What can consumers do when they eat in restaurants to prevent food borne illnesses?

Wash, eat well-done: Some can't be prevented: food handler doesn't wash after bathroom, if restaurant doesn't follow health rules. Nyc has health grades (a, b, c, "grade pending", closed), posted on the window, near the door; not a bad idea. Assuming the place is clean, eating undercooked food is the best way to increase risk. Rare steak ok-outside cooked, rare inside is sterile. Rare burger can't tell where it was.

Cooked food: Make sure your food is well cooked. Undercooked beef can cause salmonella, as can under cooked chicken. Raw fish carries its own set of food bourne illnesses. Make sure the preparers use good handwashing techniques, and that the restaurant is clean and received a clean rating from the city if one is available.