ServSafe vs. FoodSafePal: A Side-By-Side Comparison
ServSafe and FoodSafePal are two popular food safety training companies.
However, you may wonder how they differ and whether one is better.
This article explains how ServSafe and FoodSafePal compare and differ so you can determine which one suits your food safety training needs best.
What is ServSafe?
Created in 1998, ServSafe is a food safety training and certification program administered by the National Restaurant Association.
The National Restaurant Association is multimillion-dollar association that represents and advocates on behalf of restaurants.
ServSafe offers food safety training courses for food handlers and food managers, as well as for responsible alcohol serving.
You can enroll in these courses online or in-person from an approved instructor.
The National Restaurant Association also owns another food safety training organization called the National Registry of Foodservice Professionals (NRFSP).
A certain percentage of revenue generate from ServSafe’s and NRFSP’s course sales are used by the National Restaurant Association to support its lobbying efforts for the restaurant industry to keep restaurant operation costs low — including employees’ wages.
Summary
Administered by the National Restaurant Association, ServSafe is a food safety training platform with courses designed for managers, food handlers, and bartenders. A percentage of ServSafe’s revenue is used by the association to support its lobbying efforts for keeping restaurant operation costs low.
What is FoodSafePal?
Like ServSafe, FoodSafePal is a food safety training certificate program.
It was launched in 2022 and is administered by registered dietitian nutritionist, Gavin Van De Walle.
FoodSafePal’s advisory board, which consists of other registered dietitian nutritionists and food safety experts, including certified dietary managers (CDMs), contributed to its development and help maintain it.
FoodSafePal currently offers an online food handler training course only, but the organization is working on developing the same course offerings as ServSafe.
All revenue generated from FoodSafePal’s Food Handler training course is invested back into the organization to support the development of new courses and free food safety resources.
Summary
Created in 2022, FoodSafePal is an online food safety training company that offers food handler training. It’s administered by Gavin Van De Walle, a registered dietitian nutritionist, and built with the help of its team of advisory members, which includes food safety experts.
ServSafe vs. FoodSafePal
ServSafe and FoodSafePal have many similarities, but they also have many differences.
However, because FoodSafePal currently offers food handler training only, it makes sense to only compare it to ServSafe’s Food Handler training course.
Here’s how ServSafe’s and FoodSafePal’s Food Handler training course compare:
| Food Handler Course | ServSafe | FoodSafePal |
|---|---|---|
| National accepted (ANAB-accredited) | Yes | Yes |
| Offered (online or in-person) | Online and in-person | Online |
| Languages | English, Spanish | English |
| Course length | About 2 hours | Less than 1.5 hours |
| Test questions | 40 multiple-choice questions | 40 multiple-choice questions |
| Passing score | 30/40 (75%) | 28/40 (70%) |
| Free test retake | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | $15 | $15 ($10 with code “save” at checkout) |
| Expires | 2-3 years | 2-3 years |
Earn Your Food Handler Card + Certificate Fast & Easily
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Summary
This table outlines the key differences and similarities between the ServSafe and FoodSafePal Food Handler course.
Which should you choose?
If you need to earn your food safety manger certification or take a course on responsible alcohol serving, ServSafe or a different provider is the default choice since FoodSafePal does not yet offer these trainings.
These other providers include:
- the National Registry of foodservice professionals (NRFSP)
- eFoodHandlers
- 360training
- StateFoodSafety
- AlwaysFoodSafe
However, when it comes to food handler training, ServSafe and FoodSafePal are nearly identical.
The training from both companies is ANAB-accredited, meaning they have undergone the same rigorous third-party review to ensure the training and the company meet certain established national standards.
The accreditation process also ensures that the food handler course — as well as the people that make it — are credible and competent and that their results can be relied upon.
Because of this rigorous accreditation process, many states and local health departments that require food workers to earn a food handlers card require that it be ANAB-accredited.
Therefore, you can be certain that everywhere ServSafe is accepted, FoodSafePal is too, and vice versa.
As such, it comes down to a personal choice and whether you prefer one brand since one isn’t necessarily better.
Summary
ServSafe’s and FoodSafePal’s Food Handler training is nearly identical. Both share the same ANAB-accreditation and are accepted nearly everywhere.
The bottom line
ServSafe and FoodSafePal are two popular food safety training platforms.
ServSafe offers many types of food safety trainings and certifications while FoodSafePal currently offers food handler training only.
The National Restaurant Association administers ServSafe, whereas Gavin Van De Walle, a registered dietitian nutritionist, administers FoodSafePal, with support from its advisory team of food safety experts.
ServSafe’s Food Handler training is accepted everywhere that FoodSafePal’s Food Handler training is and vice versa, since both share the same ANAB-accreditation. It also costs the same to enroll, making FoodSafePal a good ServSafe alternative.
Therefore, because one is not necessarily better, it comes down to a personal choice as to which brand you prefer.
Earn Your Food Handler Card + Certificate Fast & Easily
Guaranteed to be approved by your health department
