by Vicky Buck

Picture this. It's a busy Saturday night; your establishment is packed to capacity for the better part of the evening. Patrons have once again enjoyed a delightful dining experience. They prepare to head home, putting on their coats, perhaps clutching doggie bags of goodies that will be savored again the next day. Imagine their surprise when they walk out into the parking lot and are met with slick pavement. No, not the classic ice coating of surfaces that frosts windows and reminds one that another Michigan winter is in full swing....

...the cause of the slick condition isn?t of the Mother Nature variety.

It's grease. Fat-saturated grease. Flowing out - to your utter horror - from the manhole covers located in your parking lot and spreading a slimy film across the pavement surrounding your restaurant. Who, or what, is the culprit responsible for this unsightly repulsive scenario? The grease trap overflow syndrome has just unfolded before your eyes....

MRA Members ? see the November/December 2001 issue for the whole story, or e-mail the mra for a downloadable version.

Non-members ? find out how to receive Michigan Restaurateur and other publications free from the MRA.