An Expert Says This Is The Germiest Item On A Restaurant Table

You may not think that within the first few minutes of sitting down at a restaurant you're coming into contact with the germiest items. But according to infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Brian Labus, Associate Professor at the UNLV School of Public Health, you may want to bring hand sanitizer with you on your next night out. Labus said in an interview with Tasting Table that menus can be a type of hotspot for germs in restaurants. 

Menus are passed quickly between hands and aren't always cleaned, particularly during busy shifts or if the menu is made of a material that is not easily sanitized. Even if a menu has been cleaned, there is no guarantee that the surface is germ-free. "If you've ever been handed a plastic-coated menu that is still wet, you at least know that it has been wiped down. But it could have been wiped down the night before and stayed wet all night, which could be a great environment for bacteria," Labus said. 

Before you worry about picking up a tasting menu and browsing the dish descriptions in bold fonts, Labus reassures restaurant goers that the food safety risk is low. However, there are still steps you can take to avoid germs in a restaurant.

In addition to the menus passed out at restaurants, other frequently-touched items can be magnets for germs. Salt and pepper shakers and other items that sit on a table between guests like condiment bottles can offer the same kind of risk as handled menus. Though these items are not cause for alarm or pose enough reason to cause panic, the germ factor is something to be mindful of. "If we thought that items on the table posed a significant risk to diners, we would have a process in place to reduce that risk," Labus reassured us.

If the thought of touching germy surfaces before you dig into your meal stresses you out, excuse yourself to the restroom to wash your hands or pack a package of wipes to discreetly clean your fingertips before eating. Alternatively, many restaurants still stock hand sanitizer after the pandemic, so you can ask the waitstaff for a bottle before your meal arrives.