Random Thoughts.....What Are You Thinking?

I work at the salad bar in a steakhouse.

Everything on that salad bar has tongs to keep the masses from infecting the food with their hands and any germs/bacteria they may be carrying. Plenty of people like to touch the buns with their hands after coughing, sneezing, etc. into their hands.

It's my job to keep things stocked, sanitized, and to serve the guests who come through, and make sure the guests aren't getting sick from cross contamination. So naturally, I have to ask the guests that are touching the buns with their hands, as some like to touch every bun in the little bin "looking for the best bun".

My boss overheard me asking the customers to use the tongs provided for the buns, and asked to speak with me in the kitchen. He waves me over to the server area on the line, and in front of everyone, humiliates me. Talking down to me, saying that asking customers not to contaminate the food by asking them to use the tongs, is talking down to them, and that he has to then deal with it online. His suggestion was not to say anything about it anymore to the customers. And to let them touch and grab for the buns with their hands, and to throw away the surrounding buns if need be. (which you can't always do, because of how busy it is, and it's not cost effective, waste of product and labor, etc.) I want to call him out on this, but I think better of it, nod my head, and go back to salad bar.

A bit later on he comes to shake my hand, say Merry Christmas, and when he does, I pull in close and politely, and privately, ask him that the next time he has an issue with something, to talk to me privately, instead of humiliating me in front of the rest of the kitchen staff and other managers. You know, dealing with the issue professionally, in a respectful and dignified manner. This is what pisses him off, where he said "Don't tell the boss what to do", and I *HAD* to say it: "On this issue I will."

Oh ***, he really didn't like that. He doubles around, tells me to get off the salad line, and to get the *** out of his restaurant. One of the last things I hear that night before I leave is that he'll cover all of my shifts if he has to.

Put in a complaint with whatever agency does your inspections. Tell him the manager allows guests to grab food with their hands rather than the tongs provided.

Also, what kinda of *** has to use their hands for the best but? It's a *** bun, if it has give and the outer crust doesn't crunch when you grab it, you're all good.