Project Highlight: Max Burger
A Smart Management Decision
“Just like the growing trend of customers looking for fine dining experiences that don’t break the bank, it’s my job to spot the latest trends that can help us cut costs,” said Tim Taillefer, General Manager of the Max Burger location that opened in 2012. “The best investment we made when opening the second location of Max Burger was XLERATOR hand dryers.” XLERATOR is the original, patented, high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryer. It represents a 95-percent cost savings when compared to paper towels and eliminates their maintenance and waste while creating a more hygienic restroom environment. “XLERATOR helps us save money versus paper towels, and their durability and reliability have made them the industry standard,” continued Taillefer.
Taillefer said part of his responsibilities as General Manager is the role of “Mr. Fix It,” so he is acutely aware of why the XLERATOR hand dryer has become the industry standard. “I’ve been in the restaurant industry for almost two decades, and after the first year everything begins to break. Unlike XLERATOR hand dryers, many of our restroom fixtures have needed replacement, like the automatic soap dispensers and toilet seats.”
He went on to explain that XLERATOR hand dryers were not the first hand-drying solution in place at Max restaurants. “At another Max restaurant location we had installed the Dyson Airblade trough-style hand dryers and it was my job to clean them – a dirty job. They were high maintenance and included trays to collect excess water that needed to be emptied out frequently. The bacteria buildup was overwhelming… I will never forget the smell alone.”
“The Dyson Airblade was a real problem for us,” agreed Restaurant Manager Laura Katsoulis. “The cleaning elements became an issue, as they fill with water. We had to maintain those. With the XLERATOR, it maintains itself.”
A Hygienic Solution
Hygiene is particularly important for the restaurant industry, which Taillefer said is another reason why the XLERATOR was the right choice. “Your restrooms have to be as clean as your kitchen; that goes without saying. If you have a guest who goes into a dirty bathroom, they’re going to be scared. They’re going to be wondering what’s going on their plate.”
The XLERATOR hand dryers are a hygienic solution for Max Burger’s restrooms. “We serve about 4,000 people a week, so it’s great that guests and staff don’t have to touch anything when they use the XLERATOR.” The hands-free approach prevents the spread of illness, “which is a big advantage for the food service industry because the flu can wipe out half my staff in a day,” Taillefer added.
“The XLERATOR is safe, sanitary and also dries hands faster than conventional dryers, which improves my customer experience,” said Taillefer. Specifically, the XLERATOR dries hands three times faster than conventional hand dryers, while using 80 percent less energy.
SAVING MONEY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
“Most folks aren’t going to grab one paper towel; they’re going to grab 10 to 20. You’re going to go through multiple boxes a day,” said Taillefer. “The money adds up, not to mention the carbon footprint. These are trees that are dying…so I can dry my hands?”
A customized cost-savings analysis revealed that Max Burger used nearly 750,000 paper towels with a total cost of $5,850 annually. The high-speed, energy-efficient XLERATOR hand dryers were a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative. By purchasing two XLERATOR hand dryers, Max Burger would save an estimated $5,191 each year versus paper towels.
According to Max Burger’s cost savings analysis, XLERATOR hand dryers reduced the restaurant’s hand drying carbon footprint by 80 percent. To put that into perspective, an 80-percent reduction saved approximately 62 trees, 11 cubic yards in landfill space, 72,789 gallons of water and emissions equivalent to 69 gallons of gasoline in one year.