Do You Need a Food Handlers Card to Work at Taco Bell?

Taco Bell is a multinational chain of fast food restaurants that serves a variety of Mexican-inspired foods like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.

Because its workers handle and prepare these foods, you may wonder whether you need a food handler card or certificate to work there.

This article explains whether you need a food handlers card to work at Taco Bell, and if so, how you can get one.

What is a food handlers card?

A food handlers card — also known as a food handlers certificate — proves that you have completed a course that covers important food safety topics.

These courses teach how to identify and prevent food hazards that can lead to foodborne illnesses or food poisoning.

They cover topics like:

• handwashing
• good personal hygiene
• time and temperature controls
• cross-contact and cross-contamination prevention
• cleaning and sanitizing procedures
• pest prevention

Because unsafe food handling is a leading cause of foodborne illness many states and counties require food workers to earn a food handlers card before or within a certain period of employment at a food establishment.

And even if state or local laws don’t require food handler training, many food establishments still do to keep customers safe and avoid the litigation that can arise from a foodborne illness outbreak.

Does Taco Bell require a food handlers card?

A food establishment refers to any operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or otherwise provides food for human consumption.

Taco Bell meets this definition since the fast food chain stores, prepares, and serves meal and drink options.

Thus, the state or county in which the Taco Bell operates may require that its workers earn a food handlers card, even if you work at a dishwasher or cashier.

For example, some of the states that boast the most Taco Bell locations like California, Texas, and Illinois all require a food handler card.

In other instances, there may be no state law requiring a food handler card, but the counties of certain states can make their own requirements for food handler training.

Arizona, for example, another state with a high number of Taco Bell locations, has no state law requiring food handler training, but many of its counties do.

If a Taco Bell is located in an area with no state or local requirement for food handler training, the location can still require it as a condition of employment.

Therefore, it’s beneficial to complete a food handler training course regardless of state or local laws.

How to earn your food handlers card for Taco Bell

You can easily earn your food handler card for Taco Bell online in under two hours.

To get started, enroll with a valid online training provider, like FoodSafePal.

If the state or county in which you work requires a food handler card, make sure they approve or accept the provider’s food handler training as not all programs are equal.

However, most places accept ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited food handler courses, like FoodSafePal’s.

After you enroll, you must complete the course lessons and the pass a test at the end.

If needed, you can pause or exit the course and pick up where you left off.

FoodSafePal’s Food Handler training consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need to answer at least 28 (70%) correctly to pass. You get one free retake if you don’t pass the first time.

After you earn your food handlers card, it belongs to you and not Taco Bell — even if they payed for you to take the training. This means you can change jobs or work two foodservice jobs concurrently without having to earn a new food handler card.

Your food handler card will generally be good for three years, but some places require that you renew it sooner.

The bottom line

A food handlers card or certificate proves that you have completed a course on essential food safety topics and passed a test.

Depending on the location, you may need a food handlers card to work at Taco Bell since its employees store and prepare fast food.

To earn your food handlers card for Taco Bell, enroll with a valid online training provider like FoodSafePal, complete the training, and pass the test.