Home Food Safety

Food Safety and Training Platforms for Restaurants

Table of Contents

      Rectangle 2006

      Need Advice? 
Talk to an Expert

      Spencer Headshot

      Written by Spencer Michiel

      Back of House Tech Expert | Published 6/10/2025

      Having proper food safety education and management tools for your restaurant employees will not only promote a more sterile, health-conscious work environment, but it will also help to improve business (not to mention public health) by reducing the likelihood of customers experiencing a health emergency in your establishment.

      While maintaining up-to-date certifications is mandatory by state and local governments, where you receive those certifications is up to you. There are a few options to choose from, and while jurisdictions have different requirements, ANAB certified training courses should have you covered. Our experts reviewed the best and most reliable food safety training platforms for your restaurant, as well as partners to help you maintain and monitor compliance.

      Jump to: Our Top Picks

      HeaderImage 1

      Investing in Food Safety for Restaurant Staff

      Keeping up with employee certifications and training is so important, especially when it comes to food safety. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illnesses reported in the US each year, and studies have shown that dining out is the second most common location for people to experience allergic reactions. 

      Making the investment in food safety training and management tools will prevent your restaurant from becoming one of these upsetting statistics. And the return on investment is clear; if word gets out that your restaurant is making people ill, it’s never good for business.

      What is ANAB Certification?

      The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) is a national certifying organization that reviews and accredits programs to ensure they meet educational standards and requirements. When it comes to food safety education in the United States, this is THE body that state and local governments rely on for certifying food safety providers. All training and certification vendors reviewed by Back of House are ANAB certified and accepted by most jurisdictions.

      Digital vs. In-Person Training Options

      There are, of course, pros and cons to both digital and in-person training options, so you have to take your staff and their personalities into consideration before choosing a food safety training platform. If you go with a digital option, your staff can complete their training on their own time, on their own schedules. If you choose in-person training to train large hiring groups all at once, you may just have to coordinate schedules or incur additional expenses.

      No matter which option you choose, your customers–and your business–will benefit from your employees having more knowledge about food safety.

      VETTED AND APPROVED BY BACK OF HOUSE EXPERTS

      Our Top Picks

      Feeling overwhelmed by all the options out there? We’ve got you covered. Our team of experts have identified their top choices for website builders for you. As you review, pay close attention to more than just price–from the level of your own involvement in the process to the other types of integrations that work well with each platform, it’s important to take your restaurant needs into careful consideration before making an investment.

      Any paid partnerships have no influence on our evaluations and suggestions. All our opinions are our own.

      Trust20
      GREAT FOR MODERN, AND ENGAGING VIRTUAL TRAINING

      Up to 20% off Training Courses

      Trust20 is an ANAB-accredited organization dedicated to helping the foodservice industry develop and maintain a culture of food safety. Products ensure learners actually retain the knowledge needed to succeed through our efforts to implement continuous improvement and commitment to providing accessible learning.

      Icon (2)
      Features

      • Online-only training with courses available on computer, tablet, or smartphone
      • Instant results that are delivered digitally
      • Courses offered in multiple languages
      • Each course is designed to maximize learner retention
      • Manager Dashboard–see your entire team’s progress

      Thumbs Up Icon
      Where it excels

      Trust20 provides your team with the training, credentials, and resources they need to ensure your establishment complies with food safety regulations and best practices. ANAB-accredited, online-only products, transparent progress tracking, and responsive customer support make it easy to keep your team up-to-date.

      Star Icon
      Courses Offered

      Food Manager Training: Managers and persons in charge can use this ANAB-accredited course to learn about critical food safety management practices that protect your customers and prepare candidates for the food manager certification experience.

      Food Protection Manager Certification: Managers can easily book an online, remote-proctored, ANAB-CFP-accredited exam session that fits their schedule. They’ll find out their results immediately after submitting their CFPM exam.

      Food Handler Certificate Training: Staff learn the essentials of food safety and meet their food handler requirements when they earn an ANAB-accredited Food Handler Certificate through this interactive and engaging course.



      Food Allergy Certificate Training: Staff gain the knowledge and skills needed to confidently serve customers with food allergies and intolerances when they earn an ANAB-accredited Food Allergy Certificate through this interactive, online course.

      Support Icon
      Support

      Trust20 offers a Help Center with easy to access resources, as well as email support. Organizations and establishments that make a group purchase through Trust20 for Teams can also receive onboarding and ongoing support from a dedicated representative.

      ServSafe
      GREAT FOR IN-PERSON TRAINING OPTIONS

      Administered by the National Restaurant Association, ServSafe is a premier provider of educational resources, materials, and programs to help attract and develop a strong industry workforce.

      Icon (2)
      Features

      • In person and remote self-study options
      • Available in Canada in addition to United States
      • Legacy training provider many employees in hospitality industry have experienced

      Thumbs Up Icon
      Where it excels

      ServSafe provides trainers with in-person options in multiple languages.They have five different tracks to consider for your staff, all of which can be taken in-person with an instructor or via remote self-study.

      Star Icon
      Courses Offered

      Food Manager Training: Everything employees need to get certified as a Food Manager. The course covers details about foodborne illness, how to prevent it & training for food sanitation 

      Food Handler Training: This training provides a foundation of basic food safety practices for preparing and serving food; material is, and they are continuously adjusting the material to meet changing regulatory requirements for every state

      Alcohol Training: A great way for employees to earn their alcohol serving certification, participants will learn the essentials of responsible alcohol service 

      Allergens Training: Safely accommodate guests with food allergies, by learning about how to identify allergens, best practices for allergy communication, how to prevent cross-contact contamination, and proper food labeling

      Workplace Training: Dive into a comprehensive suite of training programs rooted in the cultural and social issues affecting today's restaurant and hospitality work environments, such as unconscious bias, sexual harassment, and how to ensure safe deliveries from third party operators

      Support Icon
      Support

      Customer care is available via phone, automated chat, and text during standard working hours: Monday - Friday, 8am-8pm EDT. They are closed on most holidays.

      PathSpot
      GREAT FOR DIGITAL FOOD SAFETY TOOLS

      Up to 15% off

      PathSpot helps restaurants safeguard health and streamline compliance by digitizing safety tasks—from handwashing and labeling to temperature logging and checklist management. Its modular tools are designed to reduce spoilage, boost accountability, and simplify audits.

      Icon (2)
      Features

      • Real-time hand cleanliness scanning for quick feedback

      • Detects harmful pathogens to prevent foodborne illness

      • Customizable reports and analytics on handwashing compliance

      • Quick and easy employee training on the system




      Thumbs Up Icon
      Where it excels

      PathSpot stands out in food safety automation, enabling restaurants to proactively manage risks, ensure compliance, and maintain operational consistency across locations—all without adding friction for busy teams.

      Support Icon
      Support

      PathSpot offers a dedicated onboarding manager, U.S.-based support via text, email, or phone, and seamless integrations (including an API for internal dashboards). 

      Opus
      GREAT FOR FOOD SAFETY TRAINING & ONGOING LEARNING

      Up to $500 off

      Opus Training delivers AI-powered workforce training in 101 languages for multi-unit restaurant brands. Train 100% of your team consistently with mobile-first learning, compliance training, and actionable workforce insights to drive business growth.

      Icon (2)
      Features

      • Accredited and expert-created compliance training
      • Native AI-powered training content builder
      • Fun and easy mobile learning experiences
      • Centralized business information 
      • One-way message blasts with tracking 
      • Learning Management System personalized for employees
      • Flexible workforce reporting 

      Thumbs Up Icon
      Where it excels

      Opus Training is mobile, multilingual, and built to support high-turnover, hourly teams. Opus is designed for frontline access with no-email login, and media-rich lessons. On average, operators see 80%+ adoption rates. Integrated task lists, in-person check-ins, and embedded resources. 

      Support Icon
      Support

      Opus Training offers email, chat, and phone support. Large accounts have a dedicated account manager. Users can also opt into a managed pilot option. 

      Xenia
      GREAT FOR OPERATIONS & COMPLIANCE

      20% off monthly + free implementation

      Xenia is a comprehensive operations execution platform for restaurants. Streamline daily tasks, employee training, store audits, temperature logs, and facilities management through mobile and web platform, helping restaurant groups drive consistency, quality, and accountability.

      Icon (2)
      Features

      • Create and deploy branded digital checklists
      • Access intuitive dashboard showing real-time completion 
      • Conduct comprehensive site visits 
      • Manage maintenance requests 
      • Log temperatures for food safety compliance 
      • Distribute communication through messaging system 
      • Assign tasks based on location-specific attributes 

      Thumbs Up Icon
      Where it excels

      Xenia's intuitive, clean user interface unifies front-of-house checklists, back-of-house facility maintenance, and compliance data into a single, mobile-first interface.

      Support Icon
      Support

      In addition to the Xenia Help Center with step-by-step guides, there's a direct human help desk available via email and ticketing system to resolve disruptions. 

      Foodini
      GREAT FOR DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

      Up to 15% off

      Foodini helps restaurants and food service venues navigate over 50 allergens and dietary needs with a custom, dietitian-reviewed menu experience while building loyalty with health-conscious diners.

      Icon (2)
      Features

      • Quick onboarding with just your menu or full recipe data

      • Covers 50+ allergens, lifestyle, and medical diets

      • Verified by a dietitian for safety and accuracy

      • Custom "Allergy and Dietary Needs" button for your website

      • Personalized menu tagging per dietary need

      • Real-time menu updates and auto-sync

      • Reporting dashboard with diner insights

      • Integrates with platforms like Toast, MarketMan, Meez, Gordon’s Culinary Pro

      Thumbs Up Icon
      Where it excels

      Foodini is ideal for restaurants looking to better serve guests with dietary needs—building trust, increasing loyalty, and reducing front-of-house pressure around allergen questions.

      Support Icon
      Support

      Foodini provides a dedicated account manager, world-class dietitian support, and help via phone, chat, and text—plus seamless integration with popular restaurant tech tools.

      RESOURCES & ARTICLES

      Read the latest from our blog

      Creating Restaurant Customer Profiles (and What To Do With Them)

      Creating Restaurant Customer Profiles (and What To Do With Them)

      Find out what to do with restaurant customer data to get a better understanding of who your customers are and how they spend.

      How To Choose Scalable Restaurant Technology That Grows With You

      How To Choose Scalable Restaurant Technology That Grows With You

      Learn how to choose scalable restaurant technology, from POS systems to integrations, that enables efficiency now and supports growth in...

      Why Your Regulars Are Quietly Leaving (And How To Win Them Back)

      Why Your Regulars Are Quietly Leaving (And How To Win Them Back)

      Restaurant customer traffic is down. Find out why your loyalty program might be the key to bringing customers back to your restaurant.

      Increasing Repeat Business in Restaurants: Why Regulars Matter More Than Ever

      Increasing Repeat Business in Restaurants: Why Regulars Matter More Than Ever

      Learn how to improve restaurant customer loyalty by cultivating regulars, reducing friction, and driving repeat business for long-term...

      Back of House Goes to the National Restaurant Association Show

      Back of House Goes to the National Restaurant Association Show

      Our team shares observations about restaurant industry trends, technology, and innovations from this year’s National Restaurant...

      How To Schedule Staff for Food Truck Busy Periods

      How To Schedule Staff for Food Truck Busy Periods

      Learn food truck staff scheduling strategies to manage busy periods, improve efficiency, and keep service running smoothly during peak...

      Top 10 Takeaways From the Spring 2026 Back of House Podcast Season

      Top 10 Takeaways From the Spring 2026 Back of House Podcast Season

      We highlight some of the keys to success for the colorful and varied roster of guests from the Spring 2026 season of the Back of House...

      10 Ways to Reduce Stress for Your Restaurant Staff and Boost Retention

      10 Ways to Reduce Stress for Your Restaurant Staff and Boost Retention

      Learn 10 practical ways to reduce stress for restaurant employees, prevent restaurant staff burnout, and boost employee retention in...

      Your Restaurant Website Is an Underrated Revenue Channel (And How to Fix It)

      Your Restaurant Website Is an Underrated Revenue Channel (And How to Fix It)

      Restaurant websites don’t always convert visitors into orders. Learn how restaurant website optimization and direct online ordering...

      Best Practices for Inventory Management in a Small Cafe

      Best Practices for Inventory Management in a Small Cafe

      Find out how a combination of cafe inventory management best practices and technology can help streamline your small cafe inventory...

      Background Image

      Get fluff-free restaurant industry highlights each week

      Short and sweet summaries for busy restaurant operators. Subscribe to the Back of House newsletter to get updates delivered straight to your inbox.