2025 FOOD SAFETY SERIES

People & oversight: where training meets execution

Training matters because people matter. When brands hold themselves accountable to strong food safety practices, they safeguard not only what’s on the plate but also the health and trust of customers and employees.

Learn how we collect our data >


YEAR-TO-DATE TOTAL ASSESSMENTS ACROSS RESTAURANTS, CONVENIENCE STORES, AND GROCERY STORES

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Based on data from 180,000+ assessments, Steritech has identified the most common training and oversight observations, their key drivers, and actionable steps to improve food safety practices.

Explore the tabs for vertical-specific insights.

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Even the best processes and procedures can fail if managers don’t enforce them consistently.
  • 13,681 Total grocery store assessments
  • 4,794 Total grocery store observations
  • 29.69% Increase in people and oversight observations since 2024
The difference between weekend and weekday is vast, with an increase in observations for Certified Food Protection Manager. This observation made up over 35% of total observations in grocery, an 8.89% increase from 2024.
CERTIFIED FOOD PROTECTION MANAGER RISK
LEVEL 2: Support, facilitate, or enable foodborne illness
COMMONLY OBSERVED
  • No manager assigned
  • Manager not present
  • Expired certificates
  • Registry not displayed
  • Missing documents
PRIMARY DRIVERS
checklist

SOP and Procedure
Noncompliance

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Training and
knowledge gaps

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When customers expect speed and convenience, critical food safety steps can be overlooked.
  • 13,267 Total convenience store assessments
  • 55,488 Total convenience store observations
  • 29.9% Increase in Hot Water availability issues from 2024
In 2025, c-stores performed well on observations tied to People & Oversight. However, two issues of note are on the rise: Access to hot water in restrooms and handwashing sinks.
HOT WATER: HANDWASHING SINKS RISK
LEVEL 2: Support, facilitate, or enable foodborne illness
COMMONLY OBSERVED
  • Under sink water heater not working
  • Hot water not working
  • Water did not get to temp in time
  • Sinks do not have a two-temp option

PRIMARY DRIVERS

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Equipment
Issues

tool

Neglected
maintenance

 
HOT WATER: RESTROOMS
LEVEL 3: Condition & maintenance of facilities & equipment
COMMONLY OBSERVED
  • Hot water not working in restrooms
  • Hot water not working
  • Sinks do not have a two-temp option
  • Possible issue with multiple restrooms

PRIMARY DRIVERS

gear

Equipment
Issues

tool

Neglected
maintenance

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Restaurants succeed when managers make safety practices a daily habit, not just policy.
  • 128,500 Total QSR assessments
  • 28,276 Total QSR observations
  • 7.23% Increase in total observations since 2024
In QSRs, sanitizing issues were noted more often on weekdays, while handwashing issues were cited more frequently on weekends.
HANDWASHING RISK
LEVEL 1: Directly associated with foodborne illness
COMMONLY OBSERVED
  • Procedures not followed
  • Leaking faucets
  • Jammed soap dispenser
  • Broken pipes
  • Loose splash guards

 

PRIMARY DRIVERS

checklist

SOP and Procedure
Noncompliance

tool

Neglected
maintenance

 
SANITIZING (NON-DISH MACHINE) RISK
LEVEL 1: Directly associated with foodborne illness
COMMONLY OBSERVED
  • Expired test strips
  • Solution not changed
  • Torn gaskets
  • Dispenser malfunction
  • Wipe cloth stored in sanitizer
  • Incorrect sanitizer concentration

PRIMARY DRIVERS

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Neglected
maintenance

book

Training and
knowledge gaps

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Managers bridge the gap between food safety training and real-world execution.
  • 24,576 Total fast casual assessments
  • 3,021 Total fast casual observations
  • 8.94% Decrease in people and oversight observations since 2024
The breakfast day part had the most observations at 42.81% of observations, compared to lunch (27.44%) or dinner (29.76%)
PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION RISK
RISK LEVEL 3: Relate to sanitation, operations, facilities, equipment, or maintenance
COMMONLY OBSERVED
  • Missing labels
  • Bulk items only labeled
  • Incorrect dates
  • Outdated stickers
  • lD label residue
PRIMARY DRIVERS
checklist

SOP and Procedure
Noncompliance


timer

Time and
workload pressures

"Even the best procedures won’t work if managers don’t enforce them. Strong, knowledgeable managers bridge the gap between food safety training and real-world execution. When every shift runs with safety and accountability, customers notice."
O_McClary
– O McClary, Strategic Account Manager

MOST FREQUENTLY CITED AREAS

 Foodservice varies between verticals, but the data is clear: across 180,000+ assessments, these items and areas are the most frequently cited for food safety issues.

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Hand Washing Sinks
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Utensils
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Containers
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Mops
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Cutting Boards
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Vegetable Prep


How well do you know the best practices for handwashing and reportable illnesses?

TAKE ACTION NOW

Understanding your oversight, labeling, and sanitation challenges can help you ensure reliable processes are in place across your organization.

Management
FIX NOW
  • Renew or obtain certified manager certificates immediately
  • Post certificates where guests and staff can see them
  • Assign a certified manager on-site at all times
DAILY ROUTINE
  • Ensure certificate is displayed during opening checklist
  • Manager on duty confirms certificate validity weekly
  • Train managers on certification requirements and proper procedures
LONG TERM
  • Include certification in onboarding and ongoing training
  • Maintain a certification tracker and add status to HR system
  • Schedule renewal alerts and incorporate checks into quarterly audits
Product Identification
FIX NOW
  • Discard unlabeled or expired foods immediately
  • Remove outdated labels and stickers
  • Instruct prep team on proper dating and labeling
DAILY ROUTINE
  • Verify labels during every line check
  • Check shelf life and product dates each shift
  • Include label accuracy in opening/line check routines
LONG TERM
  • Include labeling SOP in onboarding and quarterly training
  • Provide cheat sheets or reference guides for shelf life
  • Track label compliance in manager scorecards and audits
Sanitation and Hygiene
FIX NOW
  • Remove food from affected areas and sanitize surfaces/equipment
  • Repair or replace faulty dispensers, faucets, pumps, or worn parts
  • Change sanitizer, flush lines
DAILY ROUTINE
  • Check sanitizer parts per million (PPM) hourly
  • Change sanitizer solution at least every 2 hours
  • Follow opening/closing cleaning checklist and log tasks; manager verifies completion
LONG TERM
  • Schedule quarterly deep-cleaning and preventive maintenance
  • Train staff, provide coaching, and monitor SOP adherence during shifts
  • Review trend data monthly and update SOPs/training as needed

Your data tells a story. Ready to turn insights into action?

Fill out the form to schedule some time with a Steritech Specialist and make your food safety data work harder for you.

 

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*Data is from 180,024 food safety assessments from the first seven months of 2025.

Each year, Steritech analyzes thousands of assessments through our proprietary OnBrand360® platform. By sharing this wealth of data, we hope to give you a more holistic view of your business and competitors across industries, so you can benchmark performance, identify risks, and make informed decisions to strengthen food safety and operational practices.

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