Question:
I've been in the service industry more than half my life. I’ve worked at this restaurant for two years, and their system boggles me. When we don’t have a dishwasher, the servers have to wash their own dishes! We are so busy being short-staffed with a huge pile of dishes, and we run out of glassware, silverware, and dishes. Plus, using a jet sprayer to spray off the chunks and sauce, the food particles are in the air landing on our body, face, hair, etc.
– Jason Sudo, Server, Schaumburg, Ill.
Answer:
Proper protocol for bussers and servers at the dish station varies by operation. At some places, it is customary to just drop things as they come off the floor. It is the expectation that the dishwasher will sort out trash from linens, silver, plates, and so on, and take care of scraping, racking, presoaking and so on as part of her or his responsibilities. In other operations, there are clear expectations for servers or bussers to make things easier for the dishwashers by racking glasses, scraping and stacking plates, and/or getting silverware into a presoak bin. There are a lot of factors that might determine the best system for your operation, including:
- Layout. Is there enough room for multiple people to maneuver in the dish area?
- Staffing levels. Does having a server take longer than necessary at the dish station keep guests from receiving optimal service?
- Job descriptions. Some restaurants have designated bussers, for example, while others rely on servers to clear.
One factor that you are right to address is sanitation. As you note, expecting servers to wash dishes—even occasionally—opens the possibility of cross-contamination between soiled dishware and ready-to-eat food, in addition to the practical challenges of managing such a system. Ed Sherwin, founder of Sherwin Food Safety in Baltimore, says, “This looks to me like a clear violation of health department [regulations], plus a pretty high chance of germs being spread from soiled dishes and tableware to the hands of servers who in turn are handling clean dishes, thus exposing guests to potentially dangerous pathogens. … If the restaurant is short-staffed and busy, it is doubtful that [proper] procedures are being followed by the servers … putting your guests, employees, and business at risk.
“My recommendation is for servers to allow dishes and glassware to stack up, and then if clean tableware, glasses, or eating utensils are needed, wear disposable plastic gloves when scraping and spraying, removing the gloves and washing hands with soap and hot water in a handwashing sink (not in a prep sink or three-compartment sink) before removing clean items from the mechanical dish machine. Wearing disposable gloves when scraping and spraying will help protect hands from coming in contact with potential bacteria and viruses. Always wash hands before removing clean items from the machine, or between bussing dirty dishes and handling clean dishes and glassware with food and beverages.”
This question is a great example of the importance of proper staffing and systems. While it may save some money to run leaner staffing in the dish area, placing more burden on servers, the costs in terms of risk of foodborne illness, loss of goodwill and potential for turnover among employees, and the negative impact on guest service, both in terms of servers’ appearance and satisfaction and time away from the table, far outweigh those savings.
More on setting up a dish station here.