Dirty Places, Part 5: Restaurants
Hepatitis A vaccine is administered to children at age 2, but this highly-effective vaccine is optional (not currently required for most school entries). Optional or not, this is a great vaccine. It protects against the most common form of hepatitis. Most cases of hepatitis that are traced to restaurants are of this type. Hepatitis A is transmitted fecal-orally. In other words, someone's unwashed hands contaminated with feces likely made your salad. In 2003, 510 cases of hepatitis A, including 3 fatalities, were traced to green onions at Chi-Chi's Mexican Restaurant in Pittsburgh, PA, my old stompin' ground. Someone was definitely touching their chi-chi without washing their hands! We had a similar, albeit smaller, outbreak in the Sacramento area.
In 1990's, the world was shocked when several people were infected with various strains of E. coli from two national burger fast food chains. E. coli is another fecal contaminant, and some strains can cause Traveler's Diarrhea (aka Montezuma's Revenge).
Don't forget the ice in restaurants, too. A middle schooler did an award-winning science project earlier this year, proving that fast food ice is dirtier than toilet water 70% of the time.
I spent several days in Hong Kong several years ago and witnessed some new lows in restaurant hygiene. While sitting at my table, I witnessed the waitress wiping out the used bowls and plates with a dirty rag and resetting the table. Shocked, I mentioned this to our native hosts who said that this was common practice to save water. When our piping hot tea arrived, I promptly poured all of it into my bowl hoping to sterilize any contaminants. I can say that I did not get ill, but the potential clearly existed at every place we dined.
In 1986, the FDA banned the use of sulfites on salad. Sulfites were sprayed on lettuce to keep it from browning. Unfortunately, a large portion of the population is allergic to sulfa and many people (myself included) developed an immediate gastrointestinal response to this preservative - namely, diarrhea. While not technically a contaminant, any substance that sends restaurant customers running to the bathroom is bound to be contributory to other types of fecal contamination.
I have family members in the restaurant business, so I try to be real nice if I have to send a particular food item back to the kitchen. I really don't want to particularly rile some hairy-armed, tattooed, ex-con who will send back my item with something "extra". My mother was a waitress and bragged about these deliberate acts of kitchen terrorism. Now I know that is an unfair generalization about cooks, but those guys are working back there in some establishments. Many people remember the Seinfeld episode involving Poppy and his unwashed hands. Several news programs have shocked us with hidden camera video of cooks dropping your steak on the floor or picking their noses. I assume you are nauseated by now, so I will hold further examples.
We do have Health Departments and other government agencies that inspect restaurants for cleanliness, but how many of us would check for violations prior to sitting down to eat? New York City, for example, launched a Restaurant Cleanliness campaign in 2004, with other major cities following. I would love to see those health certificates hanging prominently at places that I frequent.
The problem with cleanliness in restaurants is the human factor. Humans on this planet have varying degrees of personal hygiene and integrity, and unfortunately, restaurants have no way of determining this when someone is hired. The only way to assure compliance to commonsense health and food-handling practices is with careful monitoring. Sure, I see those signs in restaurant bathrooms requiring that all employees wash their hands before exiting, but signs do not imply compliance. This is really as small planet, and we need to look out for each other. Until we have some assurance that our fellow humans are doing their share, you need to seriously look out for yourself and family.
Correction, July 21, 2006: The paragraph concerning E. coli deaths in fast-food chains misstated the name of that restaurant. That information has been corrected.
Related Topics: 5-Second Rule Rules, Sometimes, FDA Panel: No Advantage to Antibacterial Soap
Technorati Tags: restaurant cleanliness, hand-washing, restaurants, Health Department violations
If you're just now joining us, you'll want to read Public Toilets (part 1), Airplanes (part 2), Your Doctor's Office (part 3), and Hotels and Motels (part 4).
In 1990's, the world was shocked when several people were infected with various strains of E. coli from two national burger fast food chains. E. coli is another fecal contaminant, and some strains can cause Traveler's Diarrhea (aka Montezuma's Revenge).
Don't forget the ice in restaurants, too. A middle schooler did an award-winning science project earlier this year, proving that fast food ice is dirtier than toilet water 70% of the time.
I spent several days in Hong Kong several years ago and witnessed some new lows in restaurant hygiene. While sitting at my table, I witnessed the waitress wiping out the used bowls and plates with a dirty rag and resetting the table. Shocked, I mentioned this to our native hosts who said that this was common practice to save water. When our piping hot tea arrived, I promptly poured all of it into my bowl hoping to sterilize any contaminants. I can say that I did not get ill, but the potential clearly existed at every place we dined.
In 1986, the FDA banned the use of sulfites on salad. Sulfites were sprayed on lettuce to keep it from browning. Unfortunately, a large portion of the population is allergic to sulfa and many people (myself included) developed an immediate gastrointestinal response to this preservative - namely, diarrhea. While not technically a contaminant, any substance that sends restaurant customers running to the bathroom is bound to be contributory to other types of fecal contamination.
I have family members in the restaurant business, so I try to be real nice if I have to send a particular food item back to the kitchen. I really don't want to particularly rile some hairy-armed, tattooed, ex-con who will send back my item with something "extra". My mother was a waitress and bragged about these deliberate acts of kitchen terrorism. Now I know that is an unfair generalization about cooks, but those guys are working back there in some establishments. Many people remember the Seinfeld episode involving Poppy and his unwashed hands. Several news programs have shocked us with hidden camera video of cooks dropping your steak on the floor or picking their noses. I assume you are nauseated by now, so I will hold further examples.
We do have Health Departments and other government agencies that inspect restaurants for cleanliness, but how many of us would check for violations prior to sitting down to eat? New York City, for example, launched a Restaurant Cleanliness campaign in 2004, with other major cities following. I would love to see those health certificates hanging prominently at places that I frequent.
The problem with cleanliness in restaurants is the human factor. Humans on this planet have varying degrees of personal hygiene and integrity, and unfortunately, restaurants have no way of determining this when someone is hired. The only way to assure compliance to commonsense health and food-handling practices is with careful monitoring. Sure, I see those signs in restaurant bathrooms requiring that all employees wash their hands before exiting, but signs do not imply compliance. This is really as small planet, and we need to look out for each other. Until we have some assurance that our fellow humans are doing their share, you need to seriously look out for yourself and family.
Correction, July 21, 2006: The paragraph concerning E. coli deaths in fast-food chains misstated the name of that restaurant. That information has been corrected.
Related Topics: 5-Second Rule Rules, Sometimes, FDA Panel: No Advantage to Antibacterial Soap
Technorati Tags: restaurant cleanliness, hand-washing, restaurants, Health Department violations
If you're just now joining us, you'll want to read Public Toilets (part 1), Airplanes (part 2), Your Doctor's Office (part 3), and Hotels and Motels (part 4).
80 Comments:
Out of all the dirty places you have written about, I think I worry the most about restaurants. On Sunday, July 2, I was violently ill with diarrhea and vomitting. It came on suddenly and lasted about 2 hours. I believe I got it from eating out on Saturday. I ate at a local Mexican restaurant with my husband. He did not get sick. He had beef tacos and I had chicken quesadillas with farmers cheese on top. I don't know if it was caused by bad hygeine or the cheese. I just know that it is not the first time I have gotten sick from eating out.
I found the sulfite information interesting. Sulfites don't give me diarrhea, but they are an asthma trigger. I am glad they are no longer on lettuce.
On a flight from Chicago I asked for water. I was given a cup of water and when the short flight landed I had to rush to the bathroom at the airport because i had diareah. I will bring my own bottled water from now on.
Patrons who eat out should think: "Do I trust strangers to prepare what I put into my mouth?" I have asked myself this question and the answer is no! I have not eaten out for three years. Over the years I, my wife, relatives and acquaitances have all had episodes of getting sick after dining out.
YOU should realy check out some of the restaurants and fast food places in Florida and some stores with bathrooms to you would be shock to see how dirty they are I try to avoid public bathrooms now
How, then, are restaurant patrons to protect themselves, short of staying home?
I wonder how many people in restaurants are making themselves sick by not washing their hands. I really don't get sick often from eating in restaurants. I go out to eat about 1-2 times a week. I don't get diarrhea that often. And I rarely vomit and it's usually related to something other than gastrointestinal illnesses. Or maybe it's just because I went to preschool!
We take our food and dont eat out if they have aids and cough on your salid you might be a gonner. Take de germer cleaner for the rest rooms. Me carful with children take them a porta pottie. We have foreigners who dont care and are running motels and busness and they are not clean at all. LORD help us one and all. :)
I WORK AT TACO BELL, WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY WATCH YOUR FOOD BE PREPARED. WE HAVE VERY STRICT HYGEINE REGULATIONS THAT THE MANAGERS AND I ENFORCE GREATLY. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A GREAT IDEA FOR MANY RESTAURANTS TO ALLOW THE KITCHEN TO BE VIEWED BY ITS CUTOMERS!
I am not sure of the culprit, but everytime I eat at Ruby Tuesday's I get violent diarreah within minutes of leaving the restaurant. Needless to say, I have learned my lesson and no longer dine with Ruby.
I ate a chicken soft taco at Taco Time once, and within 2 hours I was vomiting violently, shaking and running a fever. I have not steped foot in another Taco Time since. I am postive the chicken was bad.
Have you seen waitresses in the restroom with their aprons still on? I comment to one in the restroom and she very politely said " I never thought about that". Also, you handle the menu and then reach for the breadbasket. Do you carry hand sanitizer along for yourself at the table?
I once went into a restuarant to wash my hands before even sitting down, and a guy was at the urinal with his apron flipped over his shoulder. When he turned around, he not only had his rubber gloves on , but he just looked at me and walked out!! Did not wash! Obviously, we did not eat there. I just wonder how common this is.
I thought this happens only in our country,but this can happen even in USA
From India
I am a server in a popular chain restaurant. The food preparation is somewhat sanitary, however there is one thing that bothers me greatly -lemons. The lemons are delivered in cardboard cases and are often molding and rotten. We discard the unusable ones but don't wash the rest. They are usually covered in a green dusty mold (which ends up in everyone's iced tea and water).
I'am a praying person and I strongly believe in the power of prayer. My Family we do not step into the restaurant without a word of prayer. We prayer before the meal hits the table and continue in prayer. God is all knowing and Word of the day for all: He is still in control. Knowing that you are covered with the blood. All is well.......Amen
just reading all of this, has really changed my mind about eating out! so I have to cook, but I wont get sick or will my family or friends!!!
I have never gotten sick from eating at a fast food. But, got sick after leaving an Olive Garden!! I am very cautious going to Chinese restaurants.
Until reading this I did not realize that the immediate response of intestinal distress was probably caused by some sort of fecal contamination, sulfites etc. The immediate onset of diarrehea does occur for me regularly at certain restaurants. I thought it was just my sensitive system or something I ate the previous day.
Thanks for this information~~~
I will avoid those places in the future.
I have a horrible memory of family vacation to Atlantic City. We stopped at a sandwich shop,& the cook was killing flies with the same spatula he was cooking on the grill with. It didn't seem to bother him that he was in plain view of his customers. We just turned around and left.
I'm pretty sure the E-coli outbreak was caused by undercooked burgers at Jack-in-the-Box, NOT Burger King! You'd better check and correct it before Burger King sues you!!
When I go to a fast food chicken place, I always ask for the most recently cooked chicken from the back, since we don't know how long the other chicken has been sitting up under those lights. More than likely, that older chicken is dry and not kept a the proper temperature making it breeding ground for salmonella.
I am a state government meat inspection supervisor with 33 years of experience. When I was a rookie, small state inspected meat packing processors and slaughter facilities were abundant. Many looked for ways to "get over on the inspector" and many did. But through strict enforcement and education of those meat facility owners we now have only a few meat food facilities left and they all are health and sanitation minded. I think education of front-line restaurant employees and their supervisors is the way to go.
Another thought,which will never get passed into law, would be to design restaurants similar to small sports arenas...the customer's tables surrounding a fully visible kitchen.
I think the other annonymous was correct with the e-coli 157 H-7 outbreak was indeed at Jack-in-the-Box up in the Northwestern U.S. not Burger King. It resulted from a cooling down of the grill during peak lunch hour demands with frozen hamburger patties. I think Burger King uses an open flame on a timed chain, so there's no way to pull the patties off early, nor cool down the chain by overload.
A friend and I had just finished dining at a brewery in Rhode Island when we decided to use the restroom. There was someone else in one of the stalls & when she came out she started fixing her hair and her outfit, and then when she looked up to par, she left without washing her hands. SHE WAS THE BARTENDER!!! My friend marched right out of the bathroom (after we both washed our hands) and demanded to speak to the manager. She told him what we had witnessed & he looked mortified. He walked over to her & she shot my friend a nasty look & walked into the bathroom closely followed by a fellow co-worker.
My family and I rarely eat out, however this particular night it was late, so we stopped at a Burger King and my husband had a burger. He took one bite and said it tasted like leather and throw the rest away. He was sick and out of work for 2 days. Imagine if he continued to eat that burger!
I visited a restaurant (Tomatino) in Napa, CA about two years ago. My table had easy view of the chef - I actually saw him drop a customers chicken on the floor and put it back in the pan and continue preparing it as if nothing happened. When I told the manager, he just responded "oh". I even sent a follow up letter to the establishment and received no response. I'll never eat there again!
I disagree with my fellow anonymous who has quoted that "We have foreigners who dont care and are running motels and busness and they are not clean at all." Being foreigners does not make them unhygienic! Hygiene comes from your own free will. I am sure there are many Americans who do not wash their hands before sitting for dinner too. That does not mean that all Americans are like that.
I have never eaten out , because I just dont trust people with my food . They dont even take showers, and reading this I dont plan to ever eat out . The females having their periods and changing their pads or tampons and what if they dont wash their hands and peparing your meal , how do you value your life? Dont be lazy people cook your meal ,you know what's in it.
There should be a designated place outside the bathroom for workers to wash their hands a second time with a camera watching their hands being washed appropriately to be sure there are healthy habits enforced to protect the people who are working there and eating there as well as the patrons eating in the restaurants.
Amen to this comment.
Employees hands should be washed outside the public restroom area, period.
As an example, at our Kroger they have a sink in the deli area with a huge sign...WASH YOUR HANDS...The servers exit the bathroom and go straight to the sink, wash well, dry on paper towels and then put on plastic gloves. I have watched this several times.
I appreciate that...and do not trust any restaurant that does not require a second washing in a kitchen sink expressly for that purpose. Since we can't know about this, I guess we just eat at home. Suits me.
I ate at the counter of Denny's (4 seats) in Palm Bay last week. I was very pleased to see a waitress, who had dropped a guest check on the floor, wash her hands after picking it up. They have a hand wash station near the pickup area.
After reading all the comments about personally cooking your food...How do you know what happened to the food prior to being packaged? There have been several instances where packaging companies have been responsible for contaminating foods...read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, and i also remember an instance in the 80's with a tuna packing company. Also, even if the food makes it out of the packaging company, you still don't know what happens to it once it reaches the grocery store. I witnessed a meat packer at a grocery store i once worked at SNEEZE onto meat he was packaging and then proceeded to pack it and put it on the shelf. of course after witnessing this, it was removed from the shelf, but who knows how many times this happened or whatever else he had done prior to that incident. The point is, there really is no need to stop eating out because no matter where your food comes from or who prepares it, it has the possibility of being mishandled and contaminated.
I am a huge iced tea fan, but after the comments about how lemons arrive at one restaurant, I will never, never ask for another lemon for my ice tea or water for that fact.
I recently ate at the new chinese restaurant in my town. From all outward appearances the restaurant looked nice. However, the food wasn't that good. Needless to say, I was sick the next day with an upset stomach, and loose bowels. I will NEVER eat in that over priced restaurant again!
What about the table set-up? The tables are wiped with a dirty rag (I would prefer that they use a clean paper towel and spray cleanser). Also, if there is no place mat, I always ask for extra napkins so I can put the utencils on a napkin and not on the table. The spray cleanser should be non-toxic and not sprayed where others are eating.
At least I know now why i have gotten sick at restaurants. Another thing that is pretty scary is the amount of contaminants the government allows in our food-rat feces, insects, etc...What do we do other than starve or grow our own food to avoid this problem?
Last weekend at a mexican restaurant in Hickory,N.C. I found a piece of wood in my food. the thoughts of what all could have crawled or been sprayed on the wood ,caused a trip to the bathroom. Also, the fact that busboys wipe the table with the same cloth that they wipe the chair seat where everyone,s rear has been, very much botters me.a
This is serious stuff....but sorry,..... just can't stop chuckling about the "chef" who was using his spatula to smack flies and flip hamburgers. Ya gotta see the funny side of life too! (I don't blame you for leaving the place!)
Yesterday my wife and I entered a combination dinery of A&W Col Sanders. She ordered a diet root beer, I ordered a root beer float and a packet of chicken nuggets. My order came, the nuggets were TOTALLY cold TOTALLY hard, and were pure garbage! I took them back, asked the counter girl to "squeeze" the nugget, she did, and I then asked her what make her think my teeth were iron enough to be able to eat this item? She said "Ill get you another order". She did, it was also COLD, HARD, and uneatable. I returned it again, and a 20 year old male manager came to the counter and asked "whats the problem" I said this food is uneatable...he offered me another order, I said ok, and I want a refund, which I received. The last order was also bad, and my Root beer re-fill was actually very warm! A health nurse has been at the counter, and said "good for you, most people never have the nerve to do what you are doing!" She checked her food very carefully for proper heat, etc. I left, and of course reported the location to the Health Dept. As everyone who has any smarts will do!
This article is really scary, but for all of you saying cook your own food...there have been NUMEROUS studies saying most kitchens and home food preperation is dirtier than that of a restaurant. We take risks whether we are out at a restaurant or at home.
In reply to the last comment, its true that homes can be dirtier than resturants. But when you cook at home you at least know that you are not having someone elses feces, spit, nose pickings, and dirty hands on your food. If you do have bad hygine practices at home at least its your own dirt that your body will already be use too. I say this because I had a bad case of food piosoning when I ate at a Tommy's in California.... that it caused my appendix to burst and almost killed me. I knew I had been piosoned right away, because after I ate the Chili-Chese burger and hard cold fries, I immediately had severe stomach pain. I also vomited up all the food with blood. I then realized how deadly someone elses dirty hygine and food could be on my body.
I ordered a veggie burger at one of the fast food resturants in the
Chicago Western Suburban area.
I watched the sandwich maker using her bare hands in the tomato bin and the lettuce bins. I asked where her plastic gloves were, she didn't understand and one of the other employees stated we don't need them. I did not eat this sandwich.
I wrote a letter to the corporate
office and was told, indeed, the
sandwich makers do not need to wear plastic gloves and it's quite okay they use their bare hands in the vegetable bins. I was told
that the employees use antibacterial soap and that suffices. Do read the directions on the bottle that states not to rinse off. Imagine that taste on your vegetables.
I purposely went to other fast food restaurants. Interesting to
note that all wore plastic gloves to prepare the sandwiches.
At a very popular local restuarant, a member of our dining group observed a waitress overfilling a soda glass, then taking a sip before dtaking the glass to a customer.
I watched a grocery store clerk spray the conveyer belt dwon with cleaner, then wipe it off with a rag as it was running. After that she walked over to the produce section and sprayed the rag with the vegetable sprayer and proceeded to ring the excess water out of the rag over the lettuce! I reported her to the manager!
I too am very much bothered by tha fact that so many employees in restaurants use the same rag to clean the tables as well as the seats or benches. YUK!
What an eye opening article! And all the comments in response are very interesting and informative.
Why isn't this on Fox or Oprah, etc? This is the public health we're talking about.
Anyway, I pity people who decide (wisely) to avoid all restaurants. It is very difficult especially if you are traveling in a country with out access to a stove or microwave and fridge.
I am starting to avoid restaurants whenever possible. It seems like Russian Roulette when eating outside the home nowadays.
Intuition tells me it might be safe to get take out and microwave/cook/bake/broil the heck out of it or until it's steaming hot. Although I still have some doubts. Forget about cold dishes sushi or salads in that case! Please give opinions about reheating food to kill germs - i am unsure if it works.
I noticed at COSTCO that the pizza preparer was not wearing gloves. I asked mgt at the Cust Svc Desk and they told me that since the food wold be cooked she did not need to wear gloves. hmmmmm...last time I eat Costco pizza.
Summer 06,On a Daylily bus tour Stopped at Cracker Barrel Resturant coming back from missouri to Okla. & order a hamburger Fries & cold slaw. And ask for well done, I ate about half of it before I discovered it was very red & not done. They offerd to give me something else, but I didn't have time. But I was lucky & didn't get sick over that.
Taco mayo, they take your money at the register, use hand sanitizer & prepare your food. I don't like that. I think they should wear gloves when they prepare our food.
At Subway Sandwichs, they wear gloves & if they have to take your money they remove their gloves & put on new ones for the next sandwich they make. I like that!!
I own a small restaurant. I am ServSafe Certified, which means I am in charge of the sanitation and health issues in my business. I would like to comment on the glove or no-glove issue. I understand the anxiety you feel if you see a food worker without gloves. Gloves often give food handlers a false sense of cleanliness, because you cannot feel food (or other material) on your hands. They may "feel" as if their hands are clean, but the gloves get just as dirty if worn long enough. If the worker washes their hands well and often, and are in good health with no cuts on their hands, and do not "multi-task" outside of the kitchen, then gloves are not necessary. Good handwashing means every 20 minutes for 20 seconds (think "20-20"), or when changing tasks or touching something non-food. I ate at a Burger King in the late afternoon when only one worker was present. He took my order, my money, and prepared the food, all with the same gloves on. The same gloves that touched the money (the dirtiest thing in a restaurant) also touched my food. He felt no contaminants through the gloves, but spread them everywhere. Just to be on the safe side, and so that our customers feel "safer", I tell my workers to wash hands "20-20" AND wear gloves.
I have had several experiences with poor restaurant hygiene. When I've called to complain, I always get the same responses: (1) This has never happened here before, and/or (2) Did a doctor confirm that it was food poisoning? Once I was in a Baskin-Robbins and saw the server let a customer take a sample right from the scoop and then put it back in the ice cream. At another restaurant, I saw a waitress in the bathroom throw her apron on the floor, use the toilet, put the apron back on and leave without even washing her hands. That made me nauseous--it didn't take contaminated food to do it. One of the worst things I have often observed is preparers wearing gloves and taking money and answering the phone without changing the gloves before going back to preparation. Members of my family and I have had food poisoning from fast-food places, "respectable" restaurants, and even from food at "fancy" restaurants. So there's something to be said for not eating out unless you have to.
I am the small restaurant owner blogged above. One more comment addressing the "re-heating" issue: NO, re-heating food does NOT make it safe if it is already contaminated. The bacteria that grow in foods release toxins as they reproduce. The heating may kill the bacteria, but will not affect the toxins. Bacteria love temperatures between 41-135 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, they prefer a slightly acidic or Ph neutral & moist environment. Given the proper conditions, bacteria will double their population in 20 minutes, and will increase exponentially thereafter. Food handlers must work to increase or decrease the temperature quickly through the temperature danger zone, to reach safer temperatures of below 40 or above 135 as quickly as possible.
I don't even know where to start.....
For one thing, in our world today we have so many more strains of bacteria that were never present in the past. This alone makes food preparation much more hazardous.
I have been sick myself many times after eating out and just assumed it was due to a 'delicate system' because my friends and family members seem to think I am just too particular.
I personally have worked in various different restaurants for more than 35 years and I can't even believe the things that I have seen; everything mentioned here and MORE. Very often, the restaurant owners themselves seem to be some of the worst perpetrators of spreading bacteria in an effort to save time and/or money.
Wearing gloves doesn't make much sense to me because you can still pick your nose or pick something up off the floor, or whatever, and just continue working. The gloves are only as clean as your hands would be.
It's a difficult situation because restaurants are preparing food for so many people at a time and everything today is rush, rush, rush.
But basically, it's a matter of personal hygiene rather than the rules of the restaurant. They can say you need to wash your hands after using the bathroom, but if you don't, no one knows unless they see you.
Oh yeah, the thing about the lemons is 100% correct for ANY produce that comes in. They need to be sorted and washed properly, but when you're washing something for yourself to eat is different than the way you'll wash it for the masses. Remember everyone's in a hurry. Especially the boss.
My suggestion is: stock up on the Pepto-bismol and know where the bathroom is before you sit down. Better yet, stay home. Unless of course your hygiene is no better than theirs.
There is always two sides and whoever is doing the talking makes the play for their side. I worked in a Howard Johnsons restaurant for 27 years and you would never believe what I have seen done to bathrooms by suppossesed civilized patrons.
used tampons and kotex just thrown right in the middle of the floor.
people not even flushing the toilets after themselves.
On the other side of your horror stories are the number of customers who use bathrooms who never once consider washing their hands. then they go to their tables, run their hands through their hair, wipe their kids runny noses, sometimes pick their own noses or teeth and then think absolutely nothing of handing us their money with these same hands.
And men cannot hit a toilet bowl no matter how big the bowl is. Who do you think has to wipe up your urine when you just leave it lay on a toilet seat or the floor? I use to laminate a sign and hang above the toilet, that said...."We aim to present you with a clean sanitary restroom, your aim will help."
I even could tell you stories of women changing their little darlings diapers in the bathrooms not washing their hands afterwards and then just leave the nasty diaper laying there.
I have seen things that otherwise normal people do that at times have made me throw up!
Also, if one is so paranoid of eating out that they must Pray to God for good health from the food they are about to ingest, and not get any deadly diseases from the one serving it to them, why bother? I would most likely stay home and cook my own food. That way you only have to buy a few recipe books and you're good to go!
One more thing, with technology the way it is today, I'm sure someone could invent something that knows rather one has washed their hands before leaving a public restroom. It could be a situation where the door wouldn't open unless you have washed your hands. I can guarantee you there would be so many customers locked in that bathroom it would be pathetic.
They would be dying of starvation and dehydration before it occurred to them they needed to wash their hands.
I work in a kitchen, at a restaurant...we are very clean...our hands are washed, between each type of food we touch...whether it be a vegetable, meat, fruit and desert...we do not leave the kitchen with our aprons on...the food is kept covered as it defrost...and kept cold until cooked to be sereved...we are a 4 star...and all is safe, and kept very clean!!!
i couldnt agree more with everyone.
this is because i had relatively the same experience, this time at subway.
i ordered a italian bmt and i watched the cashier make my sandwich, but after i ate it i had a stomachache that lasted for 3 days
My wife and I recently moved to Florida. We happened to be out and decided to go to Taco Bell for lunch. We ordered a couple of things and as we waited we noticed the girl behind the counter preparing our food. We stared as she grabbed each item with her bare hands and commenced to put our meal together. This lasted about 2 minutes before we asked for our money back. Prior to giving us our money back the manager felt the need to tell us that Florida State Law permits the employees of fast food chains to not have to wear gloves when preparing food. I find this rather repulsive. Although, the alternatative solution of wearing gloves that will not be changed throughout the day is not that great either. You almost cannot win. If a worker is touching cooking equipment, feeding trays, their clothing with gloves on, it sort of defeats the purpose of wearing gloves. We got our money back but are very hesitant to eat out at any fast food place moving forward. Maybe this is the best diet of all, just take a look at how your food is being prepared until you are turned off enough to cook your own.
Reading these comments about food poisoning distresses me. Both of my children have in the past worked in restaurants and have spoken of retaliation from servers, bussers and cooks, such as spitting on the food if it is returned for some reason, or if the customer's are rude or their manners are unacceptable by the staff.
I have also been in restaurants and have returned food and have been approached by the manager to make sure my meal was acceptable. Those resturants I applaud and go back frequently.
Many, many years ago, I had a dessert at a local popular resturant and shared it with my date at the time. When I returned to my dorm and went to bed, I woke up several hours later with a horrendous headache, and began vomiting, a friend rushed me to the hospital where I continued to be sick. I stayed at the hospital for almost a week. When my boyfriend/date finally found out that I had been hospitalized due to our shared dessert,Strawberry cream pie, he himself was a bit sick and had a headache but not to the degree I had experienced. We did not go back to that restaurant ever again.
This may not be on topic, but it is important to mention about Leftovers, we all have those, but we sometimes don't know how long we should keep them in the refrigerator. I have a general rule, If not eaten by the 2nd or 3rd day, then it is tossed. I had lived with friends for a short time and when they cooked they always had leftovers. Having busy lives, they often ate out, or would get out the leftovers. I cringed each time we had leftovers. I had experienced food poisoning once when I was there. I solved the problem by offering to do the cooking as a way to thank them for their generosity of my staying with them. I made it a point to cook just enough for a meal for three. Another time, their adult son who also lived with them for a short period of time, had cleaned out the refrigerator because he knew their habit of keeping leftovers as well as other food stuffs that were far beyond a reasonable time to keep.
I can relate to most of the horror stories above, however the topic of individual's immunity to these bacterial hasn't received much attention. I mention this because I had never gotten sick from eating in a restaurant until 3 years ago. Since then I have gotten very ill from restaurant food 4 more times, yet my wife never has and we frequently eat the same foods at buffets. I wonder if seniors have more of a problem with this than younger folks? Maybe due to less stomach acid or perhaps a weaker immune system?
I carry antibacterial hand wipes in my purse. I always use them to wipe my hands after handling the serving utensils on a buffet. Even if you washed your hands before going to the buffet, they need to be washed again prior to eating. Also clean hands will become contaminated if you handle the doorknob when exiting the restroom. I carry a clean paper towel out with me (when they are available) to use to turn the doorknob.
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Another common problem is that people wash their hands and then turn off the faucet with their clean hands. Faucets are a great source of contamination because they are turned on with dirty hands. When possible use a clean paper towel to turn off the faucet.
I had an eye opening experience a couple of weeks ago. We were having lunch at Barnhills Buffet in Mobile, Alabama. I was in the restroom and a waitress entered a restroom stall. Then I noticed her apron on the floor of the stall. In the pocket I could see the drinking straws. In hindsight I realize that I should have reported this to the manager.
I am a nurse and spend 4 days a week in a physicians office and hospital. I am very rarely ill although I am exposed to a multitude of illness. I attribute this to careful handwashing. It is a medical fact that handwashing is the most simple way to prevent illness.
Does anyone know if salad bar lettuce is treated with any substance now? Within 30-45 minutes of having lettuce from a salad bar I will have diarrhea. This does not happen when I eat lettuce at home.
As a working food safety professional on the inspection side of the issue for the past ten years, I must say I've seen most of it all. A few things I think folks should be aware of. Glove use for one. The FDA recommends as part of the food code that bare hand contact with ready to eat foods be avoided. Single use disposable glove, tongs, spatulas, wax paper, telekinesis, or other such utensils must be used when handling or preparing ready to eat foods (RTE foods). Gloves are a utensil just like any other. You would not scratch your chi-chi with your cereal spoon and continue to eat with it, just as you shouldn't with your gloves. State health Dept's adopt portions of the FDA recommended Food code and self inspecting towns or municipalities adopt from the states guidelines (can only be more stringent, not less than what the state adopts as minimum). Not every state adopts the 'No bare Hand Contact with ready to eat foods' rule. Vermont for example does not while neighboring NH does infact adopt this rule. The rational in adopting this rule was primarily in response to Hepatitis A. - A viral liver illness that is transmitted via the Fecal Oral route. This illness really grabs headlines because if you are infected with it you will be "shedding" the virus for at least two weeks prior to exhibiting any symptoms. If you are exposed you will require a shot to avoid infection. The only way to let people know that they have been exposed to this illness after eating at a restaurant with a food service worker (to avoid perpetuating an outbreak) is via the media.
Secondly, just because it is the last thing you ate and the first thing you saw in the toilet after vomiting, it does not necessarily mean it was the food that made you ill. In fact, there are two main categories of food borne illness. - Infection and intoxication. Infection means that bacteria like salmonella or Staph have been introduced to the body and you are exposed and may become possibly infected. In this case, an incubation time of Salmonella is usually 12 to 36 hours after consuming it would you experience symptoms. This is a reason why we ask folks complaining about a restaurant to see a doctor and get a stool sample run (the only way to diagnose a FBI). We would also take a three-day food history and investigate each establishment visited accordingly.
With Staph (up to 50% of the population carry this bacteria) the bacteria can infect you but it can be destroyed by cooking. However, as a previous person wrote, the toxins that it can produce while the food is in the temperature danger zone (40-135F) are heat stable. So if you cook the chicken breast to a charcoal briquette, the toxins still remain and potentially cause intoxication. Symptoms of intoxication are rather immediate and usually result in the nausea and vomiting sans diarrhea. I have seen immaculate kitchens with an improperly maintained sandwich table cause FBI issues.
I challenge each individual reading or posting to learn about food safety and to support legislation requiring food safety training for food handlers. The Centers for Disease Control report that up to 5000people in the USA alone a killed by FBI annually and several hundred thousand ill each year. The number one way to prevent FBI's is proper handwashing, followed by proper temperature control (be it cooking hot holding, cooling, or cold holding), then contaminated ingredients (cross contamination also).
WOW!!! I never would of imagined how gross the human race can be. I dont understand " SOME PEOPLES KIDS". but I typed in a fecal&urine issue and was sent here, so what I would like to know is where do I go to get more info. on my issue? PLEASE & THANK YOU.
To those who have questions about their own or their child's health conditions, please post to one of our message boards. :-)
I am a food service professional and I am very food safety aware. I am unsure however, about the food safety level of food buffets. I am aware of the many men who fail to wash their hands after using the restroom. They then go out and serve themselves at the buffet and touching all utensils, counters, and sneezeguards. I am very concerned about the high level of bacteria within the 4-8 hour period that the buffets are not sanitized.
I never realized how many people feel the exact same way I do about the lack of cleanliness in restaurants and other public places.
I did not see any comments on this but the problem starts at the front door of any place you go. When you put your hand on the door handle or door knob of any public place just think about whose hands were on that door handle or door knob before yours! Now think about where those peoples hands were before they put them on the door handle or door knob. Scary isn't it!
I saw a post about using the ladles and other food gathering utensils at a buffet. What about every time you go to the fast food Mexican restaurant. They always have a ladle or large spoons at the salsa bar. Just count the number of people touching those spoons while you are in the restaurant. In a normal 20 minute lunch period I have counted as many as 60 people using and touching those common area spoons and utensils. Ughh!
Many new fast food restaurants have a counter where you order, pay for your food and the same cashier hands you your cup after having handled dirty money from hundreds of customers.
Then to make it worse I have had many of them hand me my cup with their fingers at the top or worse yet with some of their fingers inside my cup. Double Ughh!
As most of you know the people working in probably 90% of our restaurants as cashiers and food preparers are from south of our borders, i.e., Mexico, El Salvador, Guatamala, etc. Needless to say most probably did not have good cleanliness habits from the time they were born and the time they arrived as young adults in the United States. You can bet your bottom dollar that those same habits have now carried over to their current environment and job as your cashier or food preparer.
No matter how many times you put up a sign stating Lavase Los Manos - Wash Your Hands - it doesn't do much good if they can't read it or simply choose to ignore it because of years of experience where they never washed their hands in their home country. Triple Ughh!
Quite a'complete'wake up call...
How do you go to any restaurant after reading all that stuff. From the dirty hands to the spitting in the food... Ugh, ugh,
ugh... I knew it was bad.. I didn't realize just how bad it was.
Heaven help all of us..
we just ate out last night and again today.uggghhh!!!hope i live through it.
I agree with the fears of the the "unknown" in food establishments. Theres no way to get away from it. No matter how many times the server washes his/her hands that person is constantly going from table to table picking up plates, glasses that "you" have touched. Did you wash your hands after you went to the restroom, scratched inside your ear, itched dry skin off your arm, etc.? Do you usually wash your hands after each time you transfer money or the door that you touched to open to get in to the establishment or the bathroom?
The list goes on and on. We transfer germs constantly, no matter where we are. There's no reason to put the blame on anyone.
A restaurant could follow every safety policy possible yet never be able to avoid the uncleanliness of patrons. I don't see things changing any time soon, we are at risk every time we walk out of our house. You'd probably be amazed with the risk factors right inside your own homes.
Just a comment about the plastic gloves worn to prepare food. Many food handlers seem to forget that the gloves are for keeping the FOOD clean, not for keeping their hands clean. I've seen them keep the gloves on while opening doors, handling money, scratching their heads. The gloves must STAY CLEAN.
I am an RN who works in a cardiac critical floor, I have seen and smelled everything you can imagine, as a critical care nurse we are taught to be very careful with not contaminating anything at all so when I went to subway I was surprised to see the attendant making the sandwishes and using the same glove to charge the custumers.
I pretty much left my order and the restaurant.
While i agree that restaurants are not always clean, i do have some things that i lke to add. Mentally, if you think that you will get sick from eating out, there is a higher chance you will get sick even if there was nothing wrong with the food. If you think that you will feel fine after eating out, you will have a higher chance of not getting sick. Secondly, preparing food at home can contain just as many germs. Do you know that meats are sprayed with stuff to kill insects and their eggs, and the dead eggs are left on the meat that you eat?
My attention has been locked to the stories shared on this website for the past hour. I am moved by the acccounts of ignorance and disdain for public health from the food prep and service industry. Two issues stick out like sore thumbs: govt accountability to the public (FDA) and personal accountability to others. Here's my story...
Lately, I'm realizing I formed a habit of relying on fast food to sustain myself (and sometimes my family) when I was "too busy" to do otherwise. With all that said, I'm sitting here with a cold just having had fast food for dinner last night and again for lunch. No wonder!!
I believe I represent the majority of working "soccer" moms. In some people's eyes, fast food has gone from commodity to necessity. For this reason, the FDA should hold food establishments to a higher level of accountability. Without stricter regulations and govt advocacy, we're in for a serious ride (ie. rise of adolescent diabetes, ADD, etc.) Heaven help me and others who still haven't a clue!
Regarding personal accountability, I believe everyone (servers, patrons, etc.) would simply feel a sense of "responsibility" to look out for their neighbor. I know that's a stretch. I wish this were a standard code of ethic in the food service industry that was actually enforced to a greater degree. A person in the service industry should lose their job if they wear their apron into the bathroom (violation#1), drop it on the floor and put it back on before serving more patrons (THE LOGw that broke the camel's back). DISGUSTING!!
I wish there would be no cause for this posting and I wish that this awareness and call to action were not warranted but instead it were as fundamental as waking in the morning. It's a general sense of accountability to humankind no matter what you look like or where you come from. I am forever enlightened.
Because my daughter's favorite restaurant WAS Bennigan's, she had hoped that her intestinal discomfort was nothing more than a mere coincidence, but after numerous bouts of diahhrea from eating their food, she has finally resorted to other places to eat. Her first reaction wasn't too bad, but each subsequent bout became worse and worse, until finally, she had to be taken to the emergency room due to severe stomach cramping, diahhrea, and vomiting. That final episode convinced her NEVER to return to Bennigan's ever again!
As I write this I am still recovering from an episode of severe food poisoning. (severe headache and vomiting) It began late last night after I had prepared and eaten a plate of nachos with melted shredded mexican cheese and topped with a mild salsa. The salsa was from a brand new jar that was in my refrigerator. I suspect that the onions in the salsa were contaminated. I would be curious to know if there is a Dept of Ag. lab somewhere that could test for food contaminants in the remaining contents of the jar.
A couple of yrs ago in our area there was an outbreak of deadly food poisoning at a Chi-chis restaurant that was linked to contaminated onions in the salsa they served. It was closed down after all of the lawsuits. I, myself, will never eat in Chinese restaurants after several bouts of food poisoning at 3 separate restaurants. Live and learn, as they say. -Mike
I have noticed in several different establishments the trait the wait staff have gotten in a habit to stick the order pad down the back of there pants!! I have not quite figured the thought process behind this one yet!! Needless to say I don't touch the check when it comes and is LAID on the TABLE!!
My husband and I moved to Florida from the Midwest 2 years ago and we have both never been so sick after eating out. We would occasionally feel a little sick from restaurants in up north, but we have been severly ill from the restaurants down here. From reading these blogs, we are obviously not alone. I am currently fighting some type of food poisoning that has left me too weak to stand with a bad headache for 4 days now, after a bout of diarrhea. I am learning to cook at home more now, because you just can't trust that the strangers fixing your food will take the same precautions and cleanliness that they would preparing their own food. Basically, you are on your own and have to look out for yourself, because no one in a restaurant will.
I have lived in Florida for 55 years and have only gotten sick from a restaurant once, and I'm not even sure it was the fault of the restaurant. It could have been that I ate too much. There are some places that I won't go to because they are just dirty, and the food is just crap, such as McDonalds,and Taco Bell. There is one place we like the food, but wish they would clean the chairs..Pollo Tropical. Outside of Florida I was disgusted at the flies and people smoking in restaurants. Was glad to get back to Florida.
Everyone should think twice before eating at a restaurant, agreed... However, food service workers aren't the only ones to worry about. Consider who sat at the table before you. Or, who handled your menu before you did... A restaurant menu is quite possibly the dirtiest object in the place. It is handled by everyone, workers and customers. People sneeze on them, cough on them, pick their noses before touching them, itch their butts before turning the pages. And the worst part is, they never get cleaned. And if they do, it's just some host or hostess wiping the food off the menu with a used rag, spreading around more germs. I bring a bottle of hand sanitizer with me when I can. But if not, I use the restroom to wash my hands after I order from the menu.
Oh! And the same thing goes for those little "flippy" advertisements propped up on the tables. You know, the ones that say stuff like "Try our new cheese wings" with a picture of it. Often found at 2-4 star restaurants. Don't touch those either, let the host or server tell you about the specials, thats what they get paid for.
A few words of advice, don't eat chicken or seafood at just any restaurant. These food must have a certain shelf-life time and temperature requirement that restaurants don't always monitor correctly. Now Chinese restaurants; BE LEARY. I've had Chinese from a certain take-out restaurant in my town and once it was COLD and tasted old. and yesterday, I ordered broccoli beef and it was so rubbery I couldn't bite into it.
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