Dear Mark: Thank you
Already : Hatachi Archives
Dear Mark: Thank you Friday February 1
Dear Mark:
Thank you for your comments. You are right in all three areas that you
covered in your letter.
* It would save us money if you could be allowed to bring your own
containers to the grab-and-go specialty restaurants. (And we would like
that!)
* It would reduce waste. (And we would like that!)
* It cannot be done because of sanitation concerns.
We are governed by Public Health's Food Service Sanitation Code for the
State of Illinois. Each section of this code has been passed by our elected
representatives in Springfield. Section 750.270 states:
"Reuse of soiled tableware by self-service consumers returning for
additional food is prohibited. Beverage cups and glasses are exempt from
this requirement."
You may wash and thoroughly sanitize your containers, but there is no way
that they can be certain that all customers would do that. If someone took
a spoonful of food and touched their dirty container with the serving spoon
while transferring the food from our serving container to their
container...it would contaminate the serving spoon. If the serving spoon
was then put back into the food on the serving line, it would contaminate
all of the food in that serving container. Your health is VERY important to
us. We cannot compromise our health standards to save money or reduce
waste. Once you have taken your food back to your room, there is nothing to
prevent you from transferring the food to your own containers, and then,
once again, you are right. If your container is not clean (or you do not
store the food properly) and get sick, it is not our concern. You are an
adult, and you are responsible for your actions.
