Germophobes - What About Restaurant Condiments?

[grinningghost]

I am NOT a germaphobe - at all. I really don't even worry about that stuff, but I know lots of people do.

You know the salt & pepper shakers and ketchup on restaurant tables? If you're a true germaphobe, do you refrain from using them? After all, lots of people have touched them.

 

[chell]

I have wondered the same. If they look nasty or maybe greasy I will wrap a napkin around them first if I need to use them but I am not really a germophobe.

 

[dmslush]

I have wondered the same. If they look nasty or maybe greasy I will wrap a napkin around them first if I need to use them but I am not really a germophobe.

Okay, just to pick on you LOL, if it looks nasty, doesn't it stand to reason that the germs are also INSIDE of the item. I mean, salt and pepper has little holes that the germs can use to march right in through. So, even if you wrap a napkin around it, you are pouring the germs on your food, and eating them, right? So, why bother with the napkin in the first place?


Oh, and I am not a germaphobe. I figure that trying to avoid them at all costs will just result in a weak immune system.

 

[chell]

Okay, just to pick on you LOL, if it looks nasty, doesn't it stand to reason that the germs are also INSIDE of the item. I mean, salt and pepper has little holes that the germs can use to march right in through. So, even if you wrap a napkin around it, you are pouring the germs on your food, and eating them, right? So, why bother with the napkin in the first place?


Oh, and I am not a germaphobe. I figure that trying to avoid them at all costs will just result in a weak immune system.

By nasty I don't mean nasty as in I would never use it, but as in something not perfectly clean.

If something was nasty-nasty I wouldn't even eat at the restaurant in the first place.

 

[mum4jenn]

I try to use the ind. paper servings of salt and pepper. I have seen too many little kids lick the tops of the shakers I try to avoid those!!

 

[Kahana-ri]

My DH wont' do buffets becuase of all the hands that touch the serving utensils. You start to notice all the people that sneeze into their hands, or wipe their child's messes and then go up to serve themselves.

 

[Micca]

DD won't touch the salt and pepper shakers. She will only use a napkin to pick up such items.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

You all are making me feel Trying to keep me from going out to eat this week?

I try not to worry about things like that, but I guess now I will.

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

My ex used to be a waiter while we were in college. If you knew what went on with those ketchup bottles on your table (refilled and refilled and never washed or totally emptied out) and the frozen yogurt machines (turns out there's ways to clean it to get past inspection but not clean the parts the ice cream touches), you'd never want to use those again! And this was at multiple places. It's really pretty gross when you start thinking about it.

 

[Kermit]

I don't use salt or pepper, but I do worry about the ketchup. DH used to work in a restaurant and confirmed my belief that the ketchup in the bottom of those bottles is probably as old as the restaurant.

 

[LoveWDW]

Oh my, something else to think about.

I wondered about the ketchup in those bottles. Never thought about the salt and pepper. Wondered about the sugar in an open sugar bowl that people had to dip the sugar out with a spoon- that really doesn't seem right. At a senior center where I teach they used to have one spoon near the coffee urn that everybody used- one spoon!! I suggested to the lady in charge that this wasn't at all sanitary, and they did get coffee stirrers after that.

 

[phillybeth]

My ex used to be a waiter while we were in college. If you knew what went on with those ketchup bottles on your table (refilled and refilled and never washed or totally emptied out) and the frozen yogurt machines (turns out there's ways to clean it to get past inspection but not clean the parts the ice cream touches), you'd never want to use those again! And this was at multiple places. It's really pretty gross when you start thinking about it.

That's one thing I AM fussy about, although I'm not a germaphobe- I don't eat soft-serve ice cream from anywhere. I used to work in the food industry and I know how much work it takes to santitize one of those machines, and what can happen if you don't do it right. And I don't trust some barely supervised teen to do it right.

 

[Michie]

I take my own, I carry them in my purse.

 

[tiggersmom2]

You know the ketchup packs you get in fast food joints? I will tear the tip off and suck it straight from the pack....just keeps my immune system strong!

BTW - I am obviously NOT a germ a phope....I sneer at germs!

 

[Nancy]

never give it too much thought. I never use salt or pepper except while cooking, I don't ad it to foods afterwards. ketchup, I use but as long as its not totally beyond gross I'll use it. I am far from being a germaholic. I work with the public and handle money almost everyday...I just can't stress over all that stuff.

 

[Tigger&Tink]

I also carry my own salt with me,,I use low salt, and they dont have that in rest. as for the buffet lines I take a napkin up with me and use it to handle the spoons,,,if people dont like it sorry,,,,I had never thought about the ketchup,,I do try and see if they have the take out ones first though,,,I guess i may have to carry them too LOL....the worse thing are those games they have in resturants like Cracker Barrel---YUK how many hands must have touched that thing LOL....I am sure there are THOUSANDS of things we could worry about that has germs,,,,how about the faucet on the SINKS in the restrooms ,,,I think people think they are clean because people are washing there hands...BUTTTTTTT what did they just get finished doing when they went and turned on the water LOL..I always get my paper towel to dry my hands and turn it off with that..

WHAT ----I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT GERM ..NO NOT ME