Hot Table Panini upgrades restrooms with touchless sink systems

Hot Table Panini is adding touchless restroom technology across its fast-casual locations as the Northeast franchise expands. The company says the move improves cleanliness, guest experience and costs while reducing paper towel use and waste.

Why it matters: - Hot Table Panini is treating the restroom as part of the guest experience, not just a back-of-house necessity. - The move reflects a broader restaurant priority on operational efficiency, technology investment and cleanliness. - The company is also tying restroom upgrades to lower ongoing costs, less waste and a more consistent brand experience as it grows.

What happened: - Hot Table Panini partnered with Excel Dryer and installed XLERATOR Hand Dryers to support cleaner, more efficient restrooms. - The Springfield, Massachusetts-based sandwich chain was founded in 2007 by brothers John and Chris DeVoie and restaurateur Don Watroba. - Hot Table Panini has grown into a fast-casual franchise expanding across the Northeast. - The company also added D|13 integrated sink systems with XLERATORsync Hand Dryer technology so guests can wash, rinse and dry hands in one place.

The details: - Chris DeVoie said the restroom can shape a guest’s first impression before dining and should reflect the same standards as the rest of the restaurant. - Chris DeVoie said touchless, high-efficiency hand dryers help maintain a cleaner restroom, reduce the cost of single-use paper towels and free team members for more customer-facing work. - MetrixLab’s global survey found cleanliness and hygiene are consumers' top restroom concerns. - The survey found 80% of respondents would not or might not return to a restaurant with a dirty restroom. - The survey identified paper towels on the floor and overflowing trash receptacles as the top contributors to a “dirty restroom.” - Hot Table Panini said single-use paper towels were increasing costs, waste and maintenance as customer traffic rose. - After switching to XLERATOR Hand Dryers, Hot Table Panini said it cut costs by more than 95% and reduced labor and restroom upkeep. - XLERATOR Hand Dryers became the franchise standard after those results. - John DeVoie said the integrated sink system added a modern design element and created a seamless hand-washing and drying experience at the sink. - A recent Life Cycle Assessment found Excel hand dryers can reduce a facility’s carbon footprint by up to 94% compared with even 100% recycled single-use paper towels.

Between the lines: - Hot Table Panini is using restroom design as a brand signal, which suggests the company sees small operational details as a way to differentiate in fast-casual dining. - The investment also shows how sustainability, hygiene and labor efficiency can line up in one capital decision. - Excel Dryer is positioning the Hot Table Panini rollout as proof that touchless restroom technology can support both guest satisfaction and operating performance.

What's next: - Hot Table Panini said the restroom upgrades will continue to support a more consistent and elevated experience as the franchise expands. - The company points to its restroom approach as part of a broader effort to keep growing without sacrificing service or standards. - Excel Dryer directed readers to its website and a Hot Table Panini case study video for more information: More information.

The bottom line: - Hot Table Panini is betting that cleaner, touchless restrooms can improve guest perception, cut costs and reinforce its brand as it scales.