Foodborne Illness SOP

Procedure #: HB SOP 15

Function: Management Policies

Implementation Date: 052322

Policy/Purpose:  Any foodborne illness complaint/inquiry should follow the procedure listed below to ensure the health and safety of all our guests and team members, and also make sure that we have reported everything properly and timely.  In addition, it is crucial to document all findings and actions taken in response to the complaint. This will not only aid in resolving the issue but will also enhance our intoxicated guest management procedures to prevent future incidents. By adhering to these protocols, we reinforce our commitment to maintaining a safe environment for everyone.

Procedures:

1. A manager must be the one to take the report from the guest, either over the phone or in person.  
2. The manager should follow these guidelines when talking with the guest about a potential food borne illness report:
3. Never claim responsibility for the guests’ illness – we cannot just assume that they became sick from our food
4. Never say, “I’m sorry we made you sick!” or “I’m sorry that you got sick after eating with us.”  
5. Rather, say “I’m sorry to hear that you’re not feeling well.”
6. Listen more than talk
7. Thank the guest for taking the time to reach out to us with this concern
8. Assure the guest that we will carefully look into it and reach back out to them after our investigation
9. If the investigation does not result in multiple cases of illness on the same day, the manager should follow up with the guest, and let them know that “Fortunately, after a thorough investigation, and no other incidents, we do not believe the food illness originated from our establishment.”
10. The manager must carefully fill out the Food Borne Illness complaint form while talking with the guest, getting all of their personal information and time/date of their visit to Hillman Beer. 
11. The manager must be sure to document every food item that the guest ate.
12. The manager must document how long after they ate at Hillman did they get sick.
13. The manager must ask the guest if they received medical treatment for their illness.
14. The manager must reach out to Hillman’s Operations Manager and COO to alert them to the illness report and submit the physical report to the Office Manager.
15. If the Operations Manager and COO find that there are multiple reports from guests on the same day (and similar menu items), they must alert Ownership and take immediate action to remove the food items that are suspected of being compromised.