Restaurants work hard to stay clean, but germs can still hide in unexpected places. It’s not just the bathrooms you need to worry about, and usually, everyday items like menus and condiment bottles can be the worst. This article highlights the most common germ hot spots you might encounter while dining out. Knowing where to be extra cautious can help you enjoy your meal while staying a little safer.
Dirtiest Places in Restaurants
Believe it or not, an ABC News reporter went undercover at ten restaurants to take swab samples. These were then analyzed by the New York University Microbiology Department lab to reveal the dirtiest places in US eateries. Here are ten places where bacteria tend to feast in restaurants!
Seats
This may be surprising to most, but about 70% of the swabs taken on chairs had bacteria on them. Researchers identified 17 different germs, including strains of E. Coli. While most of these are harmless, others can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and bloodstream infections.
Lemon Wedges
Weirdly enough, these were probably the dirtiest samples among the ones collected, with human fecal matter being one of the most frequently occurring contaminants. Unfortunately, waiters rarely handle these ingredients with gloves and instead grab lemon wedges with their bare hands.
Bathroom’s Faucets
Despite what most people may think, these were among the cleanest places in the restaurants selected by the reporter. This is most likely because, unlike other surfaces, bathroom faucets are routinely cleaned.
Rims of Glasses
Surprisingly, these were among the germiest places the research found. Hidden cameras show waiters grabbing glasses right at the top where people drink, which is reflected in the many pathogens found there. One of the bacteria found on glass rims was even linked with tuberculosis.
Toilet Tables
Tables found in the toilet were also filled with germs. This is because parents change their baby’s diapers here and often toilet-train their toddlers in restaurants. Unlike bathroom faucets, it seems that cleaners tend to focus less on these surfaces.
Bathroom’s Door Knobs
Similarly to faucets, the bathroom’s door knobs tended to be quite clean, meaning you can open the toilet's door without worrying too much about bacteria. This is because cleaners often sanitize these as hundreds of people touch them daily.
Salad Bars
People tend to think that salad bars are dirty, as restaurants often prepare the food displayed here in batches to serve it throughout the week. Despite this, salad bars are pretty clean compared to other surfaces.
Ketchup Bottles
Here is another common misconception. Despite being touched by plenty of hands, ketchup bottles don’t house huge bacteria colonies. So feel free to add ketchup to your dish without worries!
Salt and Pepper Shakers
Unlike ketchup bottles, half of the swabs taken from salt and pepper shakers were contaminated. This may be because these are used by plenty of people but rarely cleaned if you can, try to avoid these or quickly sanitize them before use.
Menus
Menus were also pretty filthy, as germs that cause both strep throat and staph infections were found on their surfaces. Similar to other items, such as salt and pepper shakers, these are rarely cleaned despite being handled by hundreds of people daily.
Conclusion
These were the ten dirtiest places to watch out for when eating outside. The piece was based on an ABC News article and first appeared on Spatula Desserts. Next time you head to a restaurant, make sure to watch out!
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