If you've been paying attention to food news recently, you've heard of the E. coli outbreak that happened in Washington and Oregon. Chipotle is facing some considerable heat after dozens were sickened by the bacteria, which is transmitted through contaminated food.
All 43 Chipotle restaurants in the two states have been shut down for deep cleaning. Chipotle has brought in outside experts to review their procedures and is investigating their supply chain to find out where the contaminated food came from. But this may not be enough for some diners. One consumer watch group ran an attack piece on the company saying that you can't spell Chipotle without E. coli!
While their spoodles and steam table pans get a good scrubbing, their sales are going to take a hit. It could take a half a year or even longer before consumer trust is regained in the brand.
If it has been a while since you've checked over your food safety measures, let Chipotle be your example. Ask your employees about food safety techniques and make sure they're compliant. Make sure you have all the cleaning equipment you need. You don't want to face a news story, or a lawsuit, about a food poisoning case that happened at your restaurant.
