Guide to Warewashing & Janitorial Equipment
Peak Service Times
Your machine needs to match the rhythm
of your busiest periods, not just your daily
average. If you serve 200 guests over a
90-minute lunch rush, your warewasher
may need to process a full rack every
60–90 seconds. If you can’t keep pace,
you’ll either need additional equipment
or backup systems such as pre-rinse
stations and power
sinks.
The result of poor peak-time planning?
Dirty wares stack up, service slows,
customer experience declines and
staff morale drops. Planning for peak
performance is a safeguard for both
customer experience and kitchen
efficiency.
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Racks Per Hour: Translating
Specs into Reality
Dishwasher specifications often list “racks
per hour” (RPH), but this number can
be misleading. Manufacturers calculate
it under ideal lab conditions with pre-
scraped, uniformly sized wares and
optimal water pressure.
In the real world, racks need to be loaded,
unloaded, and sometimes rewwashed.
Staff shifts, staffing shortages, and
unexpected demand surges can throw off
even the best plan. As a rule of thumb:
Undercounter dishwashers typically
process 20–30 racks per hour.
Door-type machines range from 40–60
racks per hour.
Conveyor and flight machines can process
200+ racks per hour with skilled operators.
RPH should always be viewed as a
capacity ceiling — not a consistent
throughput number. Design your
warewashing system to operate
comfortably at 70–80% of its rated
capacity during peak times. This buffer
ensures your system performs without
strain, extending the lifespan of your
equipment.
Understanding your operation — from
seating capacity to dishware type to peak-
hour intensity — is the first step toward
selecting equipment that will support your
business today and grow with it tomorrow.
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