Picking the Right Warewashing Machine
When picking the right warewashing machine for your operation, here are the three main questions you should be asking before your dish machine selection is made:
1) How many pieces will each patron use? Pieces refer to the number of plates, dishes, glasses, and utensils used by each patron during their dining experience. The utensil set is considered one piece.
2) The maximum number of seats in the dining room to be occupied during any given serving period
3) The number of patron turns in an hour
The average amount of “pieces” to be used by a patron during a dining experience is as follows:
1) Casual restaurant 3 to 4 pieces
2) Fine dining 10 to 12 pieces
3) College Dining Hall 4 to 6 pieces
4) Hospital 4 to 6 pieces
5) Hotel Banquet Hall 10 to 15 pieces
Here are some typical production rates for Champion dishwashers:
1) Champion undercounter dishwasher 925 pieces per hour
2) Champion door-type dishwasher 1,525 pieces per hour
3) Champion rack conveyor dishwasher 4,000 to 7,000 pieces per hour
4) Champion flight-type dishwasher 7,000 to 15,000 pieces per hour
Other notes to consider when picking a dishmachine:
1) Determine what width you want for your dishwasher (typical widths are 24” or 29”)
2) Take the potential growth of your operation into consideration and try to buy a dishwasher that will accommodate growth
3) Decide what the largest item in your operation will go through the dishwasher and make sure the unit is wide and tall enough to accommodate
4) Take your labor force and the flow of the dish washing area into consideration
Written by Drew O’Quinn, Vice President, Thompson & Little, Inc.
