Ever Consider What a Foodborne-Illness Outbreak Might Cost Your Business?

We all know a foodborne-illness outbreak can have a significant impact on a restaurant’s reputation and your bottom line. But, what is the true potential financial burden to your operation? The answer may be more than you thought!

A recent study published in Public Health Reports from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which took into consideration lost sales, possible fines, increases in insurance premiums and possible lawsuits, found that costs could range from about 10% to 5,790% of a restaurant’s annual marketing costs and 0.3% to 101% of its annual profits and revenue.

So, what can your restaurant do to help prevent this burden?

Well, according to the National Restaurant Association, studies have shown food safety training programs can lead to a substantial reduction in the likelihood of a foodborne-illness outbreak.[1] For example, an employee who is properly trained in food safety is less likely to engage in harmful activities, like not practicing good hand hygiene at key moments. In addition, employees become advocates for food safety protocols – ensuring that proper measures including hand hygiene and temperature control are in place and being practiced.

It is clear that a food safety training program impacts the overall health of your restaurant – your employees, guests and ultimately your bottom line. What are your best practices for food safety?

[1] National Restaurant Association. The Safe Path to Success: How a Food Safety Training Program for Employees and Manager Is a Critical Component for Restaurant and Foodservice Operations. Retrieved April 12, 2016, from https://www.servsafe.com/ServSafe/media/ServSafe/Documents/NRA-The-Safe-Path-to-Success-(1).pdf