Latest / Restaurant Business with Fexingo: Food Service, Hospitality, and Independent Operators / How Restaurant Dishwashers Became the Most Valuable Employee
Transcript
- Lucas: So I want to talk about the most undervalued person in every restaurant kitchen. Luna: Let me guess — the dishwasher? Lucas: Exactly. And I think we need to rethink how we see that role, because in 2026, the dishwasher might actually be the hardest position to fill in the entire industry. Luna: I've seen the stats. According to the National Restaurant Association, turnover for dishwashers is well over 100 percent in most markets. Some places it's 200 percent. Lucas: Right. And that's not just a headache — it's a real cost. Every time a dishwasher leaves, you're spending anywhere from two thousand to five thousand dollars on recruiting, training, and the overtime you pay other staff to cover the gap. Luna: So what's the fix? I mean, we've heard about raising wages, but does that actually stick? Lucas: It can, if you do it right. I was looking at Union Square Hospitality Group — Danny Meyer's company. They made a deliberate move a couple of years ago to raise their dishwasher wages to twenty-five dollars an hour in New York. And they paired it with something else: they started cross-training the dishwashers to work the line, to work prep, even to serve. Luna: So instead of a dead-end job, it becomes a stepping stone. Lucas: Exactly. And their turnover dropped from 120 percent to about 40 percent. That's a massive savings when you factor in the replacement costs. Plus, they started promoting from within — several of their current sous chefs started as dishwashers. Luna: I love that. But not every restaurant has the budget for twenty-five-dollar-an-hour wages. What about smaller independents? Lucas: Sure. Let's talk about a place called The Grey in Savannah — they took a different approach. They couldn't match those wages, so they focused on schedule flexibility. They let dishwashers pick their shifts, they offered guaranteed hours — no being sent home early on a slow Tuesday — and they gave them a free family meal that they could take home. Luna: That's smart. Because for a lot of workers, predictability matters almost as much as the hourly rate. Lucas: It does. And the result was their turnover dropped by half. The cost of those benefits was minimal compared to the cost of constantly hiring and training new people. Luna: So it's not just about the paycheck — it's about respect and career path. Lucas: Right. And that's something I think a lot of operators still miss. They see the dishwasher as an entry-level role that anyone can do. But actually, a good dishwasher is incredibly valuable. They keep the kitchen running, they prevent bottlenecks, they catch plates that might otherwise go out chipped or dirty. Luna: And when you lose a good one, the whole service suffers. Plates pile up, the line slows down, customers wait longer. Lucas: Exactly. There's a great case study from a restaurant group in Chicago called Lettuce Entertain You. They started a program where dishwashers get quarterly reviews and raises based on performance, just like the front of house staff. And they have a 'dishwasher of the month' award with a bonus. Luna: That's such a simple idea. Treat them like professionals, and they act like professionals. Lucas: It works. Their retention improved significantly. And the thing is, this isn't charity — it's good business. The math is pretty clear. Luna: Let's talk about the other side — automation. There are dishwashing robots now, like the ones from a company called Dishcraft. Have you looked into those? Lucas: I have. Dishcraft has a system where you load racks of dirty dishes into a machine, and it washes, dries, and stacks them automatically. It's about the size of a commercial dishwasher but more efficient. Luna: The cost is around fifty thousand dollars for the unit, plus a per-use fee. So for a busy restaurant, that might pay for itself in a couple of years by cutting labor. Lucas: But here's the catch — it still needs someone to load and unload it, and to handle the tricky stuff like pots and pans. So it doesn't fully replace a human. It augments them. Luna: Right. And I think that's actually the right framing. You're not trying to eliminate the dishwasher; you're trying to make their job less physically punishing so they stick around longer. Lucas: Exactly. And that's where I see the smartest operators heading. They're investing in better equipment — like low-temperature dishwashers that use less water and energy — and in ergonomic workstations so dishwashers aren't bending and twisting all shift. Luna: It's almost like we're finally treating the back of house with the same dignity as the front of house. Lucas: And about time, honestly. Because the dishwasher is the foundation. If that role breaks down, the whole house of cards falls. Luna: You know, this conversation reminds me of something. We work hard to make this show valuable for people in the industry, and we deliberately keep it ad-free. If these ideas have helped you think differently about your business, and you want to support that choice, there's a way to do it. Lucas: Yeah, we don't run ads because we want to give you clear, practical information without any noise. If you find value in that, you can support the show at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: It's a simple way to keep this going. No pressure, just an option. Lucas: Exactly. Now, back to the kitchen — another trend I'm seeing is that some restaurants are offering dishwashers a share of tips, or a service charge pool. That used to be just for servers and bartenders, but a few places in Portland and Austin have started including back of house in the tip pool. Luna: That seems fair. If the dishwasher helps create a great experience, they should benefit from the tip revenue. Lucas: And it's legal in most states now, as long as it's a voluntary pool. The result is that dishwashers in those restaurants are earning closer to thirty dollars an hour including tips. That changes the whole calculus. Luna: So what's the single most actionable takeaway for an independent operator listening right now? Lucas: I'd say: look at your dishwasher turnover rate. If it's over 100 percent, calculate what that's costing you. Then invest even half of that into better wages, better scheduling, or better equipment. You'll likely save money and have a more stable team. Luna: That's a concrete ROI. I like it. Lucas: And one more thing — talk to your dishwashers. Ask them what would make the job better. You might be surprised by how simple the answers are. Luna: Alright, next time we'll look at how restaurants are handling the rising cost of food, specifically seafood. Lucas: Good topic. We'll see you then.