Hilton Toronto Airport Serves Burger With Food Waiver

A burger at an airport hotel might not be the most appetizing meal to begin with. But you know what makes it even less appetizing? When the side it’s served with is… a release agreement.

Hilton Toronto Airport makes guest sign waiver for medium burger

A Reddit user shares quite an interesting experience that happened at the Hilton Toronto Airport. Here’s how the guest describes the experience:

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 now you should sign this! I was flabbergasted. I read the release form and I think I can never have a burger. I tried to be nice so I paid and left but could not eat the burger. I am from the US so I do not know. Is it common in Canada? Like how can you sign a form like his and still eat it? Why the waiter did not say anything before hand? I still can not believe it!

Indeed, the picture shows a release agreement asking the guest to waive rights to any claims against the hotel for “any food-borne illnesses.”

Are these kinds of food waivers common?

Substance of this waiver aside, it seems like the hotel handled this unprofessionally. You should warn the guest at the time that they order that they’ll have to sign a liability waiver. And if you’re not going to tell them when they order, you should at least have them sign the waiver before they start eating, rather than bringing it after they start eating.

Now, I’m also curious about the merits of this waiver. I’ve never seen something like this before, though I’m also not a big eater of red meat. One Reddit user writes the following:

I had it happen to me at the Fairmont Royal York. Ground and processed uncooked meat pose a higher risk of foodborne illness.

Another Reddit user points out how hotels will serve you steak tartare without signing a waiver, but will then require it for a burger cooked medium. Someone helpfully has the following response, which I think perhaps sheds light on this:

The difference is because it’s ground up meat. Most places won’t cook anything that has gone through a mechanical tenderization, or grinder less than well done. Some only will if it’s ground onsite that day.

When you have a steak, it’s only the outside of it that would have contaminates and since that’s exposed to the heat all of that gets killed. When you have something that was mechanically tenderized, or ground up, those contaminates can be pushed into the meat, where it may not get hot enough to kill that bacteria.

Canadas rules are way more strict than American rules when it comes to that. (Along with a lot of rules relating to food safety)

I understand the logic here, and how there’s a slight risk. However, is this waiver requirement at all common in Canada, or is this hotel just way overly cautious, or something?

Bottom line

Someone staying at the Hilton Toronto Airport ordered a medium burger, and was brought a food waiver after the meal was served, releasing the hotel from liability for any food-borne illnesses. I’d certainly be caught off guard if I were in that situation as well, and I’m curious how common this is.

What do you make of this Hilton’s burger waiver?