2 weeks Ago By The Macomb Daily
Over the past five years, many restaurant chains have had a substantial decline in business, mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and establishments faltering from various health departments spontaneous adjustments to their rules and regulations. But before the pandemic, how secure and sufficient was our food, and how much trust and dependence we had in it? Many people find it convenient to order takeout instead of traveling to their local markets and preparing nutritious, home-cooked meals. One must consider the amount of trust we put into fast food restaurants these days and times and the possible hazards of restaurant workers not following protocol.
There are so many crucial elements one must bear in mind when thinking about ordering or dining out at fast food places — one being the atmosphere of the place, another being the morale and skill set of the employees. Are companies willing to pay for adequate training for new hires and will it ensure the quality products so many count on and eager to consume? Other factors include the freshness of produce, the downside of processed foods, and the luring effect of possible cross-contamination. In today’s working field, some women workers have lavishly adorned themselves with cosmetics such as lashes, fingernails, and excessive hair.
The same for many male employees; sporting full beards and preparing food without a mask, so the question arises again: should this be a concern with the proper handling of food? Many have been seen talking on their phones with earpieces while manning the cashier and that exhibits sheer unprofessionalism and disregard for the customer. With services such as DoorDash and Uber Eats becoming the staple of today’s food delivery services but again, just how safe and reliable are these services? Sure, the customer gets a confirmation receipt— with the name and number of the driver but has no knowledge of who or how the food was prepared. One could only presume that drunkards and recreational drug users work in some restaurant kitchens; with many establishments proven to be unsanitary i.
e. intoxicated employees under the influence of mind-altering substances, no gloves and masks, lack of cleaning supplies, and total lethargy overall. This assumption does not apply to all fast-food chains and other restaurants, but quite a few have been reported to have deterred many and are unprofessional.
Many customers have gone to exigent measures such as contacting the health department about deplorable acts, only to get the runaround, unanswered calls, and unreturned emails. Why are so many of these establishments that had multiple complaints still in business? Why are health departments lenient when they have been informed? It would be an unreasonable assessment to deem all restaurants careless and vile because of one bad experience but to fairly assess, consider and look with a stern eye, exactly how much faith and trust we put in fast food in general. Larry Gore is a Macomb County-based author.
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