How many of you all have been a dishwasher?

[ponzies]

I got a job as a dishwasher after getting fired from walmart because they kept scheduling me during times I had college classes so I would go to class instead of work. After that I got a job as a dishwasher at a busy restaurant which I found oddly satisfying once I became good at it. At first I was super slow but then I became extremely fast and made it a point to keep the window clear so the servers could easily drop their dishes off instead of trying to find spaces to put all the dirty dishes.

Why is physical labor so satisfying?

 

[Radd Redd]

Long ago at Golden Corral. Hated it because it's ALWAYS hot and muggy. Dishes are always full of sticky food and trash.

 

[TaySan]

I'm currently a dishwasher for a restaurant. Hard work especially prep and closing, but it pays better than the minimum and it's a few minutes from home.

 

[ponzies]

Also the dishwashing machines at restaurants aren't much bigger than at home dishwashers but they can wash dishes in like 1 minute or less. At home dishwashers can take like 3 hours.

Kind of crazy that restaurant dishwashing machines wash in like 1/100th of the time as at home dishwashers.

 

[TaySan]

Gloves and good pair of boots are a MUST. Nothing worse than having soaked feet through the rest of your shift.

 

[Booshka]

Never been a dishwasher but have almost always done physical labor. I appreciate the feeling of having your mind and body working in sync and being in a flow state when things are really going well. Especially if you are working as part of a larger team that are all flowing together.

It's much closer to physical exercise and sports sometimes, so I think that is why it can feel so satisfying. Also, it's healthier to be up and moving, working in a social environment than sedentary and isolated.

 

[Zonar]

Yeah. Washing dishes was kind of therapeutic. I was a dishwasher for about 4 years at Boston market.

 

[leeky]

I was a dishwasher at a Mediterranean restaurant as my first job. I didn't mind it except during brunch service. Going home wet smelling like eggs and hollandaise sucks

 

[AstronaughtE]

It was kinda tacked onto my delivery job several months after I was hired, and even more dishwashing was heaped on my years later. My back can't handle the stooping down to pick stuff up, some of it was heavy alumilum equipment. No dishwasher machine just me, a rag, soapy water, sanitizer water, and clean water.

 

[SmokedSalmon]

I've never been just a dishwasher, but I worked in a bakery before so we naturally had lots of dishes to clean. Everyone wanted to be the dishwasher for the night, though that was mostly because if you were the dishwasher you dealt with the least amount of costumers.

I've always liked cleaning the dishes. I had to do all the dishes after dinner growing up but for some reasons it's pretty satisfying for me.

 

[Sacrilicious]

Yeah, it's hard work but you can definitely get lost in it.

It's exhausting but with music, it's somehow also relaxing.

 

[Speely]

Dishwashing is a pretty good job, all things considered. If you are good at working with expo/servers/cooks, it can also turn into opportunities for prep cooking and stuff, which usually means a wage increase.

But yeah, even in and of itself, dishwashing as a job is kinda nice. The pace makes shifts go by very quickly and there is a sense of accomplishment at the end of the shift that many jobs don't impart. When I did it, I found the work oddly meditative.

 

[super-famicom]

I had dishwasher duty every once in a while when working at an on campus cafeteria in university. It was pretty fun and chill. I brought in a boom box and just jammed out.

 

[ponzies]

It was kinda tacked onto my delivery job several months after I was hired, and even more dishwashing was heaped on my years later. My back can't handle the stooping down to pick stuff up, some of it was heavy alumilum equipment. No dishwasher machine just me, a rag, soapy water, sanitizer water, and clean water.

Click to shrink...

Sorry manual dishwashing is tough. I fortunately had access to both a conveyer belt and compartment type dish washing machines where all you had to do was put the dishes on the tray and spray them down and then just put them away after the cycle was over.

 

[bangai-o]

Wendy's, but it was a good way to get away from the drive thru window.

 

[Sacrilicious]

I was a dishwasher at a Mediterranean restaurant as my first job. I didn't mind it except during brunch service. Going home wet smelling like eggs and hollandaise sucks

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I've had to walk home soaking wet in a blizzard after some shifts. It ain't fun but oh well.

 

[Deleted member 12842]

Yep, I did pretty much every job when I worked at Steak 'n Shake. Dish included.

 

[The Smoking Man]

Yeah, for a summer as a teen. Was pretty miserable and in a tiny restaurant. My hands also looked wrinkled for days after each shift.

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

I hated getting damp from all the spray particles in the air and sometimes certain food smells would be stuck to me for days which I didn't like.

I was at least fit enough to appreciate the workout aspect when I did it in college. But I'm not so sure I could handle all of it in totality now.

 

[Alavard]

I worked at a Tim Hortons (coffee shop in Canada and a few parts of the US) and washed dishes in addition to everything else. Not sure if that counts.

Honestly washing the dishes was better than serving customers.

 

[TheDestructiveSquirrel]

I got a job as a dishwasher after getting fired from walmart because they kept scheduling me during times I had college classes so I would go to class instead of work. After that I got a job as a dishwasher at a busy restaurant which I found oddly satisfying once I became good at it. At first I was super slow but then I became extremely fast and made it a point to keep the window clear so the servers could easily drop their dishes off instead of trying to find spaces to put all the dirty dishes.

Why is physical labor so satisfying?

Click to shrink...

Did Wal-Mart aware you weren't available and scheduled you anyway so they could fire you?

If a company did that in Ontario they'd be in so much shit

 

[ponzies]

Did Wal-Mart aware you weren't available and scheduled you anyway so they could fire you?

If a company did that in Ontario they'd be in so much shit

Click to shrink...

I'm pretty sure I told them but this was back in the 90s. I ended up messing up one of my knees working there because we used to have to take ~100lb 27" tube TVs up and down step ladders and I could feel my knee crunch. We didn't have the lift type systems they have now.

I started in the electronics department and got demoted to cart pusher/janitor before I was fired.

I stll remember the store manager being like you need to pick between us and college. I was like I'm not missing classes and she was like ok then your not working here anymore.

 

[TylerD]

When I worked at a Taco Bell / KFC in high school during the summer, I would volunteer for dishwashing duties quite a lot. No customer facing responsibilities other than walking out to grab the stainless buffet trays. I had several friends working there and we listened to metal and popped yellow jackets for energy and destroyed those dishes and devour choco tacos when we felt like it. Our management was pretty cool.

Our nemeses was the bread pudding followed by the hot refried bean trays, and the chicken fry platforms for original that get dropped in the pressure fryer and the breading trays with the racks. This thread brought back some memories.

Super satisfying and tired after applying some elbow grease. Dishes at home is way less fun.

 

[Baphomet]

Not as a job, I am the diswasher at home and yes , its a good mind distractor.

 

[Whitemex]

Hell ya! Bust out the tunes and go nuts in there! Enjoyed my time as one definitely

 

[inner-G]

Yep a couple of my first jobs were as a dishwasher

 

[Ferda]

In high school I worked nights as a dishwasher at an Elks Lodge. Hated it at first, especially working till after midnight many nights and having to close down the kitchen, but it grew on me and I was surprised that I not only got tips but they were really good.

Only part that never grew on me was when washing the small dishes they put dunking sauces like horseradish in would spray back up in my face and make me wanna vomit.

During the summers I worked construction and that was some rewarding physical labor but I hated the early mornings and being sore at the end of they day.

 

[writhingcorpse897]

I do the dishes at my house (total of 10 people) and I can absolutely relate to the satisfaction of getting consistently better at doing dishes.

 

[reKon]

For a couple of semesters in college. Whew... That was legitimately some physical labor. Like non-stop the entire shift otherwise you got behind. Everyone else in the cafe seemed to have it easier as their roles didn't seem as demanding. Luckily I continued to get upgrades in jobs as progressed through school. Next one was a TA position for like 2-3 years and then GA position while I was in grad school.

 

[PaulloDEC]

Washing dishes was a component of the fast food job I had during my teens, if that counts. I still miss that gigantic commercial sink.

 

[Tortahegesztő]

I got a job as a dishwasher after getting fired from walmart because they kept scheduling me during times I had college classes so I would go to class instead of work. After that I got a job as a dishwasher at a busy restaurant which I found oddly satisfying once I became good at it. At first I was super slow but then I became extremely fast and made it a point to keep the window clear so the servers could easily drop their dishes off instead of trying to find spaces to put all the dirty dishes.

Why is physical labor so satisfying?

Click to shrink...

Wouldn't call it satisfying but certainly more chill than being a waiter the previous 3 seasons.
It saved me from burning out for sure while still getting almost the same money.
Washing dishes is more of a power training while the waiter job is like cardio combined whith dealing with literally everyones shit. So mentally absolutely draining.

 

[turbobrick]

Not as an actual job, but a small part of my job working at Edible Arrangements. It was just washing the stuff we used though.

 

[Pacifaxe]

Dishwasher at the spaghetti factory for one week. To those who wash dishes, you're great. I sucked at it.

 

[Tony B]

Worked around 5 years in my youth doing dishwashing / bus'd tables / food prep / serving during my stint at an open air Cafe in a Mall, imaginatively titled, The Mall Cafe, all before minimum wage was a thing (and oh boy, did my hourly wages reflect that). Mostly coffee cups / tea pots / plates / cutlery. I preferred dishwashing overall to any other roles, as I could basically zone out and just do a repetitive task rather than having to interact with others, and to this day, it's the one household chore I'll never delegate.

Went from that to my current job as a S/W Engineer, so pretty much the exact opposite of physical labour.

 

[Deraldin]

I've never been a dishwasher as the primary component of my job, but I worked for a small bakery/cafe/caterer so I had lots of opportunity to wash dishes. I left a year ago and as far as I know the kitchen still doesn't have a dishwashing machine and the front of house didn't get one until 2-3 years after I started there. I was hired mostly to work closing shift which was generally solo so I'd have the last 2-3 hours of dishes to wash by hand myself.

Working catering shifts for weddings was always a highlight when we were on a site that had a dishwashing machine because we could wash everything before leaving the site and didn't have to wash it all by hand once we got back.

 

[elLOaSTy]

Also the dishwashing machines at restaurants aren't much bigger than at home dishwashers but they can wash dishes in like 1 minute or less. At home dishwashers can take like 3 hours.

Kind of crazy that restaurant dishwashing machines wash in like 1/100th of the time as at home dishwashers.

Click to shrink...

that sounds amazing! Imagine being able to have the dishwasher at home done in minutes, thats crazy that would rule.

I'll add a commercial dishwasher to my imaginary wealthy dream home lol

 

[squeakywheel]

I love washing dishes at home but hated washing greasy pots and pans when I was a dishwasher.

 

[Fat4all]

i worked in a restaurant for a bit as a baker, which was one of those things where after everything is done you might as well wash up

we had one of those big industrial cleaners and disinfectant stations

i enjoy washing up at home as well

 

[ArtemisLunar]

I currently work as a dishwasher on a Michelin-recommended Restaurant.
It's hard, but it's paying my school and my basics needs pretty well

 

[Patriiick]

I've had jobs washing surgical instruments and as of a few weeks ago used to hand wash glassware in pharma labs, so I think that counts. Liked the job but didn't like breathing in methanol and acetone, which was what I almost exclusively used to rinse stuff out with.

 

[jelly]

Not in any place huge but yeah, rinsed, filled the dishwasher that does them in a minute then put out to front. Mad rush at busy times though. I wouldn't say I miss it but was fine and not dealing with customers was a perk. In a bigger place without a dish washing machine would probably twinging my back during a shift.

 

[Kwigo]

Did it for a month and a half, never again.
It was my "I really need to get a desk job" moment.

 

[Herne]

I was during the summer back in 1996/7 at a local restaurant. They had a dishwasher machine so all you really had to do was remove some of the larger food remains off the plate before loading it into the machine. Still, it meant standing on your feet all day in a very hot kitchen, loading and unloading ware. I used to live for those moments when the chef would ask me to go grab something from the cold storage. A friend of mine worked there too and somehow he got it into his head that what we did was actually washing dishes and when we lived together in later years we used to argue about what he considered to be clean plates.

People can turn their noses up at it and say it's unskilled labour if they like, but I won't accept anyone saying it's an easy job.

 

[Nakho]

I'm pretty sure I told them but this was back in the 90s. I ended up messing up one of my knees working there because we used to have to take ~100lb 27" tube TVs up and down step ladders and I could feel my knee crunch. We didn't have the lift type systems they have now.

I started in the electronics department and got demoted to cart pusher/janitor before I was fired.

I stll remember the store manager being like you need to pick between us and college. I was like I'm not missing classes and she was like ok then your not working here anymore.

Click to shrink...

And conservatives have the gall to say those jobs were meant for high school and college kids, so that's why they pay less... Makes you think huh

 

[skeezx]

worked as dishwasher at an italian restaurant when i was a kid, basically. Hated it but if I had the job now i'd probably like just turning my brain off and doing something relatively stress free (like i said I was a kid and only beginning to wrap my head around this "work" thing)

 

[Hoggle]

I was a chef. So, I was a dish washer. Typically I was a chef from 5am to 9pm and then I'd have to wash all the dishes once service was over.

God…I am so glad I'm no longer a chef.

I can understand washing dishes being satisfying though. I still wash dishes at home. I don't cook anymore though.

 

[Jersa]

I worked at IHOP as a server, and had to sort silverware and occasionally run things through the dishwasher, but it wasn't my dedicated job.

I enjoyed waiting tables, significantly moreso later at a jazz club with overpriced food and drink, but being a dishwasher at a quick service restaurant with sticky plates and foods is rough work.

 

[Bitanator]

I was a dishwasher at a deli for five years, I got two free sandwiches of choice each shift. I miss that job

 

[Foxisdabest]

I did dish washing on and off as s second job in my 20s.

Hated it. The money was good because it was always cash and on overtime, but i hated how absolutely soaking wet I'd get at the end of my shift.

 

[LazyGradient]

Only as a volunteer at a (student) Mensa. It was fun work and the free food was very nice!