At the National Restaurant Show 2026 in Chicago, one topic is generating more booth conversations than most: back-of-house sanitation. Specifically, whether the reusable linen towel — a decades-old kitchen staple — still makes sense.
Reusable linen towels have been standard in commercial kitchens for as long as most operators can remember. But a growing number of restaurant groups are taking a hard look at what that system actually costs — not just in dollars, but in risk, consistency, and operational complexity.
WHAT OPERATORS ARE EVALUATING
The shift isn't happening because of a single factor. It's happening because operators are stacking up the issues and realizing the total cost of linen is higher than the invoice suggests.
CROSS-CONTAMINATION CONTROL
Reusable towels circulate between prep stations, carrying bacteria across surfaces. Disposable wipes eliminate that variable completely.
SANITATION CONSISTENCY
Linen hygiene depends on wash cycles you don't control. Disposable means every wipe starts clean and ends removed.
PROCESS SIMPLIFICATION
No sorting, no counting, no tracking returns. One wipe, one use — done. Simpler for staff, simpler for management.
TOTAL OPERATIONAL COST
When you factor in rental fees, replacement charges, delivery logistics, and loss — disposable often wins on total spend.
ONE WIPE. ONE USE.
REMOVED FROM THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE COMPARISON AT A GLANCE
Here's how the two systems stack up when you look at the factors that matter most to multi-unit operators:
For restaurant groups running multiple locations, disposable wipes create something linen never could: a predictable, standardized sanitation process that works the same way in every kitchen, every shift, every day.
WHY THIS CONVERSATION MATTERS AT NRA
The National Restaurant Show is where operators go to challenge assumptions and find better systems. If you haven't re-evaluated your linen contract recently, NRA 2026 is the time to do it.
SMPLY is at the show with disposable foodservice wipes designed for high-volume commercial kitchens — backed by a supply network that already supports 35,000+ locations nationwide. Whether you're running 5 locations or 500, the conversation is the same: less risk, lower cost, simpler operations.
SEE SMPLY AT NRA 2026 IN CHICAGO
Stop by our booth to see how disposable foodservice wipes can reduce your sanitation risk and lower your recurring paper costs.