Has anyone ever worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant?

Question

I would just like to know has anyone ever worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant and whats it really like? Is it really bad?

Answer 1

I Loved it. I worked at a BAR B Q place that was soooo ghetto we had a garden hose hooked to a spicket out side that ran threw the window to rinse off the dishes. then i pushed them in the washer slamed it down and it did its thing. then i ran around putting the dishes away. it was a never ending cycle. The big pots and pans that didnt fit in the dish washer usually just got rinsed out. i did enjoy it though. all i could eat sitting in the walk in just to cool off. i was 15 and in heaven bs ing with my boys all day we had a blasty blast!

Answer 2

I didn't think it was that bad, in fact I enjoyed it for the most part.  I'd usually take over dishwashing at the end of the night to give my dishboys a break so they could take trashes out, break down boxes, and have dinner before they cleaned the kitchen and mopped. It was messy and hot, but I could listen to the radio and relax.  It was kind of cathartic not having to yell out orders, stressing about cooking, not having 8 million stupid questions fired at you.  Plus at the end of the night is when not only final dining room bussing is done, but kitchen stuff like the pots, pans, utensils, racks all came in.  And I was faster than the dishboys anyway.  One load in my machine took 2 min 45 sec.  In that time I could have 2 more racks ready to go, pull the clean rack out, shove another one in, grab a rack and have another one ready.  And then have time during the cycle to grab the clean stuff and put it away.  Plus, if anyone dared annoy me (and they knew if I was doing the dishes, I was working off stress and not to bother me), they'd get the sprayer.  



And, you have no idea how many famous and well-to-do chefs started in the dishroom and worked their way up!

Answer 3

My first job at 15 was that of a dishwasher.  It was considered the lowest position in the restaurant and it wasn't what I signed up for (I thought I was going to bus tables only, but they roped me into dishwasher when the regular one quit unexpectedly.)

At first, I really hated it because the dishwashing machine pumped out scalding hot water that would splash and burn skin when opening the hatch.  Handling the hot plates that came out could burn hands and fingers.  You get covered in food scraps and it can be a really dirty job.  You sweat, slide around on the greasy floor, an oily sheen covers your skin from the steam and food remains, and are always elbow deep in garbage.  And if it is a busy restaurant, the pressure is always on you to "go-go-go!" because they can't run out of plates or pots and pans.  

Bus boys, waiters and cooks come by and dump lots of dirty dishes and pots on your station.  The piles grow and get intimidating.  And the cook can make your job miserable if they start to do superfluous cleaning by pulling down big pans they haven't cooked in, but just want cleaned for extra measure.

You may be dragging out huge tubs of garbage and dealing with alleys and dumpsters in which case you might see rats.  That's always a pleasant sight, right?  And frequently, you are the last to leave the kitchen because you have to clean your station and often mop the floor or even clean the rest rooms.

You can, however, get used to it after a while so it doesn't bother you so much.  It is definately not a glamour job and most who take it, do so because no other jobs are available or they have no other skills.  Illegal aliens often start out as dishwashers because few people want the job and many quit.  I've been a dishwasher at big operations about four times in my life and I always dreaded it because of the grime, the pressure, and the long hours steeped in slop.  

I think the only positive take away from the job is that I don't mind washing dishes by hand at home anymore and am very proficient at it.  I keep a very clean kitchen, don't let dishes pile up, and that has helped out with my kitchen skills as a personal chef.

Answer 4

Well it is really easy. Depending on the machine you are working with . The most common are the machines that only take one rack at a time . In this case the key to productivity is organization and knowing where clean dishes go . Now usually these machines take about one minute thirty seconds to run. while the first load is being washed you should be racking up as many racks as you have room for on the inboard side. then when the one in the machine stops take it out and let it dry for 30 secs and than put it away and you should still have time to rack up another rack too. Make sure to rinse off you dishes really well this will enhance the productivity of your dish machine.

Answer 5

No, but I have gotten down on my hands and knees and scrubbed a barroom floor, peeled potatoes, cleaned candles and globes for each table.   One day, I said to myself, "What is a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?"  I went home; filled out an application to the nearest college; went back to school, and earned my degree in Art Education.  I have never regretted it.  Grams