Some Of The Dirtiest Things In Every Restaurant

Norm · 08-11-2014, 5:24pm

Tables,
Sure, tables get a wipe-down between customers, but have you ever seen the ratty old rag that they usually use? All is basically does is spread the gunk around. If any of your food touches the table, consider it a goner.

Rims of glasses,
If you ever see a server hand you a drink with their fingers on the rim of the glass, request a new drink. As a rule of thumb, always drink from a straw at a restaurant.

Salad bar tongs,
These are rarely replaced during service, and are handled by everyone else who approaches the salad bar. They’re basically as dirty as the toilet flush handle.

Salt & pepper shakers, ketchup bottles,
The items that remain on the tables throughout all of service can get quite a germy buildup over the course of the day. Ever notice that they’re sometimes sticky? Yeah, you don’t want to be touching these very much.

Menu,
Some icky news: menus are rarely if ever given a thorough cleaning, especially if they’re paper. Recently, Good Morning America sent a team to swab items on the tables of 12 restaurants, and they discovered that menus carried the most germs, averaging 185,000 bacteria.

Ice,
An investigation into fast food restaurants in the U.S. found that 70 percent of the ice in the ice machine contained more bacteria than the water in the toilet.

Lemon wedges,
The lemons that garnish your Diet Coke and limes that get muddled into your mojito most likely weren’t washed first, and they’ve been sitting all day (or sometimes longer) in the open tray on the bar before the bartender touches them with his bare hands. If you squeeze the lemon into your soda, don’t toss it into your drink afterwards.

Just to name a few, doorknobs, toilets, bathroom floors, etc.

Bone appetite.

source: The Daily Meal

simpleman68 · 08-11-2014, 5:26pm

Don't forget the after meal mints at the register up front.

There have been plenty of gut wrenching studies on those little feces filled sugar bombs.

Scott

Norm · 08-11-2014, 5:27pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by simpleman68

Don't forget the after meal mints at the register up front.

There have been plenty of gut wrenching studies on those little feces filled sugar bombs.

Scott

Only the single wrapped will I take.

Datawiz · 08-11-2014, 5:27pm

Don't forget the uber-hot waitress named Lexus.

Norm · 08-11-2014, 5:28pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by datawiz

Don't forget the uber-hot waitress named Lexus.

I got no uber-hots around my area, but some really good food though.

MrPeabody · 08-11-2014, 5:32pm

I visited one of Guy Fieri's restaurants in Santa Rosa, Ca, and one thing that impressed me was that everything on the table, salt & pepper shakers, ketchup, etc, looked and felt absolutely clean. I commented about this to the waitress and she said they are all cleaned after every customer. This has always been a pet peeve of mine. I've been to some of the finest restaurants in the country and the stuff on the table was slimy and filthy.

The Cripp · 08-11-2014, 5:45pm

We all have immune systems. If in good shape, they battle, and triumph over any bacteria we may encounter 24/7.

The world is chockfull of nasty bacteria; get over it and live in the real world.

I don't recommend licking washroom floors, but the majority of places are clean enough!

Cybercowboy · 08-11-2014, 5:50pm

I'm careful as can be in restaurants. Sometimes I'll wipe my hands on wetnaps before eating, especially if I've encountered anything sticky on my way in. If you've ever worked in one, you know.

Norm · 08-11-2014, 6:21pm

I can attest to most if not all of my intestinal discomforts from heartburn to having a case of the explosive diarrhea have come from eating out. Never have a problem with home cooked meals. The exploding diarrhea still has not kept me away from eating out.

Dan Dlabay · 08-11-2014, 6:34pm

I don't worry about it. The world is full of germs.

Kerrmudgeon · 08-11-2014, 6:38pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norm

Tables,
Sure, tables get a wipe-down between customers, but have you ever seen the ratty old rag that they usually use? All is basically does is spread the gunk around. If any of your food touches the table, consider it a goner.
not true. Towels were changed daily and soaked in a bleach solution at night
Rims of glasses,
If you ever see a server hand you a drink with their fingers on the rim of the glass, request a new drink. As a rule of thumb, always drink from a straw at a restaurant.
Depends if you're at a low class tavern or a well run establishment. Always have a look at glasses up to a light. If they're filthy....LEAVE!
Salad bar tongs,
These are rarely replaced during service, and are handled by everyone else who approaches the salad bar. They’re basically as dirty as the toilet flush handle.
You only touch food with the opposite end of the tongs!
Salt & pepper shakers, ketchup bottles,
The items that remain on the tables throughout all of service can get quite a germy buildup over the course of the day. Ever notice that they’re sometimes sticky? Yeah, you don’t want to be touching these very much.
all of those are cleaned nightly, ketchup refrigerated.
Menu,
Some icky news: menus are rarely if ever given a thorough cleaning, especially if they’re paper. Recently, Good Morning America sent a team to swab items on the tables of 12 restaurants, and they discovered that menus carried the most germs, averaging 185,000 bacteria.
mine were plastic coated and wiped daily,
Ice,
An investigation into fast food restaurants in the U.S. found that 70 percent of the ice in the ice machine contained more bacteria than the water in the toilet.
Ice machine HAVE to be cleaned by pros every month or so.
Lemon wedges,
The lemons that garnish your Diet Coke and limes that get muddled into your mojito most likely weren’t washed first, and they’ve been sitting all day (or sometimes longer) in the open tray on the bar before the bartender touches them with his bare hands. If you squeeze the lemon into your soda, don’t toss it into your drink afterwards.
cut fresh on a sterilized board and always had lids on them.
Just to name a few, doorknobs, toilets, bathroom floors, etc.
...daily maintenance and inspected by the manager!
Bone appetite.

source: The Daily Meal

That's definitely a negative article that lumps all restaurants together. My restaurant was spic and span, and I welcomed guests to tour the kitchen anytime.

It's a case of doing your due diligence when you go out to dine, just like buying anything else.

Every restaurant bar I've worked in was cleaner than most peoples homes. That's how I was trained and I made sure it was done. You are much more likely to get poisoned at home by the way.

DukeAllen · 08-11-2014, 6:42pm

You left out my dirty mind watching the waitresses

NeedSpeed · 08-11-2014, 8:31pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Dlabay

I don't worry about it. The world is full of germs.

I've ate at restaurants a lot and somehow I'm still alive.

Even done coke off the top of the porcelain toilet in a bar. Maybe it killed the germs

markids77 · 08-11-2014, 8:39pm

In 55 years of existence I have had food poisoning twice... once from potato salad bought at a local grocery store... once from something (???) a family member brought to a gathering. I have NEVER been sickened in all of the hundreds (thousands??) of meals eaten out even though I have dined in some quite questionable establishments.

8Up · 08-12-2014, 9:24am

So I can drink toilet water.......humm.

VatorMan · 08-12-2014, 9:28am

Take it from someone that has eaten in several 3rd world countries. Dirty salt and pepper shakers are low on my repulsed alarm.

Rats and or cockroaches too big to squeeze under a door will trigger my want to eat somewhere else.

SnikPlosskin · 08-12-2014, 9:36am

Interesting article.

I was a waiter form many years (early music biz side effect).

The article reminded me that part of my system for making an average of 700% more tips than my co-workers was to personally see to it that every one of my tables was spotless and the menus, shakers, chairs, etc, were cleaned after every customer.

People sometimes waited a few minutes while I did a once over on their table (partly for show). I used one of those crumb scraper things too during the meal.