Texas Roadhouse Earns the Ecolab Science Certified™ Seal Nationwide at More Than 600 Restaurants, Demonstrating Commitment to Higher Level of Cleanliness

ST. PAUL, Minn., March 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ecolab Inc., the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services, is pleased to announce that Texas Roadhouse has earned the Ecolab Science Certified™ seal at more than 600 restaurants in 49 states. The seal signifies Texas Roadhouse’s commitment to rigorous, science-based cleaning protocols, training and audits that build both guest and employee confidence. Texas Roadhouse, one of the nation’s fastest growing casual restaurant groups, was the most popular chain restaurant in America during the pandemic, according to marketing research company Top Data.

“We are proud we were the first restaurant company in 2020 to commit to the Ecolab Science Certified program, and now are honored to have the seal at our restaurants across the U.S.,” said Kent Taylor, CEO of Texas Roadhouse. “Ecolab’s expertise in the industry and science-based program, combined with our operators’ passion for helping keep our employees and guests safe, enhances our ongoing goal of providing a higher level of cleanliness in our restaurants.”

Texas Roadhouse joins other leading restaurants, hotels and retailers in advancing cleaner, safer practices through the Ecolab Science Certified program. This comprehensive program combines hospital disinfectants and food-contact sanitizers approved for use during the COVID-19 pandemic with public health and food safety training and periodic auditing.

“Through Ecolab Science Certified, foodservice and hospitality companies like Texas Roadhouse can help address concerns about the pandemic by advancing cleaner, safer practices,” said Mike Johannsen, executive vice president and general manager of Ecolab’s Global Institutional business. “Texas Roadhouse takes great care in delivering a heightened level of cleanliness for their guests and employees, continuing to demonstrate their leadership through the Ecolab Science Certified program. We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership, working together to build diner confidence as Texas Roadhouse puts our scientific expertise to work.”

The program was informed by proprietary research¹ that showed 66% of restaurant customers said they feel “extremely” or “very safe” knowing a restaurant is cleaned with hospital disinfectants*. The research also found that consumers feel safer knowing that an external, independent Ecolab auditor – particularly one with expertise cleaning and disinfecting hospitals – has audited a facility’s cleaning practices.

And even after a vaccine is distributed, Ecolab’s research showed that 95% of consumers surveyed want to see as much or more cleaning and sanitation practices at the places they eat, stay and shop.²

In restaurants, hotels, grocery stores and other businesses, the key elements of the Ecolab Science Certified program include:

• Create clean through hospital disinfectants and food-contact sanitizers approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against the COVID-19 virus and other emerging pathogens, and elevated hygiene standards and protocols informed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. 
• Check clean through detailed public health and food safety training and periodic auditing by highly trained Ecolab specialists to determine whether program elements are being followed. 
• Help consumers see and believe clean through front-of-house cleaning and disinfecting procedures and the Ecolab Science Certified seal, a visible sign of commitment that a location is advancing cleaner, safer practices.
  

The program is grounded in Ecolab’s decades of experience helping keep hospitals, restaurants, hotels and other businesses clean, and its partnerships with many of the world’s leading foodservice and hospitality brands, including Texas Roadhouse.

For more information about the Ecolab Science Certified program, visit www.sciencecertified.com. To learn more about Texas Roadhouse and their commitment to advancing cleaner, safer practices, go to www.texasroadhouse.com.

About Ecolab
A trusted partner at nearly three million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services. With annual sales of $12 billion and more than 44,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions, data-driven insights and personalized service to advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, optimize water and energy use, and improve operational efficiencies and sustainability for customers in the food, healthcare, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world. www.ecolab.com

Follow us on LinkedIn @Ecolab, Twitter @Ecolab, Instagram @Ecolab_Inc and Facebook @Ecolab.

About Texas Roadhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a casual dining concept that first opened in 1993 and today has grown to over 620 restaurants system-wide in 49 states and 10 foreign countries. For more information, please visit www.texasroadhouse.com.

Contacts:
Mesa Denny, Ecolab
+1 651 250 4724
mediarelations@ecolab.com

Travis Doster, Texas Roadhouse
+1 502 638 5457
Travis.Doster@texasroadhouse.com

March 18, 2021

(ECL-P)

¹Ecolab proprietary consumer research conducted May 2020.
*The term “hospital-grade disinfectants” were used in the research conducted May 2020.
²Ecolab proprietary research conducted January 2021.