Dishwasher Training Checklist (Free Template)
The dish pit is where many restaurant kitchens start new people, and where a slow shift turns into a disaster when clean plates run out. This checklist is for chefs and managers training a new dishwasher on a commercial machine. It covers setting up the machine, racking, chemicals, pots and pans, and keeping the line supplied, so the new person is useful from their first service.
Free, no sign-up. Edit it, print it, share it with your team.
What you'll need
- Commercial dish machine and racks
- Detergent and rinse aid
- Gloves and an apron
- Pot sink with scrubbers
The steps
Show them where the gloves, aprons and first aid kit are.
Gloves for chemicals and hot water, and non-slip shoes for the floor.
Fill the machine and let it heat up before the first rack.
Check the wash and rinse readings on the display before you start.
Check the detergent and rinse aid levels.
Change containers the way the label says, and never mix chemicals.
Watch out: Wear gloves and eye protection when changing chemicals. Never mix two products.
Scrape food into the trash before racking.
Food left on plates clogs the machine's filters.
Rack plates on their edge, all facing the same way.
Glasses go upside down in the glass rack, and silverware goes handles down in the silverware basket.
Run each rack and let it drain before you unload.
Stacking wet plates keeps them wet. Let them air-dry for a minute.
Check every item as you unload, and rewash anything with spots.
A dirty plate on the line comes straight back to you anyway.
Put clean plates and pans back where the cooks reach for them.
Ask each station what they need first and keep them stocked during service.
Soak pots and pans before you scrub them in the pot sink.
Wash, rinse and sanitize the way your kitchen does. Ask before putting any pan in the machine.
Wash knives one at a time, and never leave them in the sink.
Wash and dry each knife, then hand it back to the cook right away.
Watch out: Never put a knife into a full sink where nobody can see it.
Empty the machine filters and floor drain basket during quiet moments.
At least once in the middle of the shift and again at the end.
Mop up spills as soon as they happen.
Put out a wet floor sign whenever the floor is wet.
Drain and clean the machine at closing.
Remove and rinse the spray arms and filters, wipe down the area and leave the door open to dry.
How to adapt it
- Add a photo of a correctly loaded rack to the racking step.
- Write the readings your machine should show into the heat-up step.
- Have the new dishwasher spend 10 minutes with each cook to learn what they need first.
- Thank the dish pit at the end of every service. It's one of the hardest jobs in the building.
Turn this template into training your team will actually open
In ShowHow, your staff read each step on their phone, with photos, in their own language, and you see who has confirmed it. Start from this template or film yourself doing the job.
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