Just in case you weren't already weirded out enough by the hygienic (or unhygienic) practices of public eateries, Today recently published a piece titled "Wash those hands! Here are the 6 germiest places in a restaurant." We've just taken a peek at it, and, to be frank, we may never eat out again. The things we assume to be clean turn out to often be quite, quite dirty.
Here are the top six places you'll want to steer clear of while dining in a restaurant.
1. Utensils
Every restaurant operates differently, but most restaurants use utensils. Those forks, spoons, and knives you assume to be clean are often contaminated by the hands of others.
Restaurants that put their silverware at bins are at a greater risk, as dirty hands dip in and out of the bins, grabbing handfuls of utensils and potentially infecting the entire bunch.
2. High Chairs and Booster Seats
Many people love the smell of babies. These people haven't yet smelled a dirty baby's diaper. When it comes to sanitation, keeping a baby clean isn't always the easiest.
They get into all sorts of germy things, and high chairs and booster seats seem to rarely (if ever) be wiped down.
3. Lemons
Lemons can make plain old water a bit more refreshing. They can also harbor billions of bacteria due to improper storage and handling as well as cross contamination.
We know that we always opt for a lemon-free beverage while we're out, but will you?
4. Menus
Is nothing safe?!
The article on Today says, "Menus, especially plastic ones, pass through many sets of hands throughout the course of a day, and each hand leaves behind some of the germs it's collected along the way."
5. Salt and Pepper Shakers
If you haven't figured it out, anything that touches hands can be quite germ-ridden. Salt and pepper shakers are no different.
Apparently, our least favorite friend E. coli loves growing on the tops of these. Great.
6. Tabletops
People cough, sneeze, and hiccup in restaurants. There's no way getting around some of this getting onto the table. Additionally, Today says that "despite the fact that restaurants are required to clean tables after each use, what they clean with is questionable."
Oftentimes the "clean" towels and sponges used to wipe tables down aren't properly sanitized.
