokyo; CEO: Takashi Okubo), operator of the platform "Inshokuten.com," conducted a survey among restaurant owners and operators regarding their awareness of infectious diseases, food poisoning, and the reality of hygiene management.

### Survey Overview - **Target:** Inshokuten.com members (Restaurant owners/operators) - **Responses:** 290 - **Period:** April 27, 2026 – May 7, 2026 - **Method:** Internet survey - **Respondent Profile:** 64.5% operate a single shop, and 53.1% are located in Tokyo (69.6% in the capital region), reflecting the reality of small-scale urban businesses.

### Key Findings

**70% Alert to Food Poisoning; Lower Awareness of Infectious Diseases** Regarding the risk of food poisoning during the rainy and summer seasons, 67.6% of respondents expressed concern (23.8% "very strong," 43.8% "somewhat"). Conversely, only 45.5% felt a sense of crisis regarding infectious diseases like measles, showing a temperature difference in vigilance between food-borne and airborne risks.

**Chronic Labor Shortage: 75% Have No Buffer** When asked about staffing levels, 75.2% reported having no leeway, with 64.5% stating they are "barely managing" and others facing "chronic" or "serious" shortages.

**The "One-Person" Threat to Operations** 67.2% of shops experienced "near-miss" incidents in the past year due to sudden staff absences. In a simulation where one employee is unable to work tomorrow due to illness, 27.6% of respondents stated it would be "fatal," forcing an immediate temporary closure. Another 26.9% would have to cover the gap with overtime, illustrating a precarious "tightrope" operation.

**Countermeasures: 40% Enrolled in Insurance** 40.3% of restaurants are prepared for outbreaks through Product Liability (PL) or business interruption insurance. However, monthly spending on hygiene is minimal, with 46.9% spending under 5,000 yen and 27.2% spending nothing, indicating that most shops focus on basic supplies rather than significant investments.

**Operational Dilemmas and BCP Challenges** Feedback from the field highlighted two major issues: 1. **Lack of Resources for BCP:** Owners of single-operator shops noted that if they fall ill, the business stops entirely, yet budgets do not allow for backup staffing. 2. **Difficulty in Staff Education:** Many struggle to move beyond simple checksheets, finding it hard to instill a deep understanding of hygiene essence in part-time staff.