Do Restaurants or Cafes Need Dishwashers? Essential Guide for Australian Food Businesses
Yes, most Australian restaurants and cafes absolutely need commercial dishwashers to meet food safety standards, handle order volume, and operate efficiently and save on labour efforts and costs. Here’s why dishwashers are essential for food service businesses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane:
Legal Requirements in Australia
Food Safety Standards
Australian food safety regulations require proper sanitisation of all food contact surfaces, including plates, glasses, and cutlery. Commercial dishwashers reach temperatures of 82°C or higher during the final rinse cycle, ensuring proper sanitisation that meets Australian health department requirements
Council Health Inspections
Local councils and health inspectors expect commercial food businesses to have adequate dishwashing facilities by NSW Food Authority, although it’s not mandatory to have it on site. Hand washing alone typically doesn’t meet commercial food safety standards for high-volume operations.
When Restaurants Need Commercial Dishwashers
High-Volume Operations
- Restaurants serving 50+ meals daily – Essential for managing dish turnover
- Busy cafes with table service – Multiple coffee cups, plates, and utensils per hour
- Licensed venues – Large quantities of glassware requiring proper sanitisation
- Function and event catering – High dish volumes in short timeframes
Food Safety Critical Operations
- Raw meat handling – Proper sanitisation prevents cross-contamination
- Seafood restaurants – Higher food safety risks require thorough cleaning and sanitising
- Aged care and healthcare catering – Stricter hygiene requirements
When Cafes Might Not Need Dishwashers
Very Small Operations
- Coffee carts and kiosks – Limited crockery, disposable cups
- Takeaway-only businesses – No dine-in crockery to wash
- Small bakeries with minimal food service – Limited utensils and plates
Low-Volume Specialty Businesses
- Ice cream shops – selling mainly disposable serving items
- Juice bars – Primarily use takeaway cups and basic equipment cleaning
Benefits of Commercial Dishwashers for Australian Businesses
Efficiency and Speed
Commercial dishwashers clean full loads in 2-5 minutes compared to 15-30 minutes for hand washing for the same quantity. This efficiency is crucial for restaurants and cafes during busy lunch time and dinner rushes.
Consistent Sanitisation
High-temperature rinse cycles eliminate bacteria and viruses more effectively than hand washing, reducing food poisoning risks and protecting your business reputation. Businesses with proper sanitisation and hygiene tend to have more repeat customers than those without it.
Staff Productivity
Dishwashers free up staff to focus on food preparation, customer service, and other revenue-generating activities rather than spending hours washing dishes. In a modern society, kitchen workers can’t resist hard and dirty work for long, leading to high employee turnover. Having an efficient dishwasher with easy to use control makes it easy to manage your staff and human resources.
Cost Savings Over Time
- Reduced chemical costs – Less detergent needed than hand washing
- Lower water usage – Modern commercial dishwashers use less water per cycle
- Reduced labour costs and efforts – Less staff time spent on dishwashing
Types of Dishwashers for Different Australian Food Businesses
Under-Counter Dishwashers
- Perfect for: Small cafes, coffee shops, wine bars
- Capacity: 20-0 racks per hour
- Space efficient for compact commercial kitchens. most of under counter dishwashers are designed to fit seamlessly under standard bench, that is 900mm high
BENDGS supplies highly efficient and easy to use commercial under counter dishwashers. Browse our under bench dishwashers from Eswood, Meiko and Fagor
Pass-Through Dishwashers
- Ideal for: Medium to large restaurants, bistros, clubs with over 300 dine-in customers a day.
- Capacity: 40-60 racks per hour, a lot faster than under counter models
- Separates dirty and clean areas for better workflow
See some of our pass through dishwashers for sale online
Conveyor Dishwashers
- Essential for: hotels, function centres and food processing factories & facilities
- Capacity: 100+ racks per hour
- Continuous operation for high-volume service
Glass Washers
Glass washers are compact warewashers designed for delicate glasses and cubs. They are similar to undercounter dishwashers, but smaller in size with soft washing program not to damage delicate glasses.
- Must-have for: Bars, pubs, cafes serving beverages in glasses
- Specialised cleaning for glassware without spotting
- Quick turnaround for busy bar service
Most restaurants and cafes in Australia need commercial dishwashers to:
- Meet food safety and council requirements
- Handle customer volume efficiently
- Maintain consistent hygiene standards
- Operate profitably with proper staff allocation
The only exceptions are very small takeaway-only operations or businesses using primarily disposable serving items. For any Australian food business serving customers on crockery and glassware, a commercial dishwasher is essential equipment, not an optional upgrade.
Browse our entire selection of commercial dishwashers, know their prices and features and make an informed decision for your business to succeed. Contact us if you need any personalised assistance or support on a dishwasher.
