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Are you brave enough to report bad hygiene?

(20 Posts)
Atqui Sat 08-Nov-14 18:44:36

A few days ago I was in a cafe with my family waiting for my daughter to bring the food. We love the food in this particular place. However , we were sitting in a room at the back of the cafe where there is a good view into the kitchen. I was horrified to witness a young man wipe his nose on the back of his hand, pinch his nostrils and wipe his mouth with his hand before continuing to handle crockery and cutlery.its a busy place wher one queues up at the counterpart her than table service. I was not courageous enough to tell anyone about this , even though it completely put me off my food, which had already been ordered.Yes , I'm a wimp, but what would you have done?

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 08-Nov-14 18:49:44

Eurgh. Report it to the Food Standard Officer at your local Council (Environment Department)

They should be inspected and the staff given training.

merlotgran Sat 08-Nov-14 18:59:35

I would have asked to speak to the manager. That's disgusting and certainly enough to put anyone off their food.

janeainsworth Sat 08-Nov-14 19:27:18

I saw something similar at a sandwich shop on Crewe Station, it put me off wanting anything to eat, but I wimped out too and just walked out blush
Partly it was shock, partly the fact that my train was due in a few minutes, but a good dose of cowardice/CBA too.
I was rather ashamed of myself though and resolved to say something next time. hmm

alex57currie Sat 08-Nov-14 21:01:54

While ago I was in the Trafford centre. OH wanted to eat. He asian, me jacket spud. Assistant at spud place sneezed into fingers, looked at it and wiped on apron/overall. I just walked away speechless. Located the customer service booth and complained. I was assured someone would contact me. Never happened shock

soontobe Sat 08-Nov-14 21:15:12

I consider myself brave, but have sat here wondering why I wouldnt report.

I wouldnt report to a manager, as I would assume he must already know.
But on the other hand, through laziness I suppose, I may not report to the Environmental Health either.

I think my laziness would overcome my disgust.

felice Sat 08-Nov-14 21:32:58

Report it, to the Environmental health, as a retired chef, we have a duty to the health and welfare of our customers.
report it.

NanKate Sat 08-Nov-14 22:10:43

I was buying some make up from a well made up young Estée Lauder assistant, however when I looked at her nails they were very grubby.

Many sales assistants have dirty fingernails, however I have never reported it.

I was talking to the manager of the local M and S food store and he absolutely stank of nicotine. hmm

Charleygirl Sat 08-Nov-14 22:11:43

I report each and every time, giving a talk on hand hygiene when I do it.

soontobe Sat 08-Nov-14 22:28:16

I think that deep down, I would be afraid that the person needed the job a lot, and might lose it if I reported them. And I would bear some responsibility for that.

But the welfare of customers is important too.

I dont know.

Ana Sat 08-Nov-14 22:37:10

He stank of nicotine! Off with his head!

tiggypiro Sat 08-Nov-14 23:24:39

I once watched an assistant in a cafe come out of the toilet and immediately start handling food. When I drew her attention to what she had just done she did not see what was wrong as she had washed her hands in the toilet. Even when I told her she had handled the door handle which people had touched and who may not have washed their hands she still could not see what I was getting at. I told the supervisor but was never sure what happened, if anything.

Deedaa Mon 10-Nov-14 22:27:51

If I see people picking cups up with their fingers inside them instead of by the handle I always tell them not to.

A friend of mine was banqueting manager at a big hotel. He said that when their was an outbreak of food poisoning the EHO was able to trace it back to an employee's fingernails and the employee was fined heavily. We could be doing people a favour by pointing out what they're doing wrong.

glammanana Mon 10-Nov-14 22:45:11

Report it right away with no hesitation either to the cafe manager or Enviromental Health Officer he is the chap responsible for giving them their star rating in the first place,the EHO make us work hard to get the right certification and pass all the requirements to do our catering jobs & run our businesses so they are also be answerable to the public for any breaches by the staff employed.

Atqui Mon 10-Nov-14 22:54:36

I hadn't thought of the E HO. Good plan. It's a bit embarrassing if the eating place is arranged in such a way that there is nowhere for a quiet word with the manager, but I agree it is our responsibility to report this kind of thing and I must be resolute!!

Teetime Tue 11-Nov-14 09:15:30

For an incident like that I would ask to speak to the manager, for a more serious breach then I would report it to the EHO formally - food poisoning can be killer to vulnerable people.

annodomini Tue 11-Nov-14 09:36:11

I would have reported it to the manager and if I got an unsatisfactory response, would have rung up the EHOs. All sorts of bugs can be passed on by this careless/ignorant behaviour.

Oldgreymare Tue 11-Nov-14 10:08:22

Mixed reactions from people when I return a badly washed cup or glass, some apologise others look at me as if I were a fussy old moo! I shall continue to do this tho'.
Sneezing incidents.....yuk.
Have you noticed the number of contestants, on 'cooking shows', wiping their fevered brows on the teatowels they then use to handle hot plates?
Yuk again.

sherish Tue 11-Nov-14 10:18:22

I always return badly washed crockery or cutlery. I do it quite discreetly and have always been given a replacement and an apology.

I agree with the comment regarding cookery shows. They also don't have long hair tied back. I would be appalled to have a hair in my food.

goldengirl Tue 11-Nov-14 17:42:55

I've asked for replacement cutlery and crockery if the piece appears unclean or is cracked and generally its been done with good grace but I do wonder sometimes if its given to someone else - call me suspicious!

I'm braver now than I was so I think would report hygiene issues. I hope I don't have to though