The Red Flag That Makes Me Walk Out Of A Restaurant As A Former Cook

As a former cook, I unfortunately know all too well that not every restaurant strives to be on top of its game. In my experience, you'll immediately know that an establishment isn't trying to serve the best to every guest based on some signs. Now, I'm not walking into restaurants like I'm rating the place for a Michelin star, and if I'm hungry enough, I'll forgo prevailing wisdom and ignore certain restaurant red flags that would send most folks running out the door. However, I will never force myself to sit down at an establishment exhibiting this egregious evidence that the food may be unsafe.

If you are being led to your table and notice a quiet smack, smack, smack as you walk across the floor, save your money for a restaurant that cares — because the one you're in obviously doesn't. It's not just gross to feel your shoes sticking to the floor with every step. Sticky or generally dirty floors in the dining area signify a problem at the heart of the operation. If basic floor cleaning isn't being performed regularly, what other red flags would send you running if you saw them with your own eyes? Cross-contamination, poor refrigeration standards, under-cooked food — take your pick.

But wait, wouldn't sticky floors indicate the staff in the front of the house is slacking? How are they an indictment on the kitchen staff as well? The thing is, it's not necessarily either sector that's at the heart of the issue. The problem lies further up the chain of command.

Mistakes happen, and minor details are occasionally overlooked in the back of the house. Yet, one characteristic every quality establishment has in common is that when those things occur, someone in charge is righting the ship.

Managers, proprietors, and owners aren't just there to look pretty — they are the safeguard against substandard service. When they are on top of their game, so is the staff, and rarely do glaring issues like sticky floors slide by their attentive gaze. They coach employees to mind the details, ensuring customers enjoy their meal and leave the establishment with a smile. And they see everything.

Yet, when a manager or owner takes a lackadaisical approach to their job, they will allow blatant red flags like sticky floors go unaddressed. Vital tasks essential to the success of the business slip through the cracks, if they don't get outright ignored. If something as disgusting as leaving the floors in a filthy state is no big deal, there's no chance you can count on the fare the restaurant serves being top-notch, much less up to basic food safety standards.

People will take shortcuts in any profession that isn't a dream job — not just the culinary industry. Unfortunately, when it happens in restaurants, it can result in much worse than a subpar meal. Sticky floors may not make you ill, but they're an obvious indication that something else in that establishment might.