this post was submitted on 28 May 2024
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[–] dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 46 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (6 children)

I'm one of these people. I can smell an apartment roach infestation from the front door, every time.

And yes, restaurants always get the "sniff check" before we sit down. No-go odors are:

  • bleach
  • pine-sol (amonia)
  • heavy perfume (think "Glade plugin-in")
  • insects (roaches, etc)
  • pet odor (wet dog, litterbox)
  • sewage (usually a dry floor drain but that's still not okay)
  • dingy carpet (think: "old movie theater")

The first two are obvious attempts at covering up something worse with "clean" smells, and/or the staff has no idea what "clean" actually means. And they obviously don't care what olfaction means to someone trying to enjoy a meal, which says heaps about what they think food service actually is. Everything else just speaks to the "I don't care what you smell" part, or there's something very wrong with how the kitchen is run. /rant

An example of a top-shelf dining odor experience? I once went to a Japanese restaurant at opening time. The only smell in the dining room was that of the specific kind of imported cedar in the cutting boards. This is traditionally cleaned with boiling hot water, and nothing else. This released a gentle woody and pine-y scent that just filled the space and invited the senses. I came hungry, but I sat down ravenous. The meal to follow was something I will never forget.

Edit: some clarification since this got some traction. I know that bleach and ammonia are s-tier disinfectants and absolutely necessary for food prep, health standards, and the rest. I use this stuff at home. My issue is with establishments that utterly fail at ventilating these odor and spoil the dining experience with strong chemical odors. Looking deeper I find very strong cleaning odors (long after opening hours) suspicious since it's very easy to splash stuff around, giving the impression of cleanliness, but not actually clean anything. Strong chemical smells also make it impossible to detect sewage, rot, mold, soil, and other things that would easily flag a restaurant. I'd rather not take the chance.

[–] tate@lemmy.sdf.org 18 points 6 months ago

In some areas (depends on local health dept.) restaurant kitchens are required to have weak bleach solutions around for sanitizing food prep surfaces.

[–] awesome_lowlander@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 6 months ago (2 children)

The first two are obvious attempts at covering up something worse with "clean" smells, and/or the staff has no idea what "clean" actually means.

Or they're the cleanest places you've never eaten in.

[–] Socsa@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 months ago

Yeah this entire thread is filled with people who think they have superpowers but failing basic logic.

[–] dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

That's entirely possible. The problem is that with chlorine or ammonia vapors savaging your nasal cavity, you'll never really know.

I've tried to push through in these situations and it's never good.

[–] Socsa@sh.itjust.works 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Bro, bleach is literally how you are supposed to sanitize restaurant surfaces. This thread is wild.

[–] dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 1 points 6 months ago

Agreed! But "smells like cleanser" does not mean "is clean". It jams up my radar (sense of smell) so it's tough to figure out if anything else is up. I'd rather detect no off odors or cleansers at all to be sure.

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 4 points 6 months ago

Well put.

Just wanted to point out when an odor is pleasant it’s an aroma.

[–] ulterno@lemmy.kde.social 1 points 6 months ago

heavy perfume ...

“I don’t care what you smell”

This is one reason I stopped eating lunch with other people. Some people use so much of Deodorant (oh the irony in the name) that the volatile compounds get adsorbed onto the surface of fluids in the mouth and then get tasted and also go into the stomach. All I'd say is - They taste bad.

I don't think those chemicals are supposed to be edible.