As we hopefully move forward, I wanted to share my thoughts on the importance of your dishwashing staff coming out of Covid. Please understand, the dishwashing staff is the essential staff in your restaurant as we go out of Covid. See, when I started working as a teenager, my first job was as a dishwasher at minimum wage at a local steak restaurant. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that dishwashing was looked down on in the industry. I have seen dishwashing personnel had been given many unsavory nicknames. Unfortunately, some of those despicable names continue to this day.
See, being a dishwasher is a thankless job occupation in the eyes of the food industry. However, the strong survive and hopefully advance their careers. Many like myself go on to management, and others own restaurants one day. When you take a closer look at being a dishwasher, you will find it is one of the most critical occupations that a person can have in foodservice. So, now that restaurants are reopening and the public comes out of Covid, please remember them well.
Duties of a dishwasher operator
When a guest like myself walks into your dining room, they hope to experience a fantastic meal prepared in sanitary and safe conditions. With that, I said, if I eat out at a restaurant and things are not perfect, I can forgive it if any of the following happens:
- A waiter or waitress forgets to bring an appetizer
- If I am given a table less desirable next to the kitchen or bathroom
- My steak needs to be sent back because it was undercooked
However, what I absolutely would not be able to forgive is if I received a meal that is accompanied by:
- Dirty silverware that hasn’t been cleaned properly
- Dirty or spotted glasses
- Plates that have food soil or a film on them
Dining Experience
Part of why you have a good restaurant experience beyond eating a fantastic meal is that you didn’t have to prepare it. What needs to go with that is a standard of cleanliness and confidence in sanitation. Dishwashing personnel are the unsung heroes of the restaurant world and take care of more than you know. In fact, as a dishwasher, you would possibly do the following duties:
- Cleaning each utensil that the chefs use to prepare meals, such as utensils and pots and pans.
- Dishwashers touch and clean every single plate used in the restaurant, ensuring that you can find no residual food soil or dirt on them.
- Every glass that a patron uses has been touched, washed, cleaned, and hopefully sanitized.
- All silverware should be soaked, washed, and sorted by dishwashers.
- As they get the restaurant ready for business the next day, you would have to clean and sort all of this kitchen’s floors and possibly other equipment like meat slices and steam tables.
From the above, the dishwashing personnel in restaurants have an essential job and do more work than meets the eye. However, unlike waiters and waitresses, dishwashers do not receive any tips for the outstanding jobs that they perform.
Support Needed
As with many minimum wage jobs, people have very little to do with the decisions to do their job to the best of their ability; dishwashing is no exception. Owners and managers have to make sure the equipment is working to the manufacturer and NSF Standards. That is needed so that your personnel has the correct tools to get the job done. In addition, they need the proper chemicals for cleaning and rinsing to get the jobs done.
When I started years ago, there was no such thing as a training class or wall charts up as reminders to do things properly. Unfortunately, in 50 years, we have not advanced as far as we could envision.
If you experience any problems with the cleanliness of your restaurant, there are first impressions that leave their mark. Also, it is not always the fault of the person running the dishwashing machine, and there could be a problem with the dishmachine itself.
Learn more about cleaning processes and the cost of cleaning after Covid!
Who is Your Dishwasher?
Dishwashing personnel is integral to how your business gets run. So today, I challenge each restaurant manager, chef, and employee who works in the foodservice industry to thank them. Make these employees feel like they are a part of your team. Their work is critical to your daily operations, and they are a considerable asset that helps secure your restaurant’s success.
Learn the story about the best dishwashing person I ever met and had disabilities https://www.hospitalitycleaning101.com/working-in-restaurant-kitchen-with-disability/
If you have any thoughts or questions about the importance of dishwashers, send me a message, and let’s connect! Also, if you need consulting for your restaurant or brewpub in top shape, contact me for consulting services.
Also, look for my podcast Cleaning Processes with Jerry and follow me on IG @brewerychemicalguy.
