Will You Eat a Restaurant Following a Health Code Violation?

This week on the Saturday Morning show, we were discussing the recent shutdown of an area restaurant after several cases of salmonella originated there. That also led to several listeners calling in with their own restaurant "horror stories."

Having spent a number of years in the food service industry--including 17 working in a restaurant--I've been involved in a number of Board of Health inspections, so I have an "inside perspective" on what health inspectors look for during an inspection. I also spent over a decade as a restaurant critic, and I learned what to look for when it comes to cleanliness and sanitation from the outside eye as well. One thing I've always felt strongly about is that EVERY employee who handles food should be ServSafe certified, not just one person per establishment.

Many times, these incidents are isolated and quickly alleviated. No matter how careful someone may be, it happens. But it just takes one incident, especially in today's social media climate, for it to snowball and quickly impact the restaurant's reputation in a negative way. Sometimes, the restaurant can't come back from the damage that has been done.

How long would it take for you to return to a restaurant--or would you visit at all--following a health code violation such as a case of salmonella?

Chime in below in the comments section...