Most Restaurants Rarely Clean This Machine

As far as restaurant kitchens go, most are kept in good order, reaching at least the minimum standard for cleanliness outlined by their health department. Those that don't tend to be called out for it publicly, as eateries that fail inspections might get put on blast on social media for everyone to witness. So, it might surprise you to learn that not every part of those mysterious kitchens in the back is kept as clean as you would like. In fact, ice machines often don't get scrubbed down nearly as much as they should.

It's kind of astonishing to think about because Americans love their iced beverages (the lack thereof is one of their biggest culture shocks when traveling abroad, and Europeans are equally surprised when visiting the U.S.). We drink ice in sodas, coffees, and even some liquors and cocktails. But it takes a lot of effort to give the large machines in restaurants a truly thorough cleaning (they're much bigger than countertop luxury ice makers). You have to turn off the machine, remove all the existing ice, and scrub the inside of a truly inconvenient chamber, which means many restaurants overlook the task, even though it's necessary at least twice a year, if not quarterly.

A dirty ice machine is more than just something gross lurking in a restaurant or bar; it could, in fact, be a dangerous public health issue. Let's back up. It's fair to assume that ice made by a machine isn't inherently contaminated unless the water being frozen is contaminated. However, thoughtless retrieval practices by employees can contaminate the supply, with some foodborne pathogens able to survive on the frigid surfaces. So, if an employee didn't wash their hands after using the bathroom, or touched a piece of raw meat and then reached into the ice machine before fixing you a martini (even worse if you asked them to "make it skate"), the bacteria or viruses could hang out in the bin, just waiting to spread.

This is why regular cleaning is important, as are safe ice-handling practices by restaurant staff. If you see your bartender actually reach a cup into the ice machine or, worse, use their hands to retrieve ice for your drink, cancel the order immediately. It might seem like an overreaction, but it really isn't. Just like with these ground beef recalls, there have been numerous reports of illnesses linked to contaminated ice from machines, and in some cases, people have actually died after coming into contact with bacteria and viruses.