Don't Ignore This Buffet Red Flag

After years of growth, the buffet restaurant business waned in popularity in the 1990s and 2000s, mainly because of a shift in diner eating habits. Since inflation broke records from 2021 to 2022, there has been a resurgence in buffet dining as a budget option for families. Paying an affordable flat rate and getting to eat as much as you can stomach is an appealing concept. However, there's also the issue of safety to consider, especially when it comes to the buffet utensils.

One of the biggest red flags to look out for when eating at a buffet is dirty-looking utensils. FDA Food Code requires that utensils be cleaned at least every four hours, and a clean utensil should be brought out for each fresh batch of a food item. As diners in the restaurant serve themselves at the buffet, though, they touch the handles on the spoons and tongs you will use to serve yourself also. There's no way of knowing how clean their hands are and using those utensils means that you're potentially shaking hands with everyone in the restaurant right before you eat. As a result, you could pick up someone else's germs and get sick. That's why, if the handles look particularly rife with fingerprints or just grimy overall, you shouldn't hesitate to take some precautions.

Since the classy origins of the buffet as a smörgåsbord to feed a massive crowd, we've become a little more weary of how germs spread. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to avoid picking up an illness while eating at a buffet restaurant. For instance, you could only dine at buffets where staff serve you from behind the counter. They're required to wear gloves and are the only ones handling the utensils.

When that's not an option, plan ahead by taking some hand sanitizer to use after getting your food and before you start eating. You could even wash your hands after serving yourself to reduce any germs getting on your food as you eat. Being mindful to avoid touching your plate with the hand you're serving with can reduce your exposure, too. And, while it might seem strange to others around you, taking your own disposable gloves to handle the utensils is an option.

On the other hand, it's not recommended to take your table utensils with you. Say that you use your dinner spoon to dip out some mac and cheese; then, you use it to get some carrots. There's a possibility of contaminating the carrots with wheat or dairy from the pasta, which is a food safety mistake that could be dangerous for another diner who has an allergy. It's the reason there's a utensil for each dish. Additionally, don't rescue the utensil whose handle has fallen into the food, and don't eat food from that tray either because any germs that were on that handle are now in the food.