A restaurant’s grimy and sticky floor is not a good sign. — Filepic
Have you ever walked past a restaurant or cafe on the street and thought to yourself, anyone who eats there must surely have a really strong stomach?
That’s a pretty strong assumption, but then again, sometimes some signs you simply cannot ignore.
If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, you’ll know that some red flags stand out more than others and you should not eat there. — Compiled by PATSY KAM
Dirty salt-shakers mean poor hygiene. — Filepic
1. Have you ever noticed disgusting salt shakers that are clogged and the top super dirty? It means they just refill the content without ever washing it. You don’t want to be using the same salt shakers.
You may not want to know what the kitchen of your favourite restaurant looks like. — Filepic
2. They say never step into the kitchen of your favourite restaurant, or you may not want to eat there ever again. There’s some truth to this. For instance, if you find your feet sticking to the floor as you walk to your table, it is recommended that you turn around and walk out. Chances are, the table tops will be sticky too. The hygiene level is definitely suspect here.
3. Pay attention to the restaurant’s surroundings – the windows, doors and dumpsters. If you see rubbish spilling from the dumpster right outside, or when you’re walking in and you step into a pile of litter, or the windows are caked in dirt, it’s quite clear the restaurant is not bothered about cleanliness. And while you may not need to use the washroom, a disgusting toilet can really put one off. It shows neglect and may possibly be a reflection of the state of the kitchen as well.
4. A restaurant with an abnormally huge menu is not necessarily a good thing. It may mean that nothing really stands out and they are just trying to cover all the bases. It’s also a possible indication that the food is probably precooked, reheated or frozen.
5. If you see a lot of half-eaten plates of a certain dish when you walk past other diners’ tables, you know that is the thing to avoid. Or worse, if a lot of the food is left unfinished, it is quite telling of the quality of food being served at the restaurant.
6. Have you ever gotten hold of a restaurant’s menu, only to find your hands feeling grubby and sticky after touching it? This means it hasn’t been wiped for ages and you don’t want to wait to find out what else has not been cleaned in that place. These days, a lot of cafes and restaurants give you a QR code to scan which is a cleaner option, although an annoying one.
If there are tons of flies, walk away. — Filepic
7. If you see tons of flies hovering around the tables or the kitchen, you know already you’re taking a risk. Walk away.
8. Take note of how your glass of water is being served to you, and how the waiters hold the glasses and plates. If part of their fingers touch the drink or food, they clearly have not been taught the basics of restaurant hygiene.
