Cross contamination at Restaurants!

[aurora04]

A lady I used to work with is allergic to mustard. When she went to a Subway, the person in front got extra mustard on their sub, and it ended up getting on the worker's gloves. She told the worker that she was allergic to mustard, so could she change her gloves first. The worker refused because they never heard of anyone allergic to mustard. She had them make her sub and at the end, they asked if she would like anything else. She said yes, a new sub made with clean gloves like originally asked for. They made her a new sub (weren't happy about it though).

When I worked at Tim Hortons I was constantly washing my hands! My hands had become so dry because of the amount of times I washed them each shift. I was so glad when I got put on drive-thru permanetly! We only had 1 task so if I took orders, I didn't have to worry about it as much. I didn't touch food with my bare hands (used the wax paper to pick up food etc...), but I was touching money, and just incase my hand slipped at touched food, it would be clean. I also never left the wax paper in the bag with the donut or muffin, because sure I never touched the part that is touching the food, but I did touch the other side, and the person would have to remove it to get their food.

[saddlebag]

I have allergies...but mostly I'm a germ o phobe.....I have gone to McDonald's and the cashiers finger was bleeding....I asked for someone else to serve me...oh boy the dirty looks I got.....the A&W here in the mall, my son is sure you have to be covered in scabs to be able to work there....I had a worker carry onion rings to us touching her open sores, which I spoke to the manager about...the manager replied ...oh it's only cat scratches, to which I replied, I'm a nurse and to me it's an open area, and that employee you have just about any disease....I asked a girl at subway to change her gloves...she came from out back carrying trays of veggies...god only knows what else she touched...and food/money handlers completely make me wanna puke.....I worked as a cashier years ago, and at break time when I'd wash my hands....the dirt that came off was insane .....and when I see staff tending cash and then grabbing food...well.....that's just gross

[nicolthepickle]

Sorry people. IMO if you have strong allergies just don't go to budget fast food restaurants.
It's like expecting Walmart to have the best quality furniture for the prices they charge.

[uanoor]

I rarely bought any thing from these stores neither my kids like those ready made stuff. Alway home made bread (asian style Roti, paratha or Paratha roll) freash and healthy, one of the reason to be a stay at home mom. Freash food every time. But ofcourse I know many of us need to work and have less time for all this.

[i_forget]

Sorry people. IMO if you have strong allergies just don't go to budget fast food restaurants.
It's like expecting Walmart to have the best quality furniture for the prices they charge.

Have to disagree with you on this.

We live in Canada, and there are laws and by-laws in place to protect us from food-born illnesses.

When businesses cut corners to improve turn over, they are putting everyones health at risk, and this is not something that people should shrug their shoulders at and say well what did you expect?

I have basic standards of cleanliness and they are in line with basic health and safety practices, and I expect those standards to be met by all businesses.


If I walk into a business and they are rude to me, then they are not going to get my business....and if I buy something and someone says oh well, you are going to get what I give you, well no. I expect to get what I paid for....nothing more, nothing less.

[ericaraina]

I'm a vegetarian and sadly have really bad OCD when it comes to eating in not only restaurants, but also in other peoples homes. I dont believe people when they tell me they used "different utensils" because Ive seen people lie to me

There are only a handful of restaurants I eat at because I am terrified of trying new places.

When I go to subway, I have them change their gloves, and use a fresh knife. Luckily Ive never been refused the request. Usually places are undestanding of my insanity LOL

I just feel bad when I go to someones house for dinner and they make a vege dish especially for me, and I can see that on the way to the table they stuck in the same fork that was used to fork meat.

GAH

These thoughts consume my mind every day lol. When I eat at a table where multiple people are forking from bigger dishes, Im constantly watching who forks what and what was on their fork prior and what parts of the plate they touch....

ITS SO SAD. I wish I could be saved from the OCD.

Sorry people. IMO if you have strong allergies just don't go to budget fast food restaurants.
It's like expecting Walmart to have the best quality furniture for the prices they charge.

[Lucky777s]

I'm curious about the op's expectations. If I go into Subway and order 2 subs, one for my husband and one for me (cause of course it's his night to cook!) then is the preparer supposed to switch gloves between those two sandwiches or just the customer in front and the customer behind. If the gloves should be switched for each sandwich, I would feel awful about them using 4 sets of gloves for my families dinner.

For me I'm thinking, keep the gloves and wipe your counter after each sanny.

[anisa]

I'm a vegetarian and sadly have really bad OCD when it comes to eating in not only restaurants, but also in other peoples homes. I dont believe people when they tell me they used "different utensils" because Ive seen people lie to me

There are only a handful of restaurants I eat at because I am terrified of trying new places.

When I go to subway, I have them change their gloves, and use a fresh knife. Luckily Ive never been refused the request. Usually places are undestanding of my insanity LOL

I just feel bad when I go to someones house for dinner and they make a vege dish especially for me, and I can see that on the way to the table they stuck in the same fork that was used to fork meat.

GAH

These thoughts consume my mind every day lol. When I eat at a table where multiple people are forking from bigger dishes, Im constantly watching who forks what and what was on their fork prior and what parts of the plate they touch....

ITS SO SAD. I wish I could be saved from the OCD.

the thing is they touch the meat, and the cheese and all the veggies and the bottles of sauces when making a sandwich.

they go to make your sandwich and you are eating cheese, veggies that have been touched while other sandwiches were being made. they grab a bunch in their hand, pick a couple of pieces for a sandwich, and then put the rest back in the container.

when i realized just how much cross contamination was happening in each and every step i stopped eating at subway.

[couponmummy]

I was at a grocery store and the cashier had a peeled clementine at the till while she was cashing me out. Another cashier came by and she shared it with her. Money and food. Yuck yuck yuck!! Oh, and I always put my veggies and fruits in those veggie bags. The carts are filthy with baby butts and kiddie shoes. Not to mention meat juices from conveyor belts.

[anisa]

yes i realize a lot of things probably happen at other places that i am so totally not aware of

ignorance is bliss?

besides i eat mainly at places that meet my dietary restrictions. the few times i do eat other places i am still as cautious as is humanly possible.

[i_forget]

I'm curious about the op's expectations. If I go into Subway and order 2 subs, one for my husband and one for me (cause of course it's his night to cook!) then is the preparer supposed to switch gloves between those two sandwiches or just the customer in front and the customer behind. If the gloves should be switched for each sandwich, I would feel awful about them using 4 sets of gloves for my families dinner.

For me I'm thinking, keep the gloves and wipe your counter after each sanny.

A box of 500 gloves costs about $3.50.

The environmental impact does bother me, however this is the method that the company chooses to push as many people out the door as quickly as possible.

[anisa]

I'm curious about the op's expectations. If I go into Subway and order 2 subs, one for my husband and one for me (cause of course it's his night to cook!) then is the preparer supposed to switch gloves between those two sandwiches or just the customer in front and the customer behind. If the gloves should be switched for each sandwich, I would feel awful about them using 4 sets of gloves for my families dinner.

For me I'm thinking, keep the gloves and wipe your counter after each sanny.

the main purpose of using gloves is to keep the food clean. they have factored these costs into their pricing. it might seem indulgent, but it is how they have set things up themselves

[Yusshin]

I was at a grocery store and the cashier had a peeled clementine at the till while she was cashing me out. Another cashier came by and she shared it with her. Money and food. Yuck yuck yuck!! Oh, and I always put my veggies and fruits in those veggie bags. The carts are filthy with baby butts and kiddie shoes. Not to mention meat juices from conveyor belts.

I saw a pic of a lady changing a diaper in a Walmart cart lol

Also, I can attest to the fact that tils are filthy. Mega filthy. We try to clean up meat spills and the likes a.s.a.p but some cashiers don't take it as seriously as others, thus dirt, dirt, and more dirt! :\

[i_forget]

I was at timmies today and bought myself a coffee and donuts for the kids and the debit machine was FILTHY. I have a big bottle of hand sanitizer sitting at my door right now to get put in the car.

[hollyquaiscer]

Cross contamination is a very serious issue. I have Celiac so if a restaurant says they have gluten free food, then use the same grill to cook it as they make the garlic toast and other items on, I can get very ill. Earls is the only place in Calgary other than Totally Gluten Free restaurants that I will eat in as they have a totally separate grill and cook area just for gluten free requests, and they take all allergies very seriously. I would hope the owner would take immediate action with respect to this huge health issue in his eating establishment. Please, keep us informed as to where you here back from them.