Hot Coffee Safety: 10 Ways Restaurants Can Help Prevent Burns

Hot coffee is supposed to be hot.

But serving a hot beverage safely involves more than temperature.

The cup matters. The lid matters. The fill level matters. Employee training matters. And the handoff matters.

Good hot coffee safety means looking at the entire process before that beverage reaches the customer.

Hot Coffee Safety Starts Before the Handoff

Restaurant employees routinely prepare and serve hot coffee, tea, and other beverages.

Burns and scalds are recognized restaurant workplace hazards. Employees should be properly trained to prepare hot items and use equipment that dispenses hot liquids safely.

For customers, careful preparation and handoff practices can also help reduce the chance of an accidental spill.

Here are 10 areas restaurants should consider.

1. Store Cups and Lids Properly

Cups and lids should be stored in a way that protects them from damage and contamination.

A bent cup rim or damaged lid can affect how the two components fit together.

Employees should inspect both before serving a hot beverage.

2. Inspect the Cup Rim

Before attaching the lid, check the rim of the cup.

Look for damage, contamination, or liquid that may interfere with the intended cup-and-lid connection.

A lid should fit the cup it was designed to fit.

3. Use the Proper Fill Level

Employees should follow the restaurant’s procedures and the cup or beverage system manufacturer’s specifications for filling hot beverages.

Overfilling can increase the chance of spilling, particularly when the beverage moves during service or handoff.

4. Account for Movement and Sloshing

Liquid moves.

That’s particularly important in a drive-thru.

The beverage moves from the preparation area to the employee, through the window, into the customer’s hand, and eventually into a cup holder.

Employees should keep hot beverages level and controlled during that process.

5. Consider How Cream and Sugar Are Added

Removing the lid from a hot beverage introduces another opportunity for a spill.

Restaurants should have clear procedures for adding requested ingredients and safely providing customers with anything they need to customize the beverage.

6. Check Cup and Lid Compatibility

Not every lid fits every cup.

Employees should use compatible components and inspect the connection around the entire rim.

Cup construction, seams, rim condition, and lid design may all be relevant to how a particular system performs.

7. Make Sure the Lid Is Secure

A lid can look closed without being secure.

Employees should follow the restaurant’s established procedure for properly seating and checking the lid before the beverage is handed to the customer.

Don’t assume.

Check it.

8. Use a Controlled Hot-Beverage Handoff

Drive-thru employees should maintain control of the beverage during the handoff.

The customer also needs a safe place to take control of the cup.

Employees should avoid handling a hot beverage in a way that interferes with the lid or forces the customer to grab it near an unstable connection.

The transfer should be deliberate and controlled.

9. Communicate During the Handoff

Communication matters.

When appropriate, employees should communicate clearly during the transfer of a hot beverage and make sure the customer has control before releasing it.

A rushed handoff can turn an ordinary cup of coffee into a serious problem.

10. Treat Hot Tea With the Same Attention

Hot tea presents many of the same burn and spill concerns as coffee.

Tea bags, strings, lids, hot water, and preparation procedures can introduce additional considerations.

Employees should follow the restaurant’s established procedures and applicable manufacturer instructions when preparing and serving hot tea.

Hot Coffee Safety Requires Training

None of these procedures mean much if employees are not trained.

Restaurants should establish procedures for preparing, lidding, carrying, and handing off hot beverages.

Managers should also observe whether those procedures are actually being followed.

Because hot coffee safety isn’t simply about how hot the coffee is.

It’s about the entire system:

The cup. The lid. The fill. The employee. The training. The handoff.

Got a Coffee Burn Lawsuit?

A serious coffee or tea burn case may involve more than beverage temperature.

A restaurant expert witness may examine cup and lid systems, employee training, preparation procedures, drive-thru handoffs, management practices, equipment, and applicable restaurant industry standards.

Got a coffee burn lawsuit? Look beyond the temperature.

Call us today. 800.300.5764