--- title: "3 key rules to follow when eating at restaurants, according to a lawyer who represents food poisoning victims" date: 2022-10-19T13:56:00-07:00 author: Julie Dueck canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/3-key-rules-to-follow-when-eating-at-restaurants-according-to-a-lawyer-who-represents-food-poisoning-victims" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Publications](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/publications) / # 3 key rules to follow when eating at restaurants, according to a lawyer who represents food poisoning victims **Insider Magazine** | by Andrea Michelson | April 13, 2022 - Bill Marler is an attorney who specializes in food borne illness cases. - Most of the cases he's worked on have involved either undercooked or prepackaged foods. - He's learned to always order food cooked well done and to avoid salads to reduce his risk of food poisoning. When it comes to eating carefully in restaurants, Bill Marler is something of an expert. The attorney has spent nearly three decades representing people who have experienced food borne illnesses caused by [E. coli](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/12/jack-in-the-box-e-coli-outbreak-25th-anniversary/), [salmonella](https://www.insider.com/cdc-heat-charcuterie-meats-to-steaming-hot-to-prevent-salmonella-2021-8?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=yahoo.com), and [listeria](https://www.insider.com/dole-fresh-express-recall-packaged-salads-listeria-outbreak-death-2021-12?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=yahoo.com), among other pathogens. Marler told Insider that he's observed some common trends in what kinds of foods make people sick. In general, he said eating at home is the best way to minimize your risk of consuming undercooked or contaminated food. "A lot of it has to do with being able to control your own environment: washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly, cooking the ones that need to be cooked," Marler said. But even Marler still dines out on occasion, although he joked that he's not the most popular dinner party guest. Here are a few rules that he's followed to avoid poisoning for his entire career to date: ## Salads are a bacterial minefield Marler said of all the outbreaks he's litigated on in recent decades, an overwhelming majority of them have led back to foods that were technically prewashed. Outbreaks of [E. coli linked to romaine lettuce](https://www.businessinsider.com/e-coli-outbreak-romaine-lettuce-over-2020-1?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=yahoo.com) and [listeria tied to bagged salads](https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/packaged-salad-12-21-b/index.html) are among some of the more well-known recent outbreaks. But what consumers might not realize is that they could be served a prepackaged salad in a restaurant. "Even in the best restaurants, it's usually pretty packaged salads that they use," Marler told Insider. "They may or may not cut them up themselves and wash them themselves." Rather than ask every restaurant staff about their food preparation, Marler said he plays it safe and orders cooked vegetables instead. If he wants a salad, he'll eat at home. - Bill Marler is an attorney who specializes in food borne illness cases. - Most of the cases he's worked on have involved either undercooked or prepackaged foods. - He's learned to always order food cooked well done and to avoid salads to reduce his risk of food poisoning. When it comes to eating carefully in restaurants, Bill Marler is something of an expert. The attorney has spent nearly three decades representing people who have experienced food borne illnesses caused by [E. coli](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/12/jack-in-the-box-e-coli-outbreak-25th-anniversary/), [salmonella](https://www.insider.com/cdc-heat-charcuterie-meats-to-steaming-hot-to-prevent-salmonella-2021-8?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=yahoo.com), and [listeria](https://www.insider.com/dole-fresh-express-recall-packaged-salads-listeria-outbreak-death-2021-12?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=yahoo.com), among other pathogens. Marler told Insider that he's observed some common trends in what kinds of foods make people sick. In general, he said eating at home is the best way to minimize your risk of consuming undercooked or contaminated food. "A lot of it has to do with being able to control your own environment: washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly, cooking the ones that need to be cooked," Marler said. But even Marler still dines out on occasion, although he joked that he's not the most popular dinner party guest. Here are a few rules that he's followed to avoid poisoning for his entire career to date: ## Salads are a bacterial minefield Marler said of all the outbreaks he's litigated on in recent decades, an overwhelming majority of them have led back to foods that were technically prewashed. Outbreaks of [E. coli linked to romaine lettuce](https://www.businessinsider.com/e-coli-outbreak-romaine-lettuce-over-2020-1?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=yahoo.com) and [listeria tied to bagged salads](https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/packaged-salad-12-21-b/index.html) are among some of the more well-known recent outbreaks. But what consumers might not realize is that they could be served a prepackaged salad in a restaurant. "Even in the best restaurants, it's usually pretty packaged salads that they use," Marler told Insider. "They may or may not cut them up themselves and wash them themselves." Rather than ask every restaurant staff about their food preparation, Marler said he plays it safe and orders cooked vegetables instead. If he wants a salad, he'll eat at home. ### Lawsuit updates about foodborne illnesses [Reactive Arthritis Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=reactive-arthritis&year=all) [E. coli Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=e-coli&year=all) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=guillain-barre-syndrome&year=all) [Salmonella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=salmonella&year=all) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hemolytic-uremic-syndrome&year=all) [Listeria Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=listeria&year=all) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=irritable-bowel-syndrome&year=all) [Hepatitis A Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hepatitis-a&year=all) [Norovirus Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=norovirus&year=all) [Botulism Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=botulism&year=all) [Campylobacter Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=campylobacter&year=all) [Shigella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=shigella&year=all) [Cyclospora Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=cyclospora&year=all) ### Lawsuits updates by year [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1998](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1998) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1999](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1999) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2000](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2000) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2001](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2001) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2002](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2002) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2003](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2003) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2004](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2004) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2005](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2005) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2006](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2006) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2007](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2007) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2008](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2008) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2009](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2009) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2010](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2010) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2011](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2011) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2012](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2012) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2013](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2013) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2014](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2014) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2015](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2015) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2016](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2016) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2017](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2017) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2018](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2018) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2019](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2019) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2020](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2020) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2021](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2021) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2022](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2022) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2023](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2023) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2024](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2024) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2025](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2025) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2026](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2026) ##### Get Help #### Affected by an outbreak or recall? 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