All your good work can be undone in the final moments before food reaches the customer. Safe preparation, display and serving keep food protected right up to the point it is eaten.
Avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food
Ready-to-eat food will not be cooked again, so any germs from your hands go straight to the customer. Handle it with clean tongs, spoons, tissue, deli paper or single-use gloves rather than bare hands.
- Use utensils or gloves for bread rolls, garnishes, cooked meats and salads
- Don't let serving utensils touch raw food and then ready-to-eat food
- Change gloves and wash hands between tasks
Protecting food on display
Food on display is exposed to customers' coughs, sneezes and hands, and to dust and pests. Protect it and keep it under temperature control.
- Use sneeze guards, lids or covers on displayed food
- Keep hot display food at 60°C or above and cold display food at 5°C or below
- Use separate serving utensils for each dish to prevent cross-contamination
- At self-service buffets, monitor the area and replace utensils that customers misuse
Serving crockery, cutlery and drinks
Handle the parts of plates, cups and cutlery that do not touch food or the customer's mouth. Pick up cutlery by the handles, hold glasses by the base or stem, and carry plates by the rim or underneath — never with fingers over the eating surface.
Store clean crockery and cutlery so it stays clean, and never use chipped or cracked items, which can harbour germs and break into food.
Practical examples
- Bread rolls are served with tongs, not bare hands.
- A salad bar uses a sneeze guard and a separate set of tongs for each dish.
- A waiter carries glasses by the base and cutlery by the handles.
Key points to remember
- Use utensils or gloves — avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food.
- Keep displayed food covered and at safe temperatures (hot ≥ 60°C, cold ≤ 5°C).
- Use separate serving utensils for each dish.
- Handle crockery and cutlery away from food and mouth-contact surfaces.