What is ServSafe?

The ServSafe Manager Certification is considered as the gilded standard in various foodservice management industries. The ServSafe certification validates your expertise and knowledge of the best food safety practices authored by the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. 

Authorized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Conference for Food Protection (CFP), there are over four million foodservice professionals who have been certified through the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Exam.  

In addition, the ServSafe training and certification are recognized by a growing number of state, local, and federal jurisdictions than any other food safety certification. This is the reason why ServSafe was able to lead America’s restaurant industry to a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation.

How to get a food safety certification? (ServSafe)

In order to become ServSafe Food Safety certified, you need to pass the ServSafe Manager Certification Exam with a score of 75% or higher. Furthermore, if you want your ServSafe Certification to be recognized by the state or local health department, you need to meet your local regulatory requirements.

Regulatory requirements may involve completing both ServSafe Certification Exam and food safety training. You can check ServSafe.com to find out about the online training and exam options. You can also use the official website to find a class and exam location.

What does it mean to be food safety certified? (ServSafe)

ServSafe certification signifies that you have successfully passed a test covering food safety directed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Obtaining ServSafe certification can build opportunities for progression in the foodservice industry.

How does one become ServSafe certified?

As mentioned earlier, getting an overall score percentage of 75% or higher can grant one a ServSafe certification. On the other hand, practice and preparation also play a huge role when it comes to passing the ServSafe exam. Attending ServSafe classes and utilizing ServSafe manager practice test materials are some of the best ways to accomplish the test successfully. In this article, we will help you start your journey towards achieving a ServSafe certification in the most effective way.

ServSafe Most Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of ServSafe?

ServSafe is both an educational and highly informative program that was developed to help educate food service workers about certain practices related to food safety. In particular, ServSafe teaches professionals about food contamination and how to prevent it, with the goal to lessen or completely eradicate the risk of food-borne illnesses.

How long does the ServSafe online exam take?

There are a total of 90 questions on the ServSafe Manager test and the maximum time for the completion of the exam is two hours.

How many times can you take the ServSafe test?

The ServSafe retest policy states that “an examinee may take the exam twice within a 30-day period, if necessary. If three or more attempts are required, the examinee must wait at least 60 days from their last attempt. No more than four attempts are allowed in a 12-month period. Not passing the exam is the only legitimate reason to retest.”

How to pass the ServSafe test?

The best way to pass the ServSafe test is to take a ServSafe practice exam, enroll in ServSafe online courses, or attend a class. You can also read topics about food safety practices that restaurants adhere to so that you’ll have an idea about what questions to expect once you take the exam.

Does the ServSafe record of training expire?

Unused ServSafe courses are valid for one year from the date of purchase. On the other hand, the ServSafe Manager and ServSafe Alcohol courses must be achieved in a span of 90 days. After a record of training has expired, a student will no longer be able to access that specific training course.

Why does it take so long to process ServSafe online exam results?

Exam results are made available at www.ServSafe.com within three to four business days after the National Restaurant Association receives the completed Exam Information Form and ServSafe exam answer sheets. Online exam results are ready within one business day or as soon as the exam proctor submits the exam to be rated.

What is a food handler’s card?

A food handler’s card is a document issued by a training entity which certifies that the person carrying the card has undergone a specific course and successfully passed the test to carry out the required level of knowledge in the field of food safety.

What is a responsible alcohol service?

Responsible alcohol service involves policies and procedures that address and demonstrate basic protocols when it comes to serving alcohol in food and beverage services. Responsible alcohol service also includes, but is limited to, the following practices:

• How to card minors.
• When to cut a customer off from drinking too much alcohol.
• What to do when a customer insists to drive himself/herself home.

ServSafe Exam Structure and Format

Please see ServSafe Exam Structure and Format Table:

ServSafe Exam	Exam Structure
ServSafe Food Manager Exam	Multiple-choice format. Passing score is 60 correct answers out of 80 questions, which is equivalent to 75% of the total score percentage.
ServSafe Food Handler Exam	Multiple-choice format. Passing score is 60 correct answers out of 80 questions, which is equivalent to 75% of the total score percentage.
ServSafe Alcohol Exam	Multiple-choice format. Passing score is 60 correct answers out of 80 questions, which is equivalent to 75% of the total score percentage.
ServSafe Allergens Exam	Multiple-choice format. Passing score is 60 correct answers out of 80 questions, which is equivalent to 75% of the total score percentage.

Note: As mentioned earlier, the maximum time for the exam is 2 hours.

ServSafe Exam Guidelines and Policies

ServSafe Exam Guidelines

• The ServSafe certification exam is copyrighted, secure, and developed independently out of ServSafe practice test materials. 
• The exam coheres to all valid test development standards. 
• Exam questions are pivoted on a scheduled and planned basis to exhibit the latest and most updated food safety information. 
• The test questions vary from exam to exam. However, ServSafe provides a fair evaluation of the examinee’s knowledge.
• Exam questions are produced through a systematic process to pilot questions to check their technical quality, relevance, accuracy, and overall readability.

ServSafe Exam Policies

ServSafe Exam Security

The ServSafe exam security aims to protect the test, related processes, and individuals from any operational jeopardies associated with the development, publication, storage, dissemination, and administration of the exam.

Everyone involved and impacted by the exam process is responsible to exercise exam security throughout the duration of the test. This includes, but is not limited to, the following individuals below:

• National Restaurant Association
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 
• Conference for Food Protection (CFP), other CFP exam providers
• Subject matter experts
• Vendors (printing, data destruction, service providers)
• Instructors
• Proctors
• Course and exam sponsoring organizations
• Employers
• Regulatory, law enforcement, and government agencies
• The public

Examinee Test Use Agreement 

All examinees are required to read and agree to the terms and conditions set forth by the Examinee Test Use Agreement found on the cover of the exam envelope or preceding the ServSafe certification online exam. The Examinee Test Use Agreement is needed in order for the test-takers to take the ServSafe test and/or receive the certification.

Security Violations

Any form of incident observed to hinder the security of the exam will be reviewed and investigated by the association. This includes, but is not limited to, the situations listed below:

• Misrepresentation of identity
• Hacking into the exam item banks
• Unauthorized sale or distribution of exam content and other confidential information
• Submission of counterfeit answer sheets
• Stealing of exams, exam content, and other confidential information
• Exam fraud, cheating, or falsification of certification
• Cheating
• Failure to follow ServSafe policies

Appeals Policy

The National Restaurant Association holds the power to dismiss an examinee’s ServSafe certification based on any security infringement that critically jeopardizes the reliability, validity, integrity, or security of the National Restaurant Association certification examination programs. 

Exam Location Standards

Locations must adhere to all federal/state/local legal requirements for safety, health, and convenience for all qualified ServSafe exam candidates. All examination requests must be accompanied by an Exam Location Standard Form.  

The Exam Location Standard Form provides additional information about the exam location standards and how exam locations will be reviewed for conformance. Failure to follow these standards is grounds for revocation of ServSafe certification, revocation of proctor status, and suspension.

Illness

If an examinee becomes sick during the exam and wishes to leave or abandon the exam location, he/she will not be permitted to return. As a result, a retest will need to be scheduled for another time. The examinee will be qualified for a refund through the Association for his/her ServSafe exam answer sheet or exam access code.

ServSafe Study Guide and Preparation Tips

Just like any examination, the ServSafe certification exam requires training and preparation. There are plenty of study methods and free ServSafe certification online materials that you can use to study for the exam. Some of the practice test materials that you can use are the following:

• ServSafe quizlet
• ServSafe books
• ServSafe manager study guide
• ServSafe manager books
• ServSafe food handler test materials
• ServSafe courses
• ServSafe online courses

There are five training materials that ServSafe.com provides to all exam candidates. These training materials are directed to 1.) ServSafe Food Manager, 2.) ServSafe Food handler, 3.) ServSafe Alcohol, 4.) ServSafe Allergens, and 5.) ServSafe Workplace.

ServSafe Food Manager Training Program

The ServSafe Food Manager Training Program provides food safety training, exams, and educational materials to foodservice managers.

ServSafe Food handler Training Program

The ServSafe Food Handler Program is a comprehensive solution that delivers consistent food safety training to foodservice employees.

ServSafe Alcohol Training Program

The ServSafe Alcohol training program is produced by the National Restaurant Association and professionals who have experience with the dangers involved in serving alcohol.

ServSafe Allergens Training Program 

The ServSafe Allergens Training program is formed by the National Restaurant Association and experts who have firsthand experience with the risks associated with serving populations sensitive to allergens.

ServSafe Workplace Training Program 

The ServSafe Workplace is a new set of training programs that converges on building and maintaining a safe and suitable work environment for all employees.

If you already have a ServSafe account online, you can access these training materials through your ServSafe login credentials.  

Top 10 ServSafe Tips & Tricks

Before taking the ServSafe exam, it is very important to learn some best practices that you can apply once you take the test. To help you become aware of these practices, we’ve compiled some of the best ones below:

Tip #1: Senseless or silly options on multiple-choice tests are usually wrong. Deduct them from your options to come up with the right answer.

Tip #2: If you see two correct answers in the options, picking “all of the above” may be a good choice. In fact, “all of the above” is usually correct, especially if two or more options are accurate.

Tip #3: Check for two options that have a similar context. One of them is usually the right answer, and the other is intended to distract you.

Tip #4: Answer choices by process of elimination. As you read the selections, try to mark all keywords and information that is correct. This can help you deduct the wrong options and pick the right answer for the question.

Tip #5: If you are taking a paper version of a ServSafe exam, make sure to fill in the answer bubbles completely.

Tip #6: ServSafe questions can be very particular and will require you to recognize terms that may not be common to you.

Tip #7:  Invest time to familiarize the instructions of the exam. This will greatly help you when you take the exam.

Tip #8: If you don’t know the answer, try your best to answer all the questions. There is no penalty for guessing.

Tip #9: Even if your state or district does not require any course completion before taking the exam, it is highly suggested that you take time to study for the test. If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

Tip #10: Read all training materials with full comprehension. This will help you develop a habit of understanding the questions on the test before giving an answer.

ServSafe Course and Exam Costs

The costs for the online ServSafe course and exam are listed as: 

• ServSafe Manager – $125.00 (with an additional $36.00 for the test voucher)
• ServSafe Food Handler – $15.00
• ServSafe Alcohol – $30.00
• ServSafe Allergens – $22.00

Retests will require additional fees that appear to be less than the original price, such as $18.00 for the Alcohol retest. For more information and price updates, you can visit www.servsafe.com.

ServSafe Practice Test Questions

Here are some sample questions from ServSafe that you might be interested in answering.

Question #1

Which group of individuals has a higher risk of foodborne illness?

O Teenagers

O Elderly people

O Women

O Vegetarians

Question #2

Parasites are commonly associated with

O Seafood

O Eggs

O Potatoes

O Ready-to-eat foods

Question #3

Which is a TCS Food?

O Saltiness

O Bananas

O Baked Potato

O Coffee

CTA: Need more ServSafe exam questions to maximize your training? Practice using our expertly developed questions today!