ServSafe Safe Serving Practices & Service Operations 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the minimum internal temperature that hot food must be maintained at during service?
- 115°F (46°C)
- 135°F (57°C) (Correct answer)
- 145°F (63°C)
- 165°F (74°C)
Correct answer: 135°F (57°C)
Hot food must be held at 135°F (57°C) or above to prevent bacterial growth during service.
Question 2: Which practice is acceptable when refilling a customer's beverage glass?
- Refill the glass without removing it from the table
- Replace the glass with a clean one (Correct answer)
- Rinse the glass quickly before refilling
- Wipe the rim with a sanitized cloth before refilling
Correct answer: Replace the glass with a clean one
A clean glass must be provided each time a refill is given to prevent cross-contamination from used glasses.
Question 3: When must a food handler use a utensil instead of bare hands when dispensing ready-to-eat food?
- Only when handling raw meat
- Only when the food is hot
- At all times unless a variance is granted (Correct answer)
- Only during buffet service
Correct answer: At all times unless a variance is granted
Ready-to-eat food must never be touched with bare hands; utensils, deli tissue, or single-use gloves must always be used.
Question 4: At a self-service buffet, how often must sneeze guards be checked and food replaced or replenished?
- Only at the end of the service period
- Every 4 hours at a minimum (Correct answer)
- Every 2 hours
- Whenever the food level drops below half
Correct answer: Every 4 hours at a minimum
Food at a self-service buffet must be checked every 4 hours, and any food held at improper temperatures must be discarded.
Question 5: A customer returns a plate of food they say is not cooked to their liking. What should a food handler do with the returned plate?
- Place it back on the line for recooking
- Discard it and prepare a new plate (Correct answer)
- Reheat it to 165°F before returning it
- Store it in the refrigerator and reuse it later
Correct answer: Discard it and prepare a new plate
Food that has left the kitchen and been served to a customer must be discarded and a fresh plate prepared to avoid contamination.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of correct utensil storage between uses during service?
- In a container of water at 68°F
- In a dry container on the counter
- In a container of water at 135°F or above (Correct answer)
- On a clean folded towel at the station
Correct answer: In a container of water at 135°F or above
Utensils stored between uses must be kept in water maintained at 135°F or above to prevent bacterial growth.
Question 7: When serving food at a buffet, what is the purpose of requiring separate serving utensils for each dish?
- To meet customer presentation standards
- To prevent cross-contamination between dishes (Correct answer)
- To reduce the number of times utensils must be washed
- To comply with ADA accessibility requirements
Correct answer: To prevent cross-contamination between dishes
Separate utensils for each dish prevent allergens and pathogens from one food being transferred to another.
ServSafe Safe Serving Practices & Service Operations 1
What is the minimum internal temperature that hot food must be maintained at during service?