Putting restaurant customers at risk: unsafe food handling as corporate violence

Abstract

We illustrate how unsafe food handling practice in restaurants in the United States an example of corporate violence against customers. Existing literature is used to show that while no harm is intended, decisions made by kitchen managers and supervisors out of negligence, the quest for profit, and willful violations of food codes put are customers at risk. Techniques to neutralize guilt are discussed. We conclude by arguing that current litigation and enforcement efforts by regulators do little to motivate kitchen managers and supervisors to change their violent practices.