In the fast-paced environment of a restaurant, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene is crucial for both employees and customers, especially in a post-COVID-19 world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), proper hand washing can reduce respiratory illnesses such as colds by more than 20%. Having the right soap and warm water is crucial for clean hands, but an overlooked part of hand hygiene is the right selection of paper towel dispensers. Drying hands is one of the most important parts of preventing spreadable germs and diseases — in fact, wet hands can transmit 1,000 times more germs than dry hands. With a wide variety of options available, choosing the right dispenser can make a significant difference in terms of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and overall restroom maintenance. Let’s break down the different types of paper towel dispensers suitable for businesses, so you can select the perfect dispenser for your business.

Types of Paper Towel Dispensers

There are more options for paper towels than the simple roll holder you may see in a home kitchen. Commercial paper towel dispensers are designed to handle the traffic and hygiene concerns for restaurants, but there are a few options — and not all may work for your space.

1. Center-Pull Dispensers: Center-pull paper towel dispensers are popular for high-traffic areas. Their design allows users to retrieve paper towels from the center of the roll by pulling the towel down. The design is meant to reduce waste and allow for a larger capacity of paper towels with the barrel design. They are often designed with a transparent cover, enabling quick monitoring of paper levels and ensuring timely refills.

2. Roll Towel Dispensers or Standard Paper Towel Rolls: Roll towel dispensers offer a versatile solution, accommodating different paper towel sizes and roll lengths. These dispensers are commonly found in high-traffic restrooms where a larger volume of paper towels is required. They can be manual or automatic, and even equipped with sensors for touch-free dispensing. The design allows customers to get one paper towel at a time, promoting enhanced hygiene.

3. Folded Towel Dispensers: Folded towel dispensers are usually stored on the counter or as a single unit above a trash can. The paper towels are interfolded or multifold paper towels, which are folded in a zigzag pattern. This allows customers to get one paper towel at a time. These dispensers provide a neat and organized appearance. Folded paper towel dispensers can be great space savers and come in a variety of options.

Choosing the Right Paper Towel Dispenser

There are a few things to consider when choosing types of paper towel dispensers for your restaurant. Selecting the right paper towel dispenser is essential for restaurant owners and managers aiming to maintain a clean, efficient, and cost-effective restroom environment. Before you choose which dispenser you want, consider these:

• Hygiene and Maintenance: The reason you’re even purchasing paper towel dispensers is to promote hand hygiene and reduce the spread of germs and pathogens. Touchless or automatic dispensers can reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Dispensers that are easy to clean and maintain help ensure efficient restroom management. A commercial towel service can help you maintain your paper stock and supply, reducing added pressure on you or management.
• Consider Traffic Volume: How many people visit the restroom per day or per hour? Assess the restroom traffic volume in your restaurant to determine the appropriate paper towel dispenser and paper products. High-traffic establishments might benefit from roll towel dispensers or center-pull dispensers, while lower-traffic venues may opt for folded towel dispensers.
• Evaluate Space Constraints: Take into account the available space in your restroom when selecting a paper towel dispenser. Consider wall-mounted options if space is limited, as they are compact and can be easily installed at convenient locations.

Keep Clean with Enviro-Master Services

Enviro-Master Services’ Paper Management Program offers a comprehensive paper management program designed to address the challenges associated with excessive paper waste, dwindling paper stocks, and faulty dispensers. Our certified Health and Safety Technicians are trained to manage your paper inventory, provide weekly visits to service and maintain most types of paper towel dispensers. Our program helps restaurant owners and managers save both time and money.

We also help keep the rest of your restaurant sanitized and clean with our variety of commercial services. Submit a contact form to learn more about our services.