My buddy swore by the 5-second rule for dropped food, then ate a floor fry

He said the pavement was 'clean enough' because it was dry out, so I watched him pop a French fry off the sidewalk after a solid 4 count. Somehow he didn't get sick, but I'm still side-eyeing his whole judgment system. Has anyone else had a friend with food safety logic that somehow kept working?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo_robinson251mo ago

Man, a dry sidewalk is literally a sponge for all the grime and dog stuff that's been tracked around all day. That's wild that he's walking around fine, his gut must be made of actual iron. Still, I'd rather eat my fries from the bag than gamble on "clean enough" pavement.

reesel501mo ago

Wait, he actually ate food that fell on a dry sidewalk? Like, not even a quick rinse or a wipe or anything? That's a whole other level of "five second rule" confidence, I can't even wrap my head around it. I've seen people pick up chips off a bar floor after a second and even that makes me cringe, but at least that's inside where it's somewhat controlled. Out on the street, you're talking about bird droppings, old gum, tire dust, and who knows what else getting baked into that concrete all day. His stomach must be made of pure steel and acid, seriously, because I'd be camped out in the bathroom for a week just from the thought of it. I'm with you, bag fries are the only safe bet, no way I'm rolling those dice with my gut.