I am not a germ freak. My house is always a mess. I try to keep the kitchen at least clean enough so that people who come in would never say “I would NOT eat anything she cooks!”
It doesn’t matter if I’m in a fast food restaurant or a very nice restaurant, I have a hard time eating because the thought . . did they wash their hands after going to the bathroom? . . keeps running through my mind.
I try not to be judgmental. I try to be fair with people but when I go into a restaurant and the cashier and the manager both look like they are way less than clean, that throws up a red flag for me. If you aren’t clean with your own self, how clean are you with other things?
We don’t have many restaurants in our little town. There are more places that we will NOT eat than there are that we will eat. We just scratched another one off the list.
Tuesday Vince picked me up at the tire dealer where I left the car to get the tires changed. We went to eat. We walked in and both the cashier and manager looked a little unkept. It was early in the day . . just barely after 11 a.m. It wasn’t like they had just gone through a mad lunch rush. I pushed the thoughts from my head . . I needed to eat and Vince wasn’t deterred by the apparent lack of hygiene.
Then I saw the cook go outside and do something . . not sure if he went out to smoke or talk to someone but he wore his apron and his gloves outside. Vince went to the bathroom. When Vince came back to the table, he told me the cook had gone to the bathroom with the apron and gloves on and had not bothered to wash his hands. Then Vince watched him walk back into the kitchen and resume cooking. Vince called the manager over and explained to her what he had seen. She seemed like she wanted to say “Who cares?” but she said “I’ll talk to him about it.”
Don’t do it on our account . . we won’t go back there . . ever again! Several months ago we were there and some kids came in with some kind of bird on their shoulder. Apparently it was one of the employee’s kids or kids she knew because she went over and talked to the kids, touched the bird and then went back to work . . without washing her hands.
There’s a reason why I would rather eat at home! If you see it, you know there’s way more that goes on that you don’t see.
lynn in Va says
I’m the same way. Both my husband and I worked in restaurants when we were teenagers (decades ago) and we can attest to a variety of hijinks/cleanliness that went on in those establishments. A good manager can make a big difference but sometimes managers aren’t so good. Like you, we prefer to eat at home.
JudyL says
I can imagine that having worked in restaurants, you’ve seen things I don’t even want to think about. Yep, I believe I’ll be eating at home a whole lot more and we didn’t eat out much. I still trust The Runaway Train and Sticks BBQ but from now on, I’m closing my eyes when I walk in and not opening them til I leave because I really NEED to have at least two places I can eat out!
wanda ll says
Wow they need the health department to shut them down. They are suppose to take gloves/apron off wash hands and then when they come back wash hands and put on new gloves/apron. It is kind of like surgery clean, clean, and more clean.( you aren’t wrong in your thinking of clean either)
Now next time tell the manager “Ok that is how you feel we will not be eating what we ordered or paying for it.” and leave.They are suppose to have someone there that has taken classes on food safety all the time they are open.
It is unsanitary and might cause us to get deathly ill really bad.
Judy please don’t put yourself in that way again. Please. You pay good money for food that is under regulation and should be done a certain way. You can get very ill( yes I’m stating that again) and maybe even die with something.
I know you know all this cause you are one smart cookie. Just follow you brain and get out of a place like that ASAP please. This sin’t a place anyone in your area should eat at. It should be closed down.
JudyL says
Wanda, honestly a manager who doesn’t care about cleanliness and hygiene probably doesn’t care if we come back or not. Unfortunately, we had already eaten and paid for the food. And, I think most of us are kidding ourselves when we think every employee is practicing good hygiene skills at all restaurants. I’m sure everyone there is is required to has taken the appropriate classes but they just don’t care. My preference is to eat at home.
I never said the incident happened BEFORE we ate!
Evelyn Starfishy says
When I was pregnant I was very careful never to eat any food at potlucks or anything like that. So many people have cats and if the cat gets on a counter – well those germs can kill an unborn baby. Not only that – germs from someone handling food that has gone to the bathroom and not washed their hands can also kill an unborn baby. Unfortunately, we have first hand experience about this in my family. So I tell everyone who is pregnant because maybe, just maybe, it will save one family a lot of heartache. I know this isn’t exactly what you are talking about here – but I know lots of people read your blog/comments, so thought I would add this information here. I always love reading your blog. Cheers! Evelyn
Sherrill says
I’m not sure that’s correct, Evelyn. How do so many people who live with a cat or cats in their homes the entire time they’re pregnant have healthy babies? And the babies grow up to be healthy adults. Babies in the womb are very protected from lots of germs and other stuff.
JudyL says
I just googled it and it’s a chance I surely wouldn’t want to take.
JudyL says
Evelyn, I had no idea about the dangers to unborn babies. I truly think there are few places any of us would eat if we knew exactly what goes on in those kitchens. I know how hard it is to keep a cat out of the kitchen and that’s exactly why, as much as I love Boots, he will never live inside the house. When I go over there and hold and pet him, I always come back to the house and change my clothes before I start cooking. It’s impossible to get the cat hair off my clothes . . and I’m sure there are other things I don’t want to think about that manage to get on my clothes.
Judy H says
If your cat is sick with toxoplasmosis, it will show symptoms. It is carried in their feces, so when I was pregnant I just made hubby clean the litter box. No worries. My daughter is pregnant now, and she’s around our cats all the time – she just doesn’t clean the litter box.
You can read all about it on PetMD.com –
Here’s a quote from the site: ” it is important to remember that the parasite is more frequently acquired through handling raw meat and eating unwashed fruits and vegetables. The best protection against this parasite, for you and your cat, is through prevention and hygiene. Do not feed raw meat to your cat, and if you must allow your cat to go outdoors, be aware that your cat can easily acquire the parasite from other cats, from digging in dirt that is infected with the parasite, and from eating the meat of animals that are infected.”
So please don’t be alarmed or give away any cats when a baby is on the way. Healthy cats are fine, and just to be safe, have somebody else change the litter box when you’re expecting.
Judy H says
And if your outside cat does get the parasite, it can be treated if caught early enough. It’s not an automatic death sentence.
Dottie N. says
You’re not the only one that feels that way – it seems more and more that people in the food industry don’t do things hygenically, in my not so humble opinion.
I’ve noticed that food people will have their gloves on, open the cash register, make change, etc. and go back to handling food, wipe their face, move their hair away, etc.
Recently I was watching a Rachel Ray show and the guest chef that day was a restaurant owner. He cut up chicken, then using the same knife, proceeded to cut up vegetables. I was shocked and decided that if I was in New York, his would be one restaurant I’d never eat at.
JudyL says
I’ve noticed the same thing with people wearing gloves, then handling money, then going back to prepping food. I just can’t imagine a “professional” not sanitizing everything after handling raw chicken.
Sherrill says
Judy, probably if we knew what goes on in ANY restaurant (even the “high class” restaurants), we would NEVER go out to eat again!! My son always discourages me from sending my food back as he says they’ll spit in it. Well, there may be a place or two where someone would do that but I’m sure I’ve eaten worse and I’m still here!! But the handwashing is MANDATORY–there needs to be an alarm that sounds when ANYONE walks out of the restroom without washing their hands!!! LOL That’s just gross. And I’m bothered by workers who use gloves to handle the food then ring up the cash register with the gloves still on..huh?
JudyL says
Yep, me too! And there’s one place in town where I’ve seen it happen several times. The first time, I thought . . oh well, they just didn’t know and it’s one employee. The second time, I said . . not going back!
Sandie says
I stop any person who is making my food and operating the register, and make them take the gloves off and wash their hands and put clean gloves on. They may consider me a —– for doing so, but “I” know the gloves are thee to keep my food clean, not to keep their hands clean, as so many seem to think! My DH and I work a job where it is not convenient, or safe to pack a lunch during the warmer times of the year and so often times we don’t eat from the time we leave in the AM until we get home in the evening, because we like to know where our food comes from and be sure it is safe…
JudyL says
That’s great but . . I’m sure your order isn’t the only time they’ve done it so they’ve stuck those grubby gloves in the lettuce, tomatoes, bread . . everything . . already. When I see something like that, I know it’s an issue with management not emphasizing cleanliness and food safety and I don’t go back.
Sharon in Michigan says
Oh, that’s disgusting. It made me cringe just reading about it. One has to be observant when in a restaurant to protect themselves from harm.
JudyL says
It just made it much harder for me to go out to eat except for a few places . . like maybe 2 . . in town where I feel comfortable eating.
Susan Fields says
And if I do go to Hardees or McDonalds I go inside to order……. Drives my family nuts….. I can’t see enough of what is going on in the kitchen from a drive through window………I want to watch them while they gather my order…….
Don’t do potluck……… Not sure just how clean other people might be……. Okay so I am fussy…….
We don’t eat out often because of that……..
Erin says
Just had a special on tv about eating out and germs! After u order go wash your hands as menus are full of germs too!! Then never put your hands to your face around your mouth area! The workers were to throw away gloves when leaving their assigned area and put new ones on when going back! After washing hands! Hair pulled back! And on and on! All of this was to prevent illness and keep sanitary conditions in check. Also yes never cut chicken and other foods with same utensil they said. And prevent cross contamination! Also the cook should be careful so he can beware of food allergies! It was on CNN.
I agree with the cat not being on counters as the germs and cat litter the can spread around. My guy is huge and will try to hang up there! I trained him well! I have Food Sanitizer spray for counters I use make sure they are very clean. I had a friend pregnant, didn’t change cat litter during pregnancy but got very sick from cat borne illness I forget the name! She ended up in Boston until her son was born. Scary! You never know. But her cat was everywhere, counter for her treats, bed, etc.
I am glad you and Vince are not going back there!
Linda in NE says
I remember one time I went into the restroom at a restaurant I usually ate at when I went out shopping. Obviously the pest control guy had recently been there because there were all kinds of dead bugs on the floor, including several cockroaches. So, if they were in the bathroom they were probably crawling all over the kitchen too. The place burned down and was rebuilt but I still can’t even stand the thought of eating there again.
helen-mary says
Well, THIS is a funny blog post to read just before I go out for lunch with my Red Hat girls. Aack!!!
CJ says
I have the same phobia. We rarely eat out because of it. I never eat food other people prepare at social gatherings… isn’t that awful?
But you only have to watch people on a daily basis as they go about their day… to know if you’ve got any phobias, they’re going to be played out! My germs, hubby’s germs, no problem. Other folks germs? Bleh!
Marky says
Where I live, the newspaper publishes the restaurant inspection reports, and the follow ups where violations were found . The public is made aware how lax some restaurants are in the basics of hygiene and can make their own decision about visiting the place. Knowing the reports will be publicized also has a greater effect on getting the restaurants in compliance with health codes, knowing business will fall off if they don’t . With follow up inspections also publicized, the public sees who is serious about making changes, and who just “doesn’t get it”. One of the frequent violations is “employee didn’t wash hands before going back to work” or “employee handled food and money without changing gloves” : Obvious management and employee training problems. I choose where I eat out (which is infrequently) by what I’ve read in those reports.
Verna says
Here in MN many places have signs in the restrooms that state employees must wash hands before returning to work, but I don’t know that it’s very effective. I’ve seen kitchen workers walk out of a stall, glance in the mirror, and head right back to the kitchen. I also think the sign should remind EVERYONE to wash! When my boys were small and we ate out, after a trip to the restroom they would point out different people and say “Mommy, that man didn’t wash his hands!”. And that happened A LOT. And yes, they’re touching the menus, ketchup bottles, etc.
I’m sure there’s a of stuff happening in the kitchen that we don’t want to know about. One time after I was halfway through my meal, I found sunflower shells in my potatoes (the kind you eat at ball games)….
Tricia says
Good for Vince for saying something! I, too, saw something of a similar nature recently…yuck. At least it was only the woman who “cleans” the tables and not our cook or waitress! And, maybe all of the bleach she uses kills the nastiness?! Ah, well, best not to think on it too much. I LOVE to eat out–what to do, what to do?!
Now I am going to read some of your other posts and hope they are more pleasant!
Tricia
Cathi in Texas says
Judy I think a call to the health dept. and a letter to the local newspaper are in order.
JudyL says
I live in too small of a town to put my name on something like that in the newspaper. I’ve tried to find out who does restaurant inspections and so far, have gotten nowhere.
Barbara says
Years ago I saw something bad happen in a restaurant and called the health department and reported it.
He said that if I knew what went on in restaurant kitchens I wouldn’t eat out…he said he inspected restaurants and would never eat in any of them.
JudyL says
You find the person on my county that takes care of restaurant inspections and you’ll accomplish a whole lot more than I’ve been able to do. I definitely believe what he said. I think I’m pretty much done with eating out except for a couple of places.
The tile guy is coming Saturday and Sunday so today and tomorrow I made/am making enough to have leftovers so we don’t have to go out to eat if he’s here past cooking time.
Kathy C in OR says
Thank you for validating how I feel. My husband always thought I was a bit OCD about eating out but when I showed him this thread he now knows I am not alone in how I feel.
I enjoy going to places in town that have open kitchens. That way I can watch the food being cooked. They are not always high end places either. There is a chain barbeque place where you can watch the food being prepared.
I also won’t eat any cold food when we go out especially cold veggies/salads. I have no idea how its stored and or cleaned (or not).
I like how I cook and I know how it is made, enough said.
Norma v says
Amen, sista…I always keep apple cider vinegar around…
Theresa says
If it makes you feel any better, I worked at several restaurants as a child (family restaurant) and young woman. All of them enforced proper hygiene. Even the kids bussing tables spent time washing their hands. The dish washer had to use a certain temperature and the rinse water had an antiseptic in it. The only place I ever worked where it wasn’t true was a donut shop where I had to bring in hand soap for the bathroom; the men were using the detergent we used to wash the floors to wash their hands because the store didn’t supply any– so my coworkers were clean, and we served safe donuts, but the store really wasn’t helping us. But even in my days at McDonald’s, I never saw anything like what you describe– and the manager there put a swift and terminal stop to any hijinks (as in, fired kids on the spot– there were so many of us trying to get work, he had no trouble replacing them.)
Bev in NC says
Have worked in many restaurants through the years and many of them (at all price ranges) are fine establishments. However, when middle son was born in the main OB-GYN teaching hospital for all of Europe 30+ years ago), the doc walked into the delivery room, took off his coat, opened the window because it was hot and delivered the baby, Without washing his hands!!!!
Linda says
Ew, ew, ewwwww. I don’t eat out often at all. When I do, it’s only at very trusted places.