Food Business Survey

This survey should be completed by a manager or lead staff member of a food establishment. Individual survey answers are kept anonymous. Please complete the questions as honestly as possible. Your insights and experience are valuable and will be important in creating guidance and tools that will be shared to help reduce foodborne illness.

Thank you for taking the time to complete our survey!

Should you have any questions about this survey, please contact afdo@afdo.org.

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* 1. How many locations does your business operate?

Single

2-5 locations

6-20 locations

21-99 locations

100 or more locations

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* 2. Please select your state:

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* 3. Total number of employees:

Full-time

Part-time

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* 4. Please select your type of operation. (Select all that apply)

Independent operator

Franchise

Corporate owned

Chain

Other (please specify)

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* 5. What type of food safety training do employees who handle food receive? (Select all that apply.)

Food Handler Certificate class

Food Manager Certification training

Trained by supervisor

Trained by employees other than supervisor

In-house training

External training

Online training

None

Unsure

Other (please specify)

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* 6. How does your business encourage handwashing by employees? (Select all that apply.)

Hand-washing signs

Coaching, monitoring, and correction

Managers role-model proper handwashing

Contests, recognition, and rewards

Digital or audible reminder/timers

Handwashing is written in standards and procedures (SOPs).

Hand sink is easy to use, i.e., accessible and stocked with soap and drying supplies.

Unsure

Other (please specify)

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* 7. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? (1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neither agree nor disagree, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly agree)

	1	2	3	4	5
Producing safe food is the highest priority for my business.	Producing safe food is the highest priority for my business. 1	Producing safe food is the highest priority for my business. 2	Producing safe food is the highest priority for my business. 3	Producing safe food is the highest priority for my business. 4	Producing safe food is the highest priority for my business. 5
My health inspector is a partner and is interested in my success.	My health inspector is a partner and is interested in my success. 1	My health inspector is a partner and is interested in my success. 2	My health inspector is a partner and is interested in my success. 3	My health inspector is a partner and is interested in my success. 4	My health inspector is a partner and is interested in my success. 5
Filling orders is often more important than food safety rules when there is too much work to do.	Filling orders is often more important than food safety rules when there is too much work to do. 1	Filling orders is often more important than food safety rules when there is too much work to do. 2	Filling orders is often more important than food safety rules when there is too much work to do. 3	Filling orders is often more important than food safety rules when there is too much work to do. 4	Filling orders is often more important than food safety rules when there is too much work to do. 5
Health inspections by the health department provide value for me as an operator.	Health inspections by the health department provide value for me as an operator. 1	Health inspections by the health department provide value for me as an operator. 2	Health inspections by the health department provide value for me as an operator. 3	Health inspections by the health department provide value for me as an operator. 4	Health inspections by the health department provide value for me as an operator. 5
We have written food safety policies and procedures.	We have written food safety policies and procedures. 1	We have written food safety policies and procedures. 2	We have written food safety policies and procedures. 3	We have written food safety policies and procedures. 4	We have written food safety policies and procedures. 5
Employees follow food safety rules, even when no one is looking.	Employees follow food safety rules, even when no one is looking. 1	Employees follow food safety rules, even when no one is looking. 2	Employees follow food safety rules, even when no one is looking. 3	Employees follow food safety rules, even when no one is looking. 4	Employees follow food safety rules, even when no one is looking. 5
My health inspector teaches employees during their visits.	My health inspector teaches employees during their visits. 1	My health inspector teaches employees during their visits. 2	My health inspector teaches employees during their visits. 3	My health inspector teaches employees during their visits. 4	My health inspector teaches employees during their visits. 5
All employees know the food safety expectations of the business.	All employees know the food safety expectations of the business. 1	All employees know the food safety expectations of the business. 2	All employees know the food safety expectations of the business. 3	All employees know the food safety expectations of the business. 4	All employees know the food safety expectations of the business. 5
Employees receive enough food safety training for their jobs.	Employees receive enough food safety training for their jobs. 1	Employees receive enough food safety training for their jobs. 2	Employees receive enough food safety training for their jobs. 3	Employees receive enough food safety training for their jobs. 4	Employees receive enough food safety training for their jobs. 5
Employees encourage each other to follow food safety rules.	Employees encourage each other to follow food safety rules. 1	Employees encourage each other to follow food safety rules. 2	Employees encourage each other to follow food safety rules. 3	Employees encourage each other to follow food safety rules. 4	Employees encourage each other to follow food safety rules. 5

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* 8. What types of tools or checks does your business use to confirm that safe food is being served? (Select all that apply.)

Our manager conducts internal food safety audits/checklists.

A third-party company conducts food safety audits.

We use approved HACCP plans.

Staff complete food safety checklists/logs throughout the day.

State or local Health Department inspections

Open communication between employees and management/employee feedback

Use customer feedback.

Infographics/signs

Color-coded food equipment

None

Unsure

Other (please specify)

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* 9. What would you change about the inspections done by your health inspector?

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* 10. What practices do employees follow to keep food safe? (Select all that apply.)

We do not serve foods that need temperature control.

Date mark foods.

Do line checks of hot and cold holding temperatures.

Prep food in small batches.

Keep thermometers calibrated.

Check refrigeration and freezer temperatures.

Use safe thawing processes.

Monitor cooking temperatures.

Check delivery temperatures.

Monitor cooling process.

Monitor reheating.

Use time labels when holding food at room temperature.

Keep temperature logs.

Unsure

Other (please specify)

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* 11. Which foods do employees handle with their bare hands? (Select all that apply.)

No foods

Most foods as needed during preparation

Garnishes, such as lemons or parsley

Salads or salad toppings

Desserts or dessert toppings

Bread, tortillas, chips

Sandwich or burger toppings, such as lettuce, tomato, or pickles

Unsure

Other (please specify)

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* 12. Which of the following written food safety procedures or policies are used in your business? (Select all that apply.)

Emergency Response Plan

Equipment Design Standards

Facility Design Standards

Preventive Maintenance Procedure

Allergen Control Procedure

Pest Management Program

Cleaning and Sanitization Procedure

Supplier/Vendor Approval Program

Personal Hygiene Standards

Unsure

None of the above

Other (please specify)

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* 13. Do you choose the food suppliers that your business uses?

Yes