National Restaurant Association and ServSafe Launch "Food Safety's Most Wanted" Campaign for National Food Safety Month 2025

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This September, the National Restaurant Association and ServSafe^® are turning up the heat on food safety with a bold new campaign for National Food Safety Month (NFSM) 2025: "Food Safety's Most Wanted: How to Identify, Avoid, and Prevent the Top Violations."

Food safety's Most Wanted are responsible for everything from foodborne illness outbreaks to failed inspections. Each week in September, the campaign will help identify the culprit, understand its risks, and prevent repeat offenses. By personifying the most common food safety violations as outlaw characters, like The Greasy Spoon and The Contaminator, on the loose in restaurant kitchens, each week will spotlight a different "culprit," helping foodservice teams recognize and stop these violations before they cause harm.

"Food safety is a foundation of trust between restaurants and their guests," said Sherman Brown, executive vice president of Business Services for the National Restaurant Association. "Training is essential to creating a culture where safety is second nature. That's why we're excited to launch this year's campaign with a fresh, visual approach that makes learning engaging and memorable. Customer safety is our first priority, and National Food Safety Month is a powerful reminder of that commitment."

Weekly Breakdown:

• Week 1 Inadequate Cleaning and Sanitization: Learn how to spot sanitation failures and the difference between cleaning and sanitizing.
• Week 2 Contamination and Cross-Contamination: Learn the science between outbreaks and get a 3-legged approach guide to food handling. 
• Week 3 Poor Personal Hygiene: Good hygiene starts with constant reminders, and this week goes beyond proper handwashing.
• Week 4 Improper Temperature Control: You gotta know when to hold 'em and how to log 'em because time and temp play a major role in food safety during service.   
• Week 5 Wrap-up: With bonus violations and a guide to building a lasting culture of food safety

Each week includes educational resources, prevention tools, and leadership guidance to help restaurants stay vigilant. From posters and quizzes to shift meeting briefs, the campaign offers everything operators need to train teams and reinforce best practices.

NFSM 2025 also features a special offer for participants and a full suite of downloadable assets. To join the campaign and receive weekly updates, visit foodsafetyfocus.com and subscribe.

For more than 30 years, ServSafe has been the leader in preparing foodservice workers to deliver safe dining experiences for their guests, while also keeping themselves safe. NFSM, recognized each September, was created in 1994 by the National Restaurant Association to heighten awareness about the importance of food safety education. The NFSM 2025 is sponsored by Tork, an Essity Brand.

About the National Restaurant Association

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises more than 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.7 million employees. Together with 52 State Associations, we are a network of professional organizations dedicated to serving every restaurant through advocacy, education, and food safety. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit restaurant.org and find @WeRRestaurants on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

SOURCE National Restaurant Association