Dishwasher: career path and pay in the UK
Where a Dishwasher goes next, what each step typically pays in the United Kingdom, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 4 steps, from Dishwasher to Kitchen Supervisor / Line Cook.
Also for the United States: Dishwasher in the US
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 1 years
Dishwasher
£20K to £30K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Food Safety Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 2 · 1 to 3 years
Senior Dishwasher / Kitchen Porter
£20K to £30K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Food Safety Certification - Global.
Step 3 · 3 to 6 years
Kitchen Porter / Prep Cook
£20K to £30K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Food Safety Certification - Global, Culinary NVQ Level 1 (optional) - UK/EU.
Step 4 · 6+ years
Kitchen Supervisor / Line Cook
£20K to £30K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Food Safety Certification - Global, Culinary NVQ Level 2 - UK/EU.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
76% → 24%
Falls 52 points. Each step is harder to automate than the last. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
£20K to £30K → £20K to £30K
UK estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK. Indeed publishes a hourly average for Kitchen Supervisor (£13.88); this band converts it at 37 hours a week.
What the work involves
Clean dishes, kitchen, food preparation equipment, or utensils.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Food Production
Education people bring
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED): 56%
- Less than a High School Diploma: 43%
- Some College Courses: 1%
Job Zone 2, job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Other paths from here
- Prep Cook
- Line Cook
- Kitchen Manager
- Food Service Worker
More Retail/Hospitality paths in the UK
Related occupations in O*NET: Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment, Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers, Food Preparation Workers, Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers, Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK, UK national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor UK, Indeed UK and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to £5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.