Touching Money, Then Food - What Do You Do?

sarahp's post about the coffee shop reminded me of this - it has happened to me several times.

If someone touches money, and then starts preparing (or touches) your food, what do you do? I've seen workers with gloves not change the gloves and do this.

I always speak up and will refuse the food. What do you do? Speak up or let it slide?

I hate when servers do that - or use their bare hands to handle food - or wear gloves, but then handle food, then take money, or brush their hair aside, and touch the food again. Yucko.

I let it slide though, unless I see something really gross. My own hands have probably touched worse then gone in my mouth.

Having worked in lots of food service places-- it bothered ME to do that. I always changed gloves even if I had to do it 50 times an hour. But the people working cash often get your fries, drink, etc, and never wear gloves, and at most companies they aren't supposed to.

It's gross. I always tried really really hard to touch only the box but it is near impossible. I also knew my hands were clean though.

But yea, sadly most people don't care so much. Cafes and coffee shops alot of times don't even have gloves they just use those papers.

I don't make a big deal out of it unless I see someone touch their hair, eyes, nose, mouth and then touch the food-- I did see someone once scratch their head for quite some time with their glove (!) and then go right back to fixing food and I said something.

I've said something a few times, but only when I had already decided not to take the food, anyway. Who knows what they might do to it if you annoy them?

More often, I've walked up to ask for something at a bakery counter or somewhere, and in the middle of the order, I see the person sniffle and run a hand across her nose or something, and I just stop and stare for a moment and then say, "Never mind." In every case, it appears to completely mystify them!

The worst ever was the MANAGER at a bakery (a very nice chain bakery whose national headquarters is right here in the area), who actually shooed a fly off of a peanut butter cookie and then put the cookie in a bag for me! WHAAAAAT??? My jaw dropped and I said, "There was a fly on that!"

He said, "Yeah, there's nothing you can do about 'em, they're everywhere."

And he tried to hand me the bag!

Not sure ive never seen a worker do that....personally I dont know if I would care too much or notice it. IVEEEE touched money and have eaten afterwards. I wouldnt eat it if it gave me a funny feeling though.

I went to a fast food place late at night years ago. It was crowded, as it was the only place open at that time of night.

The setup was such that you could survey most of the kitchen from the counter easily (the only way you couldn't see into most of the kitchen was if you were seated facing away from it or in the process of leaving).

Halfway through slicing an onion, a girl cut her finger. Bad. Blood everywhere. She tells the manager, and asks to get a bandaid.

He says...NO!. There's no time, we're shortstaffed, we need you....of course he's doing absolutely nothing. He has her make the burger, blood running all over the assorted ingredients in plain view of everyone.

And tries to give it to the customer who ordered it, who of course protests being asked to take that and asks for their money left.

The line thinned out fast (me included) and I never went back again. I heard later that he was canned that very night.

Being a restaurant worker, I'm guilty of this, But I never use my hands to get the food. Only the tongs. I touch the plate side and the tongs. Nothing more. My cook use tongs and their hands but will wash their hands a zillion times because I don't want anyone getting sick because of something being cross contaminated. If my crew goes to the bathroom, changes trash, smokes, eats, drinks, touches any part of themselves or anyone else, they will wash their hands. That's gross and I've actually notices that male customers (at my workplace anyway) will wash their hands more then women because I change the soap dispenser more in the guys RR then the womens, and no it's not leaking and no the womens is not broken. ( I checked!)

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

sarahp's post about the coffee shop reminded me of this - it has happened to me several times.

If someone touches money, and then starts preparing (or touches) your food, what do you do? I've seen workers with gloves not change the gloves and do this.

I always speak up and will refuse the food. What do you do? Speak up or let it slide?

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I notice places in food courts are notorious for that.

I always ask them to stop and wash their hands before touching my food.

Money is probably one of the filthiest germ riddled things you can touch. Even in a restaurant before I eat my food I go into the washroom and wash my hands. Plus I carry one of those small bottles of hand santizer with me.

Ive never seen anyone do that but if I did I would ask them to wash there hands and make me a different one!

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

...Money is probably one of the filthiest germ riddled things you can touch. Even in a restaurant before I eat my food I go into the washroom and wash my hands....

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I went to a strip club once with some friends when I was in college (just to see what it was) and after watching all those women put bills in their thongs I decided the same thing about money! This was even before I had a compromised immune system!

I always wash too, in restaurants, after holding the menu. I've seen people sneeze and "catch it" in the menu.

Definitely point it out to them and ask for a new one. With all the bugs floating around today it is the best thing to do. Also as far as handling money goes, well imagine how many hands it passes throw on any given day.

Washing your hands several times a day, or using hand sanitizer is the best idea just as part of your routine.

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

sarahp's post about the coffee shop reminded me of this - it has happened to me several times.

If someone touches money, and then starts preparing (or touches) your food, what do you do? I've seen workers with gloves not change the gloves and do this.

I always speak up and will refuse the food. What do you do? Speak up or let it slide?

Click to expand...

Thats not good ... I would write a letter to them.. they may not realise its going on..

I don't think I ever had this happen or I hadn't noticed ...but it's gross, money is so dirty

Originally Posted by PinkRhinos4

Thats not good

... I would write a letter to them.. they may not realise its going on..

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No hon, I bet they do and just are so rushed with the get them in and out as fast as possible thing they slam into you when you're working, they are doing what they can as fast as possible. You need to write the head of the chains. It happens everywhere. Either they are short staffed and people are running two positions(or as many as they can) or they are just trying to get the customers in and out as fast as possible. Sad but true.