What are Restaurant Managers' Priorities for Creating a Food Safety Culture?

Introduction: By changing employee behavior to better handle food safety issues, restaurants will ultimately be providing safer food and may reduce the risk of foodborne disease to consumers. One approach to changing employee behavior is the development of a food safety culture. In our previous study, restaurant employees reported the importance of management taking safety seriously, showing leadership by keeping employees focused on food safety and modeling appropriate food safety behaviors. 

Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify restaurant managers’ priorities for developing food safety training and creating a food safety culture.

Methods:   In this pilot study, a convenience sample of 12 foodservice managers was selected. Managers were given a modified Food Safety Culture Survey Tool with a total of 43 statements concerning workers commitment to food safety, management commitment to food safety, worker food safety behavior, food safety training, and infrastructure for food safety. For each topic area, managers were asked to rank a list of 6 statements with 1 being the highest priority for managers.

Results:   Restaurant managers reported that the most important priorities for developing a food safety culture were: 1) employees following all the food safety rules even if no one is looking, 2) management being committed to serving safe food, 3) everyone in the establishment completely supporting the food safety program, 4) employees receiving proper training to follow the food safety rules, 5) and management visibly showing support for food safety ("walks the talk").

Significance: These results are consistent with our previous study and suggest that restaurant mangers realize that their commitment to food safety influences not only employee behavior but also employee attitudes toward creating a food safety culture.