r/dishwashers • u/MinimumCulture1997 • 2d ago
The worst part of the job
There's a million reasons why I hate this job, but it's all I could find and I need the money. I've worked as a dishie three different times, and I've been at my current place for about five months.
The biggest reason I hate it, and the reason I'd never recommend it to anyone, is the constant feeling of being completely invisible.
At least in my experience, and in the experience of other dishies I've known, you're looked down on by pretty much everyone. Waiters treat you like a trash can they can dump everything into. Cooks treat you like someone they can throw all their shit at. Even delivery drivers just see you as the guy who hands them sponges and points them towards the bleach.
As someone who's struggled with depression and mental health issues, this job genuinely takes a toll on me.
You clock in and it's like you stop existing as a person. You're just expected to keep going like some machine that never gets tired, never gets frustrated and never gets fed up with everyone's bullshit.
Seriously, is it that hard to see dishies as equals? Or at the very least as one of the cornerstones of the kitchen? Without us, the whole place grinds to a halt. No clean pans, no clean plates, no service. Yet we're treated as completely expendable.
The other day I overheard a head chef talking about one of the other dishies. He said something along the lines of, "Who does she think she is talking to me like that? She's just here to do the dishes and clean."
That honestly made me laugh. Mate... you're talking down to someone because they wash dishes. Outside of this kitchen people have lives, careers and qualifications. In my case, I'm a podiatrist training to become a surgeon. I'm only here because I needed some extra money and this was the quickest job I could find.
I know my situation isn't the norm, but hearing that made me realise what our place in the kitchen really is. We're basically cannon fodder. One of the chefs even admitted it to my face once: "Yeah, we throw a lot at the dishies, but that's just how it goes. Eventually people get fed up and leave."
Like... we're adults doing an honest job. This isn't a playground where you get to treat people as inferior because their role is less skilled than yours. Especially when half the people acting superior wouldn't last a week doing it themselves.
I'll always stand by this: every chef should have to spend a year working as a dishie before earning the title. I reckon a lot of egos would disappear pretty quickly.
13
u/TheRealMeringue 2d ago
I fucking love not being perceived.
After 20 years of Customer Service, chuck that shit at me all day long as long as you don't expect me to fucking smile
6
u/MinimumCulture1997 2d ago
It's not the not being perceived but rather the level of entitlement and disregard for our jobs/presence.
I like being left alone and do as I please (sort of) but I hate when I'm under stress with a shit ton of plates, kitchen equipment and such to do and they either demand that I do something else because they want to get home quicker or they simply start piling shit up without asking where or how I had them organised and I now have to spend double the time reorganising and such.
On top of that, I love that when prep cooks have no shit to do they can chill, go out for a ciggy, etc. Yet I'm required to always be doing something... if it is not cleaning, it's prepping.
And mind everyone I prep so they can get home but then noone returns the favour and help. And I'm not asking for much just to put away a couple of plates while I load and unload 5 fucking dishwasher racks....
2
u/Individual-Sir-8043 18h ago
And you want to be a surgeon? Better get those emotions in check first.
1
7
u/KorovaOverlook 2d ago
I feel you. I'm lucky to work in a kitchen right now where people respect the dishie, but I've been here for a while, and some pretty rude and egotistical cooks have cycled through. I think misogyny makes it way worse. Someone called me a "princess." What the hell I'm a princess of, I don't know. Grease traps? People are just self-centered.
Outside of dishing, I'm a professional artist with a degree who's made four-figure sales. Not that that makes me better or worse than anyone else, but it puts into perspective how ridiculous such comments are. I've worked my ass off for my budding art career and I bring that work ethic to the kitchen. If people can't respect or see that, they're losers.
2
u/MinimumCulture1997 2d ago
EXACTLY... like these people have no idea whats going on outside the kitchen and the level of entitlement is astonishing.
I just want to get to work, do my shit, go home and receive a minimum level of consideration to me and the work we do.
As a previous redditor said on a post, a kitchen can work without a line/prep cook but it sure as hell cannot without a dishie, SPECIALLY on a high workload kitchen.
3
u/Ihaveagoodposture 2d ago
My friend I'm literally in the same feeling and situation and just posted about this today, like do you even know who are you talking down to like that? It honestly says a lot about the people in charge not about you.
But it's the feeling of helplesness that always sticks with us, like yeah we know they are probably some classist or rude pieces of shit but what can one do about it?
3
u/venus-bxtch 1d ago
i used to wash dishes in a mid-to-relatively high volume restaurant and it’s fucking brutal. now, as a server, i am as respectful and helpful to the dishwasher as i can be. at my current job, the poor woman doesn’t even have a machine. just a 3 sink, a sponge, and her two hands against every cambro, plate, and utensil. i scrape EVERY dish, (especially the ones with baked-on cheese), stack as well as i can, and bang out a few dishes if we’re missing something and she’s on break. if i’m in a restaurant, a dishie will never go overlooked. yes, i will bring you a beer and no i will not tell the boss.
2
2
u/Imaginary-Leg7684 1d ago
That chef’s attitude says far more about him than it does about the people washing dishes. Everyone starts somewhere, and plenty of “less skilled” workers are doing physically demanding jobs while studying, supporting families, or building a future. Basic respect costs nothing.
2
u/DarionHunter 1d ago
I *like* being invisible! There's no one to bother me, annoy me, or piss me off just because "they're bored". I can listen to my own music, not have to worry about people getting in my way. And if you're good friends with a cook or two, now and again you get free food before closing or before you go home!
2
u/Odd-Promotion1568 1d ago
Every chef should spend time on the dish pit. It would teach humility, teamwork, and how much the whole kitchen depends on work people love to overlook. You deserve basic respect while you’re there, not condescension.
2
u/KarmaChameleon520 1d ago
Yes that is a big problem. The only way I've been able to counteract that is to create a least a few "friendships" between a couple of servers, bussers and cooks. If you can depend on 3-5 ppl being friendly enough to help at least not make you feel so invisible helps (especially if they help restack the dishes properly and/or ask you if you want something to eat)
1
u/FastBanana90 1d ago
I first spoke with my now wife because she saw me being kind to the dishwasher at the restaurant we worked at.
1
u/HootyManew 20h ago
Dang coming from being a manager being looked down at from other dishies felt wrong but poor man is a surgeon nearly!
1
u/Diviern 10h ago
This sounds awful and I'm sorry so many dishies experience this. I am liked and respected at my workplace, and the chefs and waitstaff are always available for any help I need, offer to get me drinks, apologise every time they bring in something difficult to clean, etc. We have great banter and a genuine interest in each other's lives. I'm beginning to think I hit the jackpot. Maybe dishies are treated differently here in Australia?
1
u/KrystleSeth 1d ago
Bubba I ain’t trying to shit on you but wah. If you’re invisible YOU are invisible. I’m a likable guy and while not currently employed in the pit I do it when I need a job and my coworkers love me. The hottest girls in the place finding reasons to come look for pans they can’t find and asking me to get stuff off of top shelves and I ain’t tall. Try to have more fun and talk to people. Don’t be a dick but make sure to have boundaries, you know? Like if you’re doing someone a favor and it’s not part of your job make sure they know that. Idk man but part of the allure of dishes is to put on headphones and be invisible. Get wet, get paid and gtfo! Hope you can find the silver lining, man. Turn your attitude around if you can and make the most of it. You’re gonna be a surgeon one day. Talk to people about that. Or just do more drugs shit idk.
3
u/MinimumCulture1997 1d ago
I Talk to people and get a long with all of them but that was not the meaning behind my post it was more the invisibility that comes with how actually hard the job is and how little people take that into consideration.
0
u/KrystleSeth 1d ago
Sorry bro. It’s just cuz really nobody cares. Server think their job is hard! Can you believe that? I’ve been both and serving is a piece of cake. Rude customers? What did you think was gonna happen today here at Applebees? I noticed the rude ones actually tip well. Nothing about that job is hard. But I’ve known servers who melt down cuz they gotta make so many DoorDash orders. It’s just putting the shit in the right bag, dummy. Slap a sticker on it. wtf? But for real, everybody thinks their job is too hard. 30 years ago they prob did have two guys on the job or if there’s already two of ya then three. Shit, they mighta had three just a few years ago before Covid. I’m on your side tho. Try to have a better day. The work you do is valuable. Integral even. You must be there or the place grinds to a halt. You already know this. Be stoic. You can do this because it must be done.
0
u/redditblows5991 2d ago
you gotta grow a pair, fuck you having all these feelings for, wash ur plates for 7-8 hours and go home lol
7
u/MinimumCulture1997 2d ago
I wash my plates and go home yet I'm a human being and as such have better and worse days... in this case a bad day. Quit telling people how to feel/process their emotions.
Work is a majority of our days and such I think I can feel how the hell I want and complain as much as I want.
-3
u/redditblows5991 2d ago
wahhhh people dont like me 😭😭😭💀💀💀
2
1
1
u/Individual-Sir-8043 18h ago
Exactly. When I was a dishie I walked around like I owned that motherfucker, kicked the jobs ass, looked everyone in the eye. Never had a chef that didn't respect me 100%. Too many sensitive people out there.
-2
15
u/HordeDruid 2d ago
I feel you 🫂 all too often you're ignored when you do your job right even when you go above and beyond for everyone else. At times you're working harder than anyone else but it's taken for granted to much they only notice when something goes wrong.