[quote author=“Beasjt

I’ve noticed a lot of restaurants these days have the kitchen out in plain view.  Bahama Breeze or California Pizza Kitchen for example. 

I’m sure poor hygiene goes on in more restaurants than people suspect.

Tah - 25 April 2007 10:31 PM

Talk to anyone who has worked in fast food and they can tell you stories similar to this.  Food dropped on the floor and picked back up.  Spitting.  Licking.  Rubbing in unsavory places.  And so on.

Years ago I knew someone who worked at KFC and he told me that if chicken was dropped on the floor it suddenly became of the barbecue variety.

I believe there was a movie recently (called Servers maybe, but I’m not sure) that had these similar themes in it.  I haven’t seen it but I’ve seen some clips and from the trailer it is obvious.  Those are servers at a sit down restaurant rather than fast food, but it’s all the same in the end.  (The guy who played Van Wilder in Van Wilder was in it, I believe.  And I don’t feel like looking it up on imdb.com.)

So, yeah.  This is nothing new.  I’m sure there’s a lot of truth in these stories, though probably not in the vast amounts that you would think.  Or that the stories imply.

The movie was called WAITING…
...and I thought it was awesome (Be sure to wait for the after credit special scene - think Rube Goldburg)
shoulda read the whole thread before posting (Sorry SL)

red_dragon_girl_69 - 26 April 2007 03:28 AM

I worked at White Castles when I was in highschool, though I never saw any gross stuff happen. That could be due to the fact that their kitchen is widely open to customers view. And White Castles is a very anal place. They are anal about cleanliness and such.

Anal “slyders”?

(reference: Wiki :White Castle is the oldest American hamburger fast food restaurant chain. It is known for square burgers, referred to as “slyders”, which were priced at five cents until the 1940s, and remained at ten cents for years thereafter while growing smaller. For several years, when the original burgers sold for five cents, White Castle periodically ran promotional ads in local newspapers which contained coupons offering five burgers for ten cents, takeout only. The typical White Castle restaurant architecture features a white exterior with a crenelated tower at one corner to resemble a medieval castle. The Chicago Water Tower, which stands on Michigan Avenue, is said to be the model for the classic building.)

red_dragon_girl_69 - 26 April 2007 03:28 AM

I worked at White Castles when I was in highschool, though I never saw any gross stuff happen. That could be due to the fact that their kitchen is widely open to customers view. And White Castles is a very anal place. They are anal about cleanliness and such.

White Castle started the whole ‘cleanliness in a fast food place’ movement.  That was their original selling point to differentiate them from everyone else, which makes you worry about what the other places were like.

Oh, and I’m the only member of my family to hate them.  It gets me ostracized.

I have never seen a White Castle, except in a movie.  We have “Krystal Burger” which looks very similar.  You get a bag of like 9 burgers in tiny boxes.

I know a lot of the fast food places I have been to have more open kitchens…when I stand at the counter to order, I can clearly see the people preparing the food.  I’m sure there are those icky types that attempt to do gross things, but they could be seen clearly by any customer…so they would be caught immediately.

I know enough people in food service to not be that concerned w/ how my food is being handled.  The servers only care about getting the orders right & to the table in a good amount of time…and the preparers don’t have any contact with the customers (so wouldn’t know if the customers are rude)...and the servers leave the order with the preparers, and COULD indicate something gross needs to be done…but why would the preparer put himself at risk…for someone who is being rude to someone else?

All the stories my friends have told me is that they “heard” someone did something…they had never actually seen it/done it.  Most of the managers in charge of the servers & preparers…were around enough so that it would be hard to do something gross, b/c if there were ever a REAL problem, not only would the preparers be in trouble…but so would the managers.  Managers don’t get bonuses when there are bad reports from the health department.

Chary…If White Castle burgers are anything like a Krystal burger…I hate them, too.  ICK!

I actually witnessed the things I referred to above with my own eyes. No anecdotal evidence here.

MadCarlotta - 26 April 2007 02:46 PM

I actually witnessed the things I referred to above with my own eyes. No anecdotal evidence here.

Yes, but if I take your word on it, then I heard it from a friend myself. 

White castles is similar to Krystals. I havent actually eaten Krystal burgers, but my cousin has and she says they dont taste the same. She actually had my mom and sister bring her a sack of 20 to her when they visited her. I like white castles every once in a while. After working there for a year and a half, I got a bit burned out on them. BTW, white castles is one of the better paying fast food jobs. I worked there in 2000 and started at $6. while I was working there, the starting pay was raised to $6.50. I think it is now starting at $7 or $7.50.

I definitely pays to be extra nice to anyone who prepares or serves you food.

I’m a vegetarian, so I don’t eat much fast food at all, but I like sit-down restaurants a lot.  I drink copious amounts of iced-tea (and frequently stay for a long time doing crossword puzzles with a friend during off-peak hours).  I’ve learned the benefits of being a generous tipper.  They tend to keep the glass full!

Maegan - 26 April 2007 03:19 PM

MadCarlotta - 26 April 2007 02:46 PM

I actually witnessed the things I referred to above with my own eyes. No anecdotal evidence here.

Yes, but if I take your word on it, then I heard it from a friend myself. 

That

I have been hankering for a McChicken.