Last week, an American visitor to Toronto shared on Reddit that he was asked to sign a waiver when he ordered a medium-cooked hamburger at a Hilton hotel restaurant, shocking hundreds of users.
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The customer, Reddit user Reit007, ordered his burger medium, which was brought to him without any comment. However, after taking his first bite, the waiter gave him a release form, explaining that the restaurant only serves well-done burgers and that he should sign the form since he requested it to be cooked medium. The waiver stated that by signing, the customer would release the hotel restaurant from liability for foodborne illnesses from consuming the medium-cooked burger. The customer expressed surprise and questioned whether this was a common practice in Canada, as the New York Post reported.
“I ordered my burger medium, and the waiter took it with no question or comment. She brought it and it looked great! When I had my first bite she brought me a release form and said we always make our burgers well done, but since you wanted it medium … you should sign this,” the post reads.
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Although the customer paid for the burger, he chose not to eat it, finding it difficult to sign the form and consume the food. The Reddit post garnered over 600 comments, with many expressing shock at the existence of such a waiver. Some were surprised that the customer was even able to order a medium burger, as well-done is the standard for ground beef due to a higher risk of contamination. Several commenters believed the waiter should have informed the customer about the waiver before taking the order.
According to the Ontario Food Safety Guide and Health Canada guidelines, ground meat should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 71ºC to eliminate bacteria. Hilton responded to local media, stating that while waivers are used at that specific hotel, it is not a standard practice across all Hilton establishments.
Restaurants and hotels can implement policies that go beyond the minimum requirements set by the CFIA. In this case, the hotel might have stricter rules for liability reasons, especially concerning undercooked meat. While unfamiliar, some businesses might use waivers for specific situations, like requesting undercooked items or participating in high-risk activities. This helps them shift some liability to the customer in case of any negative consequences.
