Hygiene in service areas protects guests from illness. It covers your personal hygiene, how you handle tableware and how you clean tables and stations. The goal is to prevent cross-contamination: germs moving from hands, cloths or surfaces onto food or anything guests put in their mouths.
Why it matters
Front-of-house staff touch almost everything a guest uses. One dirty cloth can spread illness to many guests.
Key ideas
Handwashing
Wash with soap and warm water before service, after clearing, after touching your face, phone or rubbish, and after the toilet.
Touch points
Hold glasses by the base, cutlery by the handle and plates by the edge.
Fit for work
Report vomiting, diarrhoea or infected cuts before your shift. Follow your venue's rules on returning, often 48 hours after symptoms stop.
Step by step
- 1
Arrive in a clean uniform with long hair tied back.
- 2
Wash your hands and cover any cuts with a waterproof plaster.
- 3
Sanitise tables and stations with the correct cloths.
- 4
Handle tableware only by the parts guests don't touch.
- 5
Follow your venue's temperature checks for buffets.
Do
- Use separate cloths for tables and other surfaces.
- Give every buffet dish its own serving utensil.
- Report pests to your manager immediately.
Common mistakes
- Don't wipe your hands on your apron.
- Don't reuse anything that has touched the floor.
- Don't handle food after using your phone without washing.
The situation
You drop a fork while laying a table, just as the guest sits down.
What a professional does
You take the fork to the dish area, wash your hands and bring a clean one, held by the handle on a side plate.
Useful phrases
“Let me bring you a fresh fork.”
“I'll get you a clean glass straight away.”
Pro tip
Set up clean cloths and sanitiser at the start of every shift.
Quick check
What is the difference between cross-contamination and cross-contact?
Think about it, then show the answer
Cross-contamination spreads germs onto food or tableware; cross-contact moves an allergen into food that shouldn't contain it.