Do You Need a Food Handlers Card to Work in Fast Food?

A food handlers card — otherwise known as a food handlers certificate — proves that you have passed a course on food safety.

Food handler courses teach you how to identify and prevent the food hazards that lead to foodborne illnesses or food poisoning.

To prevent foodborne illnesses, many health departments and employers require a food handlers card to work at a food establishment, such as a restaurant, market, hotel, or convenience store.

However, you may wonder whether this same rule applies to fast food restaurants.

This article explains whether you need a food handlers card to work in fast food, and if so, how to earn one.

Do you need a food handler card to work in fast food?

People that work at a fast food establishment — also known as a quick service restaurant — work with a variety of foods and food equipment and utensils, making them a food handler.

Examples of fast food establishments include places like McDonalds and Chipotle, as well as coffeehouses like Starbucks, and Dunkin’.

So whether you’re a cook, dishwasher, server, or barista, you may need to earn a food handlers card if where and for whom you work requires it.

While some positions like cashiers don’t handle food or food-contact surfaces like dishes, they may be cross-trained to work other positions that do.

Therefore, in most places, no employee is exempt from earning a food handler card if required by the health department or employer.

States that require a food handler card include:

If you don’t live in one of these states, the county in which you work may still require a food handlers card.

For instance, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, New York, and North Dakota, among many others, have no state law requiring food handler training, but many of their counties do.

Moreover, employers can — and often do — require you to earn you a food handlers card, even if your state or local law doesn’t require it.

Federal law requires that you be at least 14 years old to work in fast food and therefore earn a food handlers card.

Summary

Because people who work in fast food meet the definition of a food handler, many places require them to earn a food handler card before or within a certain period of employment.

How to get a food handler card to work in fast food

You can easily earn your food handler card online to work in fast food in under two hours.

To get started, enroll in food handler training course that your health department or employer approves.

Most places only accept food handler training courses that have been accredited by the ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB), like FoodSafePal’s.

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Once you enroll, you can start the course immediately.

The course covers important topics about food safety, such as:

how food hazards occur and spread
handwashing and good personal hygiene
cross-contamination prevention
cleaning and sanitizing procedures
food allergies and cross-contact prevention

Pay close attention and take notes if you need to as you advance through the course so you can pass the test at the end to earn your food handlers card.

FoodSafePal’s Food Handler test consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need to answer at least 28 (70%) correctly to pass.

After you pass the test, your food handler card belongs to you and not your employer, meaning you can work at a different food establishment without having to take and pass the same course.

Because it belongs to you and not your employer, your employeer isn’t required to pay for your food handlers card, unless you live in California.

However, many places still cover the costs.

Your food handler card will be good for three years, but some places require you to renew it sooner, such as every two years.

In either case, regularly renewing your food handler card keeps you current and fresh on how to keep food safe.

Summary

To earn your food handlers card to work in fast food, enroll with a valid online training provider like FoodSafePal, complete the course, and pass the test.

The bottom line

People who work in fast food handle food and food-contact surfaces, making them a food handler.

For this reason, you need to earn a food handlers card to work in fast food if your health department or employeer requires it.

To earn your food handlers card to work in fast food, enroll with a valid online training provider like FoodSafePal, complete the training, and pass the test.