For many smaller to medium-sized foodservice operations, a three-compartment sink is the go-to solution for dishwashing. It seems cheap and easy to fill up a sink with water and have employees wash dishes, especially when compared to the initial cost of buying a commercial dishwasher. But for three different operations in Troy and Tipp City, Ohio, making the decision to upgrade to a commercial dishwasher proved to be a smart business decision. Not only is the Centerline undercounter dishwasher an affordable option for restaurants and operations serving up to 100 guests per day, it also brings savings in labor costs, increases workflow efficiency, and significantly lowers water and energy use.
One of the biggest challenges faced by the Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company was keeping up with clean dishes during the busy lunch-hour rush. What first started as a traditional bakery had expanded to include a full-service café for breakfast and lunch with customers eating on the premises or taking their food to go. The three-compartment sink that had been fine at the beginning was too slow to keep up with the current demand. The café had ordered a surplus of dishes from their supplier to make up for the fact they couldn’t turnover clean dishes fast enough to serve new customers.
With the installation of the Centerline undercounter dishwasher, dishes could be cleaned much faster and labor hours devoted to dishwashing dropped from 150 to 60 hours per week. The efficiency of the dishwasher eliminated the need for having a surplus of dishes, and the business is even considering purchasing glassware to replace the disposable plastic cups currently in place. This will reduce the waste produced at the café, which is better for the environment.
At Mojos Bar & Grille, space is of the essence. The small kitchen is a busy place where line and prep cooks constantly work to create unique food for the bar’s customers, and every bit of counter space is necessary for food prep. When the operation was using a three-compartment sink, pots and pans and other dishes constantly piled up to give ware time to dry before being put up or put into service again. This created an unorganized work environment, not to mention a safety issue. “I was worried one of the cooks would bump up against something or get cut on the dishes that were just sitting out on the counter,” said Doug Boyle, owner.
Now that the bar has installed a Centerline undercounter dishwasher, drying times are down to mere minutes as opposed to hours. This allows the staff to keep dishes put up and the counter free and clear for food prep and proper kitchen safety.
Randall Residence is an assisted living facility with 84 residents, 24 of whom are part of the memory care facility. Sine this operation serves an older population, sanitization is a big priority in the kitchen and dining facilities. “Our population has a high susceptibility to foodborne illness, so it is very important that our items get cleaned and sanitized thoroughly to prevent anyone from getting sick,” said Nate Bruggeman, dining services director. Using a three-compartment sink left room for human error with water temperature and the amount of detergent used to clean the dishes, which meant there was a worry dishes weren’t properly sanitized before being used again for meal service.
Recently a Centerline undercounter dishwasher was installed in the prep room of the memory care unit’s dining area as a way to ensure dishes were clean and completely sanitized between each use. The high-temperature wash cycle that reaches temperatures of 180 degrees efficiently sanitizes dishes and gives operators peace of mind that each plate, utensil and cup that is used by the residents are completely sanitized and germ free.