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Update, 8 p.m. Sunday: Diners at Su Casa, a Mexican food spot in the Lake Michigan resort city of South Haven, no longer get free chips and salsa before meals.
The Herald-Palladium, a Southwest Michigan daily newspaper, follows up on a county health department inquiry after social media whistle-blowing about reused appetizers:
A popular South Haven Mexican restaurant won’t give its patrons complementary chips and salsa anymore after a former employee alleged the eatery was reusing food. . . .
The switch follows an inspection and recommendation by the Van Buren District Health Department. Becky Kark writes in the daily paper:
The health department said Su Casa should put lids on the salsa containers or begin charging for chips and salsa. . . .
“I thank all our customers who have been coming to Su Casa for 30 years, and they’re all happy and they love our chips and salsas,” [owner Edgar] Suarez said. “We have been here for seven years and love this town. It’s so sad how hateful and hurtful the world is becoming because of social media.”
Kristie Bowie: "I would suggest not eating there!" (Facebook photos)
Original article, Sunday afternoon:
I've wondered if restaurants do this.
A West Michigan teen and her mom sparked a health department investigation after the girl made a stink about reusing chips and salsa at the Su Casa restaurant in South Haven, where she worked.
Kristie Bowie writes on Facebook that her 16-year-old daughter was told not to toss out “salsa, chips, etc that come back that ‘looked’ like they haven’t been touched,” BuzzFeed and others report.
Her teen, who reportedly was on her third day of the summer job, quit after confirming the policy with owner Edgar Suarez..
Su Casa is open daily on Center Street in South Haven, a popular summer resort for Metro Detroiters and others. (Facebook photos)
The whistle-blowing mother posts:
Attention South Haven Su Casa lovers: My daughter recently got a job at this establishment and has worked about a week as a busser. She was told not to throw away the salsa, chips, etc that come back that "looked" like they haven't been touched!
She did not feel comfortable with this so asked the owner if it was true. He said is was true so she put her notice in and worked her shift. The owner belittled my daughter, telling her she had no common sense and asked her if she is such a clean freak why is her apron dirty!
She finished her shift, like a trouper, then left and called her dad in tears. Naturally he went down there. Long story short, he is banned from there now, like we care, and Erica was terminated. Unless you don't care about your food having been at another table, I would suggest not eating there!
"I thought it was OK," owner Saurez tells WWMT of Grand Rapids, referring to the repurposed items. "But the health department said, ‘It’s not possible, you cannot do that.’ "
Other employees tell the TV station that they've seen the Mexican restaurant reuse other food, including meat.
The hot-button tale also is picked up by Fox News.
We first saw this story at Metro Times.
