Posted by: Scott Schaner
If you’re a restaurant, in most cases, there is this ‘magic wall’ separating the kitchen from the customers. As a customer, every time you go out to eat, you’re putting your life and health at risk into the hands of every cook, server and manager that handles your food from behind that wall.
On our side of the wall do we ever ask ourselves, “ I wonder if the cook washed their hands before they made my meal? Do we ask if the cutting boards were cleaned prior to food preparation? Do we wonder if there are any sick workers in the kitchen today?” There is a myriad of questions we never think to ask as to what goes on beyond that magical wall when we go out to eat because we expect that all will be good because ‘a restaurant can’t afford to get anyone sick’ goes through our brain subconsciously.
On our side of the wall do we ever ask ourselves, “ I wonder if the cook washed their hands before they made my meal? Do we ask if the cutting boards were cleaned prior to food preparation? Do we wonder if there are any sick workers in the kitchen today?” There is a myriad of questions we never think to ask as to what goes on beyond that magical wall when we go out to eat because we expect that all will be good because ‘a restaurant can’t afford to get anyone sick’ goes through our brain subconsciously.
According to the CDC, there are over 250 different foodborne illnesses identified which causes 1 in 6 Americans yearly to fall ill. This number is just the ones reported! Look, when you get the bowel gurgles and a bout of diarrhea, do you go to the doctor to report it? Most likely not, so those numbers are higher. Odds are that you have had some form of foodborne illness whether you knew it or not. Sure, you’ve heard of E Coli, but you may not have heard of norovirus, which contributes, to 58% of illnesses. The most deadly form of foodborne illnesses are Salmonella followed closely by T.gondii. The more times you eat out, the more you put yourself at risk.
Say, for instance, your customers fall ill after eating at your establishment? What is the plan? How do you pay for the lawsuits, the lost business, the inspections, the inoculation expenses, the restoration expenses, and the list goes on for the disaster that hit your business?
If you are fortunate enough to have solid food service insurance that covers all of those expenses, there’s a good shot for your business to recover and continue to grow. If you don’t have those coverages, you may need to talk to your insurance agent and figure something out. In the meanwhile, make sure your employees wash their hands thoroughly, and keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
Say, for instance, your customers fall ill after eating at your establishment? What is the plan? How do you pay for the lawsuits, the lost business, the inspections, the inoculation expenses, the restoration expenses, and the list goes on for the disaster that hit your business?
If you are fortunate enough to have solid food service insurance that covers all of those expenses, there’s a good shot for your business to recover and continue to grow. If you don’t have those coverages, you may need to talk to your insurance agent and figure something out. In the meanwhile, make sure your employees wash their hands thoroughly, and keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
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