Golden Corral restaurant under fire after disgusting video and photos surface

Florida health authorities are investigating a Golden Corral restaurant in Port Orange, Fla. after photos and videos were posted on Reddit and YouTube showing extremely unhygienic food handling practices.

Raw hamburger patties, ribs, bacon and chicken swarmed by flies and placed behind the restaurant dumpster are shown in a video posted by Brandon Huber, an employee of the restaurant.

"Apparently what my company likes to do to get ready for inspections is to put their food by the dumpsters," he says in the video, stating that he doesn't think the practice is right.

Also see: France mulls redefinition of the term 'restaurant'

In a second video, Huber explains that the meat will be brought back inside and stored in a refrigerator with uncontaminated food. He also says that he fears for his job.

In a second internet blow, a Reddit user claiming to be an employee of the restaurant going by the name GCWhistleblower, posted a series of photos showing the Golden Corral kitchen overflowing with disgustingly dirty dishes, in a clear health and safety violation.

As a result of the public relations nightmare, the company issued a statement claiming the manager involved in the improper food handling practices was fired. Restaurant owner Eric Holm claims that none of the food shown in the video was served to customers.

Also see: How companies are tricking you into thinking their products are homemade

The alarming thing about the alleged unhygienic practices at Golden Corral is that it's not uncommon.

A quick glance at episodes of the popular television show Kitchen Nightmares hosted by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey demonstrates that appallingly dirty restaurant kitchens are everywhere.

Bug infestations, backed up grease traps, rotting food in buckets -- these are all practices that authorities could shut down restaurants for, yet somehow are commonplace in the kitchens featured on the show.

Do stories like these make you reconsider eating out? Or do you have an out-of-sight out-of-mind attitude? Tell us in the comments.