Germaphobes Unite: You Can’t Lick Just Any Floor

Sep 17th, 2009

Look, I realize that maybe I’m the quirky one here, but when the hubs and I closed down a Chinese Restaurant in L.A., and they put the chairs up for the night, they put said chairs up like this:

chairs stacked on top of table feet-side down

Tables covered in chair feet. What the…?

Hey! Call me germaphobic, but isn’t that unsanitary? Aren’t you supposed to put the chairs upside down on the table tops?

Look, I don’t think you understand what’s going on here….let’s get a closer look, shall we? Morty? Can you zoom in on that table to the right?

This restaurant does not provide those splintery wooden chopsticks in the paper sleeve. This is a FINE DINING ESTABLISHMENT. With real chopsticks that are washed and placed next to the plates that are then left on the tables overnight. Next to the chair’s feet.

We are a civilized people who eat off of the tables. We do not eat off of the floors. OK, some of us do, but not in public. Licking chocolate pudding off of your own floor at home where the traffic is limited to your own social network is way differtent than licking chocolate pudding off of some restaurant’s floor. I mean, you don’t know where that floor has been. Am I right?

And isn’t allowing chairs to stand on top of tables akin to licking the floor? Well, isn’t it at least like allowing people with filthy shoes to walk all over the tables, potentially brushing up against the chopsticks? And leaving the plates out all night? How would you feel if you knew bugs had partied the night before all over YOUR lunch plate?

And I’m not blasting this one restaurant, because less than a month later, we closed down a waffle joint in Sacramento when THIS occurred:

What the H. E. double-hockey sticks is this unsanitary world coming to? If I wanted the floor’s germs on my table, I would walk on it myself, dragging in whatever feral cat poo, bug guts, and hobo vomit I picked up out in the parking lot on the way in.

OK, see NOW you think it’s gross.

A big fat juicy THANK YOU to the following people for generously giving NGIP a shout out by blogging about the new NGIP pen.

Katie at I’m Not Normally Like This

Stimey at Stimeyland

Rebecca at Feel My Love

Robyn of Robyn’s Online World

Posted in: Uncategorized.

Billy Goats In Boxers

Perhaps they feel it’s the lesser of two evils. Would you rather eat off the dirty floor, or someone’s seeping butt? Just sayin’.
http://www.janssushibar.com Jan

You’re going to publish the names and addresses of these places right? So I can avoid them if I’m ever out in California?
It’s your civic duty, woman!
http://robynsonlineworld.blogspot.com Robyns Online World

Totally gross – I just prefer to keep my head in the sand when it comes to restaurants – too scary to know the truth for me!
http://redbirdacres.blogspot.com/ Sparky

Okaaaaaayyyyy … I have to admit I’ve not witnessed a restaurant storing their chairs thusly. Hmmm.
Ick.
http://livinginhighcotten.blogspot.com/ Tracy

Hi Margaret! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the name of your blog – that is TOO CUTE and TOO FUNNY – especially compared to the picture of mine in Europe that you commented on – the “silly goats on the side of a mountain” one! HA! I can’t wait to catch up on your blog – I love people like you! Have a great day! Hugs, Trac~ ;O)
David

I’ve never been happy with the idea of the fart-germ-infested chair seat being on the table.
The legs of the chair carrying floor-germ-crap is completely unacceptable. Don’t the chair legs leave tale-tell splotches on the table cloth?
http://cutand-dry.blogspot.com Betty Manousos

Hi Margaret,
I was surprised to see that. Completely unsanitary.
Best,
Betty from sits.
http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com Michelle

EW! Double EW! I am thinking we might need to frequent some of our favorite places to see if they are that grody too.
And I LOVED my pen!
http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/2009/09/giant-day-of-suck-necessary-cures.html
http://muffin53.blogspot.com empress bee (of the high sea)

i, too, think the seat is just as germy as the feet. it is all sickening. yikes!
smiles, bee
xxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
http://scolby1977.blogspot.com sarah

I think it would bother me more to have them upside down on the table, having where I persons butt sat touching where my food sits would worry me more. Never thought of it thought…hmmm…we don’t eat out much, thank God! Yuck!
http://www.fracturedtoy.blogspot.com mannequin

Ew… See, this is why you should leave earlier so you don’t have to look at stuff like that.
Heavens only knows what we’ve ingested sweetie.
http://www.grandpooba.blogspot.com/ Pooba

Oh my gosh, I’ve seen other restaraunts do that too and I didn’t even think about how unsanitary it was!
http://www.amomonspin.com lizspin

Well now you’ve got me to thinking??? Do I really want someone’s butt remains on my table . . . which is what would happen if they put the chair seats on the table. . .
Perhaps it’s just better to leave the floor dirty???
http://www.yayastuff.blogspot.com Yaya

Ew that’s nasty!!!!!!
http://peelinganorangewithascrewdriver.blogspot.com Dawn

Hi! Thanks for stopping by and saying hello! The conference call today was interesting! I’m glad I was able to be involved!
And I love the name of your blog. That’s got to be the best one I’ve seen yet. And the picture! Hee hee.
I’m going to follow and grab your button. I love it!
Talk to you soon!
http://www.thefiftyfactor.com Joanna Jenkins

Holy crap! That looks like the chinese Restaurant I eat in. I gotta find a new place for pan friend noodles. That’s just plain gross. Where’s the inspector that passes out the “Ratings Letters” when you need them!?!?!
xo
http://fragrantliar.blogspot.com Fragrant Liar

You’re staying up too late.
http://www.bobbinlalaland.com Bobbi

ISH!!! That’s nasty!
P.S. Thanks for the pens!!
http://diaryofamadbathroom.blogspot.com/ DG at Diaryofamadbathroom

You mean there is feral cat poo in Sacramento? I thought all the feral cats were at my mother’s house. Funny.
Danny

I understand your upset with the “germs” from the floor; however, how about the Soldier’s living in a foreign country drinking out of the same cups as the locals and drinking stagnant water from the ditches? I personally think that you are taking what you have for granted and need to spend a couple weeks out on the frontlines. Then and only then do i feel that you have the right to complain about petty little things such as a restraunt putting chairs up on the tables.
http://www.pricillaspeaks.blogspot.com Pricilla

This goat hasn’t learned to use chopsticks. The publicist can. She thinks it is icky to put the chairs that way too.
She now feels guilty for not bragging about your cool pens. She will have to fix that. They are very nice. The male person stole one….
http://lunatron.blogspot.com Jamie

Yeah, that’s nasty and I’ve eaten some pretty nasty stuff. I feel compelled to brush my teeth now.
http://crib-notes.blogspot.com Winter

Always ask for a booth, baby. Always.
http://bramacks-mom.blogspot.com/ Lana@The Kids Did WHAT?!

Okay…That’s weird! I’ve worked in the food industry (waitress;cook) for 12 years at a few different establishments and can honestly say I have NEVER seen that done before! That’s … odd.
http://leeunafoster.com/humorblog Leeuna

This is just nasty. I hadn’t really thought about it until now. Uh…thanks for that.
http://nightowlmama.blogspot.com Night Owl Mama

Night Owl Mama says Better to order out than Dine In. Thanks for the laughs..and laughs and more laughs
http://www.asiwassaying.com Dingo

I saw a restaurant do this just the other night and I thought the same thing as you — nasty. And you know, it’s not like they clean their floors with fresh water and lysol every night.
http://www.mysuestories.blogspot.com mysuestories

Ewwwww! Perhaps you and the hubby should go out to eat earlier? I’ve decided I will no longer be the first or last customer at any establishment any more. Thanks for ruining our early morning brunch!
http://midgetmanofsteel.blogspot.com moooooog35

You’d never want to eat at my house, then.
Chair feet germs would be a gigantic step up.
http://idothings.info JD at I Do Things

It was the hobo vomit that sealed the deal for me.
I suppose they do that so they can keep the table settings in place BUT AT WHAT PRICE??? Why don’t all the employees just leave their stank shoes on each table when they’ve finished their shift?
http://unmitigated.typepad.com middle-aged-woman

ass vs. floor? nobody wins.
http://toddlerplanet.wordpress.com WhyMommy

Ewwwwwwwwwwww.
But really? You close down restaurants? Twice in a month?
I have GOT to get out more.
http://peelinganorangewithascrewdriver.blogspot.com Dawn

I’ve been having trouble with that button. I think I need to take it down and start fresh. I have it messed up somewhere…I’m not real swift with HTML…;)
I’ll let you know when I get it fixed! Thanks for wanting it!
http://lifebeyondthesidewalks.blogspot.com goatgirl

I didn’t need to know that. But I’m with the first comment…it is the lesser of two evils. Bottom germs turn my stomach much more than chair leg germs. Smaller overall surface too.
Thanks for my pens. I gave the extra one to my friend. She also writes a very funny blog called This Goat’s Life. Google it and check it out, but only if you like to laugh.
Thanks again!
http://www.nooterthedog.com Nooter

soooo, youre saying eating stuff off the ground is unsanitary? im gonna have to look into this further….
http://www.junkdrawerblog.com Kathy

Thanks. This entire scenario hadn’t occurred to me before. But as others have said, at least it’s better than having the seat part of the chair up on the table. I don’t think I’m eating out ever again.
http://gladysspeaks.blogspot.com Gladys

Now see Kahuna and I have a bad habit of closing resturants. Usually it’s before we get in the door.
Yeah what’s worse? The legs on the table or the seats where your stinky butt has been sitting? Let’s just leave the chairs be why dont we?
http://isawitinbluewater.blogspot.com/ Sarah

See I don’t shut down restaurants. Partly because they get sick of the kids and kick us out way before that but partly because we don’t go that often (see reason #1). I’m just saying after my son did a number on a chair at Longhorn a few weeks ago you didn’t want any part of it touching the table. Can’t we just stack them in a corner and mop around them?
http://sanityonedge.com ettarose

See that is why eating at Taco Hell is better. The chairs are bolted to the floor and at least you KNOW you are eating cat.
http://www.anymommyoutthere.com anymommy

I am horrified and I may never eat out again. No, that would mean I have to cook. I’m just horrified.
http://mamakatslosinit.blogspot.com mama kat

Why in the h e double hockey sticks are you two closing down so many dang restaurants!?!
And who in the h e double hockey sticks is Morty?
Love that part by the way!
http://karaskitchencreations.blogspot.com/ Kara

Oh my gosh, that is so wrong! I wonder how many places do this. So disgusting!
http://wmljshewbridge.blogspot.com/ Lorie Shewbridge

OK, I thought it was totally gross BEFORE you had to add the “feral cat poo, bug guts, and hobo vomit” to the list of what I was thinking was on the floor!
Now excuse me while I go throw up!!!
BLAH…..