Sanitation in Restaurants, is it really that important?

YES, YES and YES again!

I would say that without a doubt the biggest challenge to restaurants is sanitation and if they did one thing and only one it would be to instruct their employee’s that it is IMPORTANT. I never had a chance to work in a restaurant but I did work at a Boy Scout Camp (Camp Berry) in the dining hall and I know we did a lot of cleaning everyday.

So let’s talk about procedures:

1. Someone must be in charge, The General Manager or Manager at open and close are responsible – from them all procedures must flow.
2. Each shift, a person must be in charge of cleaning.
3. At closing someone must be in charge and instructed on cleaning procedures.

Those people must be held accountable, just missing one day can cause repercussions. I think I would make a great health inspector but I also think heads would roll. Some of the stuff that I see daily would just turn your stomach. Just last week a restaurant was closed for outbreak of bloody diarrhea outbreak serious (laboratory results indicate the bacteria causing the illness is E. coli O157) (ABC15). It’s not just the bugs you can see, but sanitation is very important to the health and safety of patrons and staff.