A quick-service restaurant received a violation because customers could contaminate utensils at the condiment stand. What action could prevent this?

Providing wrapped utensils at the condiment stand while keeping additional utensils behind the counter is an effective action to prevent contamination. By wrapping the utensils, you create a barrier that minimizes direct contact between the utensils and any potential contaminants, which helps ensure that the utensils remain clean and safe for customer use. This approach also allows customers to access utensils independently while maintaining hygiene standards.

When utensils are kept behind the counter, it provides an additional layer of control, allowing staff to distribute sanitized utensils upon request. This helps avoid situations where multiple customers might handle the same utensils, which can lead to cross-contamination.

The option of removing utensils from the stand entirely may create inconvenience for customers needing them, possibly leading to longer wait times or frustration. Allowing customers to handle utensils increases the risk of contamination, and providing utensils in a separate dish could still lead to utensil contact and contamination. Thus, the selected approach strikes a balance between maintaining access to necessary utensils for the customers while also ensuring a higher standard of food safety is upheld.