Sanitation problems observed by customers

[Busboy]

I'd be more worried about all that windex everywhere than bacteria.

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Thank you! I'm allergic to Windex, so I hate it when they use that (or Fantastik) in my presence. Mopping floors with something containing ammonia is also awful.

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Not to mention that the smell tends to permeate the restaurant, with unfortunate consequences for whatever you're eating.

[Tweety69bird]

When it comes to germs I'm more fearful of hospitals, airplane interiors and buses than being at a restaurant...unless it's a gamey roach house with mildew decorating.

I live in Los Angeles County we have a letter system for health inspections. I'll eat at a B restaurant but not a C.  I only had food poisoning once and got it from an A graded restaurant. If something is out of sorts I can always leave but I won't get phobic about it. I can't live in a bio-bubble.

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OMG you are so right. I was on a plane ride not too long ago, and was sitting beside a business type man, and he blew his nose, and - are you ready - put the tissue in the back pocket of the seat in front of him. I used to put my magazines in there and tuck in the water bottle.. back when those were allowed. Not any more, thanks.

[jgm]

When it comes to germs I'm more fearful of hospitals, airplane interiors and buses than being at a restaurant...unless it's a gamey roach house with mildew decorating.

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You make an excellent point. But restaurants are full of people who have recently been in hospitals, airplanes, and buses. Anything they pick up there can be transmitted to the table at the restaurant - theoretically, anyway.

On those tabletops are napkins that have wiped mouths, hands that have been who knows where. . .and I like to see 'em cleaned and disinfected before I sit down.

[Marky Marc]

Shake hands with someone? Germs!

I'm not naive when it comes to germs and the real world. On the other hand, I do want to ask you a question, given your certification and obvious knowledge. You meet somebody who's obviously got a bad cold or flu and sneezing constantly into tissues in their hands, and after the introductions, they reach out and shake your hand. Do you make some effort or mental note to wash you hands before you eat, or touch them to your face (for any reason), or prepare food? Or do you just decide that's for the germ-phobics and go about your way?

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This actually gets at a larger issue. Restaurants generally do not offer paid sick days and usually have little staffing flexibility, so people on the verge of death by TB drag themselves in and spend their whole shift germing up the place. Flu season is no time for the germ-sensitive to be dining out.

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Oh man, don't even get me started on this. I nevver understood why, in an industry that is so concerned with health and food safety, that it be such a taboo to call in sick under any circumstances. i have seen several instances were cooks would frequently leave the line for "vomit breaks" because they were working with a 100+ degree fever. People are generally looked at as weak if they call in sick.

It's fucked up, really, but that is how it is.

[Ohba]

You make an excellent point. But restaurants are full of people who have recently been in hospitals, airplanes, and buses. Anything they pick up there can be transmitted to the table at the restaurant - theoretically, anyway.

On those tabletops are napkins that have wiped mouths, hands that have been who knows where. . .and I like to see 'em cleaned and disinfected before I sit down.

I can only agree with the poster who said they wonder why some people bother eating at restaurants at all. Do you really think all restaurants should disinfect the tabletop after each group of diners?

[Busboy]

Shake hands with someone? Germs!

I'm not naive when it comes to germs and the real world. On the other hand, I do want to ask you a question, given your certification and obvious knowledge. You meet somebody who's obviously got a bad cold or flu and sneezing constantly into tissues in their hands, and after the introductions, they reach out and shake your hand. Do you make some effort or mental note to wash you hands before you eat, or touch them to your face (for any reason), or prepare food? Or do you just decide that's for the germ-phobics and go about your way?

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This actually gets at a larger issue. Restaurants generally do not offer paid sick days and usually have little staffing flexibility, so people on the verge of death by TB drag themselves in and spend their whole shift germing up the place. Flu season is no time for the germ-sensitive to be dining out.

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Oh man, don't even get me started on this. I nevver understood why, in an industry that is so concerned with health and food safety, that it be such a taboo to call in sick under any circumstances. i have seen several instances were cooks would frequently leave the line for "vomit breaks" because they were working with a 100+ degree fever. People are generally looked at as weak if they call in sick.

It's fucked up, really, but that is how it is.

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There's a certain amount of macho bullshit but generally, you don't call in sick because you don't get paid and you get shit from your buddies who have to cover for you.

The only time a restaurant worker will call in sick is when they are in a hospital, unable to be more than fout feet from a toilet for more than ten minutes at a time, or deeply and tragically hungover (and it's got to be a baaaad motherfucking hangover to keep them home. I worked through stuff that would kill me today). If you're going to feel terrible anyway, why lose a relatively huge chunk of change and face the anger of management and the taunts of co-workers when you return, why not stagger in? It's cergtainly a better deal for you.

[TheFoodTutor]

There's a certain amount of macho bullshit but generally, you don't call in sick because you don't get paid and you get shit from your buddies who have to cover for you.

The only time a restaurant worker will call in sick is when they are in a hospital, unable to be more than fout feet from a toilet for more than ten minutes at a time, or deeply and tragically hungover (and it's got to be a baaaad motherfucking hangover to keep them home.  I worked through stuff that would kill me today).  If you're going to feel terrible anyway, why lose a relatively huge chunk of change and face the anger of management and the taunts of co-workers when you return, why not stagger in? It's certainly a better deal for you.

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Oh yeah. Seen it, done it, got the T-shirt.

Not being able to even leave the line in order to throw up, and heaving into a trash can instead, is a special occasion, however. They oughtta have a name for that. . .

Of course, these days, I'm not so budget-minded that I'd have to work that way, but there are still those cohorts that do.

In the grand scheme of things, I don't think it's really that risky to eat in restaurants, but caveat emptor, as they say. . .