Communicate and engage with Customers
Today's customers are demanding more and more information about their food and their sourcing. A plethora of recalls have press coverage at the local and national level. It is advisable to be transparent with your patrons about a recall. What are the best ways to do this?
Tell each staff member as they start their shift that your establishment had recalled food on hand and that it has been appropriately isolated.
Train your staff with specific talking points about any affected menu items or menu items that may not be available. If the customer enquiries about a recall that was broadcast through the media, this will allow your staff to inform the customer that the menu item has been removed for the time being to ensure that all products prepared are safe for consumption.
Be prepared that customers may not want to eat foods involved in product recall or warnings, even if the business does not use the affected food. For example, a fresh blueberries recall is in place, but your establishment uses frozen blueberry. Service staff should inform customers that the blueberry used is not part of the recall and their food is very safe to eat.
While food safety and recalls will be a part of food-service, it is the proactive approach taken by food business operator that will decide how each business is impacted if it happens.