TODAY WE CONCLUDE our focus on the importance of trust in business and how an individual or organization builds trust.

The restaurant industry serves thousands of people every single day, so an ethical culture is important for both restaurants and customers. An ethical culture includes how customers and employees are treated, as well as food sourcing, preparation and serving. Today, we look at the ethical responsibility of restaurant managers in dealing with leftovers.

It is said that each restaurant meal produces half a pound of food waste, and while some restaurants opt to donate uneaten food to the homeless, food banks or food recovery programmes, some are in the habit of using the leftovers as part of the daily menu until they are finished.

One of the most important issues for restaurants is serving untainted food. Each time customers patronize restaurants, they demonstrate trust. They are saying that they believe that you are responsible in your dealings, and they have faith that you are putting their health and well being above your need to cut cost.

Information from The WEDM Archives (Health-Day News), reiterates that while restaurant dining may be less bother than a homecooked meal, a new study finds that you’re twice as likely to get food poisoning dining out compared to eating in.

“Bacteria grow rapidly between the temperatures of 40° F and 140° F. After food is safely cooked, hot food must be kept hot at 140° F or warmer to prevent bacterial growth. Within 2 hours of cooking food or after it is removed from an appliance keeping it warm, leftovers must be refrigerated. Throw away all perishable foods that have been left in room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is over 90° F, such as at an outdoor picnic during summer). – USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service”.

Over two decades ago I had an experience that is chalked on my mind. I went into a restaurant in Kingstown and called for a chicken lunch, when I got to the cashier, she whispered to me, “the chicken is stale, do you still want it?” I responded, “no, thank you” and exited the restaurant. Unfortunately, more frequently than not, at restaurants, I am being served some aspects of leftovers.

Late last year I visited a new restaurant – modest facility, quick turnaround time. I was impressed. I hoped that they would be consistent with the initial service rendered. Recently, I visited and was disgusted, the chicken meal I was served looked stale and tasted stale. Their standard dropped in a few short months and the trust I placed in them was ruined.

David Horsager’s mentioned consistency as one of the eight pillars of trust. He said, “It’s the little things— done consistently—that make the biggest difference. If I am overweight, it is because I have eaten too many calories over time, not because I ate too much yesterday. It is the same in business. The little things done consistently make for a higher level of trust and better results.”