Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

I went to a local pizzeria last Friday night, ordered a pizza and sat down and waited for it. While it was cooking in the oven, I observed one of the workers open the cash register, remove all the quarters from it (looked to be about $10 worth), count them out 2 at a time, then scoop them up and put them all back in the register. He did this with his bare hands. (Remember, my pizza is in the oven.)

Immediately after placing the quarters back in the register, he very briefly and casually wiped his hands on his apron (which was already tomato sauce stained) and proceeded to place his hands into the cheese and spread it around on a pizza that was being newly prepared.

I was like . Now remember, my pizza was already in the oven. But this disturbed me. I chickened out and didn't say anything. But it bothered me for the past couple of days so I wrote them an anonymous letter explaining why I will not eat there again.

What would you have done? Would it have been a big deal to you or no?

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Honestly, no, that probably wouldn't bother me all that much. I'm honest enough with myself enough to know that anywhere I eat will not be 100% clean.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

That would be a very big deal to me. The law surrounding food prep requires that guy to be wearing gloves before sticking his hands in the cheese. While I agree with the previous poster that there will be lapses of hygeine etc, handling money and then food is as bad to me as using the bathroom and not washing hands and handling the food. That money was handled by countless numbers of people before it got to his register, and goodness knows how many of them actually didn't wash their hands after using the bathroom and then handling that money. I shudder to think about it.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

That would bother me too..

I once went to this small deli where the man who was working the register was also preparing sandwiches... WITHOUT GLOVES! Now, I know that I don't always know what goes on in the kitchens of even my favorite restaurants........ I know most chefs DO NOT wear gloves......... but this guy was also handling the money. I was just so by it that I walked out.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Would it bother me to see it, maybe. Am I surprised NOT AT ALL!!! I have worked in the restaurant bus and let me tell you, that is nothing compared to what I have seen. I have seen a cook, drop a steak on the floor, pick it up and plop it back on the grill. NOTHING is shocking when it comes to food.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Yea, that's gross when you think of where money has been!

The guy who runs the cafe in my building doesn't wear gloves, or wears them and uses the gloved hands to count money and handle food. He's a 2 person operation so he would have to put on and take off the gloves every 3 seconds.

It bothered me at first, I might have even posted here about it, and would still bother me if I stopped to think about it. But at this point, I either deal with it or I don't eat there anymore.

You could drive yourself mad wondering what goes on in the kitchens of establishments. Where does it end? I just turn a blind eye unless it's something REALLY bad like sneezing into food or something.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

The guys at my pizza place dont wear gloves when making the pizza's either. I always thought it was gross but figured the germs are killed in the hot oven

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Posted by jellybean1420

The guys at my pizza place dont wear gloves when making the pizza's either. I always thought it was gross but figured the germs are killed in the hot oven

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

That would really gross me out. (But I probably would have chickend out) But I used to work as a bank teller and after handling coins and bills my hands would be filthy. I was not able to wear white shirts for that reason.

Sorry that happened.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

I agree it is gross but if you think about it the guys making your pizza do not wear gloves, they use their hands, wrists (with hair), and all. Same thing when prepping the food in the back. This goes with any hand prepping no one wears gloves its way to annoying to use them.

I worked for a food store's deli and man the things that happened there would make your head spin! Even high end restaurants have dirty little secrets, typically poor food handling because only the head chef has food experience and possibly the sous-chef otherwise it is the dishwasher that moved his/her way up the ladder and typically does not care if your food falls on the floor or not.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

ya - that would have bothered me. But I would have been too chicken to say anything so I think you did the right thing but writing the letter. I think that was a great idea.

IMO - when people are dealing with food, they need to make an effort to keep their hands clean and continously wash them.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

That would bother me, especially to see it. When I cook or bake, I wash my hands every time I touch food. So if I mix something and then leave the kitchen, I wash my hands again before I touch the dough. I like to think others do this and I try to live in blissful ignorance, so that is why actually seeing it would bother me.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

that would have grossed me out, and I would have called the next day, written a letter or done something.


yes, there are worse germs out there, yes it's being cooked in a 500 deg oven, but there's a health code for a reason. it should be followed.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Nope, wouldn't bother me. Like PP have said, the oven kills everything...and honestly, I'd be a lot more disturbed if he was picking his nose, sucking on his fingers, wiping the counter, cleaning the floor, or using windex/bleach and then handling food....there's a lot worse out there.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

It wouldn't bother me. If I was alone, I'd just eat it.

It would bother my DH. He'd probably say something about it and make me leave and go somewhere else.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

My brother is a chef. I know better than to ask him about what goes on in restaurant kitchens. If I was that worried about everything that may or may not touch my food, I wouldn't eat out.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Bear in mind that the heat in those ovens will kill anything.
I wouldn't be concerned

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

i worked in a hospital kitchen for 2 years so i am very particular about this sort of thing and i have walked out of several pizza places for this......

they can touch my food without gloves to put it in the oven but after that i require gloves.....


NYS health law..... gloves must be worn if touching "ready to eat" foods

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Thanks everybody. I think a combination of both points of view are correct. You can't possibly know EVERY time unsanitary things are being done in restaurants, and true, the oven probably klills everything. It's just in that particular of instance, i.e. from handling coins to hands going directly into the cheese in the presence of customers was a little gross (and irresponsible).

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

I am not a germaphobe so it wouldn't bother me.

Nothing like a little coccaine on my pizza anyways.

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)

I try not to think about these things. Cus even when they wear gloves, I wonder what else they are touching with them on. Yuck!

Re: Blech! WWYD in this situation? (Restaurant related)