Posted 3 days ago

Battersea Server/Waiter/Waitress

Dishoom
Pay £19.50- £19.75 per hour
Location Battersea, London
Contract time Full time, part time

The Breakroom Take

5.6

Rated 5.6 out of 10, based on 108 employees who took the Breakroom Quiz

See all job reviews

  • Free food
  • Respectful managers
  • Proper training

About Dishoom

Dishoom is a restaurant company. They serve Indian food.

Job description from Dishoom

We are proud to be recognised as one of the best places to work in Hospitality. Looking after people is at the core of what we do and we work hard to make life at Dishoom the best it can be. Since 2010, our restaurants have celebrated the Irani cafes and all of the food and drink of Bombay. We have Dishoom Cafes across London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. Our Permit Rooms can be found in Brighton and Cambridge, with our newest Bar-Cafe opening in Oxford later this year! Plus, we have kitchens across London to ensure our guests can enjoy our food at home!


As well as running busy sites with big teams, we also understand the importance of doing more. From planting trees with our teams in the UK & India, tying Rakhis with our guests, to our dedication to helping to feed children through Meal for a Meal. Since January 2024, we have donated 20 million meals and counting, and as a Dishoomwalle you contribute 55 meals per shift!


How we’ll support you


At Dishoom, we genuinely care about supporting you and your well-being (inside and outside of work).

With this, we tend to think about well-being in four different ways:


Financial

  • Free weekly wage advances and emergency cash.
  • Access to our savings support & financial health planning tool.
  • Up to 50% off when dining at Dishoom with friends and family.


Mental & Physical

  • All Babus (Managers) are fully trained in mental health support & First Aid.
  • Dedicated support from our confidential advice helpline - available to you or someone in your household – 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.
  • Free fitness sessions every month (including yoga and spin classes).
  • Calling all cricket fans, we have our very own Dishoom Premier League (an in-house cricket tournament) where you get to compete with your team at Lord’s.


Social

  • We’re a growing company and love nothing more than bringing our teams (and families) together to celebrate everyone’s hard work across the year.


You’ll be invited to our:

  • Family Mela (Family summer festival)
  • Huge Christmas celebration

Plus, we host regular team events across our cafes.

  • Team members who work at Dishoom for 5 years are invited to attend Bombay Bootcamp – an incredible once-in-a-lifetime guided tour of Bombay with our co-founders (over 200 people attended last year)!


What to expect:

  • Free team meals every shift, plus all the Chai you can drink!
  • £19.50- £19.75 per hour inclusive of tronc (based on the last 3-month’s average). We pay on a monthly basis.
  • A full-time role working across 5 days, Monday - Sunday availability required.
  • A weekly changing rota provided at least 10 days in advance.
  • We're an all day dining Bar- Cafe, meaning our teams work a variety of daytime and evening shifts (not the usual always late nights!)
  • Access to our award-winning training programmes and support. We focus on your development from day one and proudly promoted 211 Dishoomwalles last year!
  • The usual number of days holiday a year - paid for, including tronc. Our sites are closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and if you have children, we’ll provide one extra day to take them to their first day at school.
  • No uniforms here - smart casual and comfortable is key, and of course trainers are fine.


Have you got Seva?


We see every team member as valuable and important to ensuring the all-around brilliant experience for our guests. We’re looking for friendly and efficient people to join us as a Server/Waiter/Waitress.


As a Server/Waiter/Waitress:

  • Greet our guests day or night with a smile that makes them instantly feel welcomed.
  • Transport our guests to Bombay, with awesome knowledge of all of our drinks, bar snacks, curries, sharing plates and well-loved Dishoom dishes.
  • You are on point for your guests' experience (whatever the number of tables); you ensure there is clear communication to your team, so that everything runs smoothly and nothing goes a-miss.


So what are we looking for?

  • Previous work experience as a Server/Waiter/Waitress - at least 1 year minimum, in a high volume restaurant environment, following detailed steps of service (including Allergen procedures) and managing a busy section.
  • A desire to to grow - we only promote our Head Waiters from within, plus our award-winning Babu (Manager) Masterclass programme supports our teams with the tools to be our future leaders.


At Dishoom - everyone is welcome. We are committed to having an inclusive and diverse workplace and strongly encourage people from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to apply for roles with us.


Food & Beverage, FOH, Front of House, Hospitality Team Member, Waiter, Waitress, Head Waiter, Senior Waiter, Hospitality, Front of House Supervisor, Section Waiter, Floor Supervisor.

Job insights from Breakroom

Waiters and waitresses

Waiters and waitresses serve food and drinks to customers in restaurants and cafes

What you’ll do as a waiter or waitress:

  • Serve food and drink
  • Deal with customers
  • Take payments
  • Be responsible for health and safety
  • Take orders and listen to customers

Is it right for you?

This job may involve:

  • Standing
  • Physical activities
  • Walking
  • Wearing a uniform
  • Anti-social hours
  • Dealing with customers
  • Using a computer

Map

Battersea, London

A map of the rough location for this vacancy

What employees say

Pay

    Needs improving
  • Most people aren’t paid a living wage

    Do Dishoom pay servers enough to live on?

    Most people are not paid a living wage.

    How we know this

    69% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.

    Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone should be paid enough to live on.

    The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.

    The current rates are £12.60 per hour, and £13.85 per hour in London.

    Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.

  • Good
  • Most people are paid market rates

    Do Dishoom pay servers market rates?

    Most people are paid above average for their job.

    How we know this

    94% of people are paid above average for the type of work they do.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get paid breaks

    Do servers at Dishoom get paid breaks?

    No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.

    How we know this

    88% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.

    Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job should have paid breaks.

    You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t get sick pay

    Do Dishoom pay servers sick pay?

    No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.

    How we know this

    82% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.

    At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.

    This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.

  • Good
  • Most people don’t do unpaid extra work

    Do servers at Dishoom do extra work that they don't get paid for?

    Rarely. Most people don’t do unpaid extra work.

    How we know this

    75% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.

    Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.

Hours and flexibility

    Needs improving
  • Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts

    How much notice do servers get of their shift pattern at Dishoom?

    Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.

    How we know this

    • 76% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
    • 24% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
    • 0% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
    • 0% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.

    This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.

  • Good
  • Most people don’t worry about their hours

    Do servers at Dishoom worry about hours?

    Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.

    How we know this

    71% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.

    A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.

    This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get a choice of shifts

    Do servers at Dishoom get to choose the shifts they work?

    Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.

    How we know this

    65% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.

  • Okay
  • Can be hard to change shifts

    How easy is it for servers at Dishoom to change shifts?

    Some people find it hard to change shifts.

    How we know this

    65% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.

    Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2022 and November 2024.

    Why this matters

    A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.

  • Okay
  • Can be hard to book holiday

    How easy is it for servers to book a holiday at Dishoom?

    Some people find it hard to book holiday.

    How we know this

    47% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.

    Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.

  • Okay
  • Shifts can get changed at short notice

    Do Dishoom managers change servers shifts at short notice?

    Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.

    How we know this

    41% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.

  • Good
  • Most people find it easy to take sick leave

    How easy is it for servers to take sick leave at Dishoom?

    Most people find it easy to take sick leave.

    How we know this

    75% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.

    Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.

    A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.

Workplace

    Okay
  • Only some people feel treated with respect

    Do servers at Dishoom feel treated with respect by their managers?

    Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.

    How we know this

    58% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.

    Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get proper breaks

    Do servers at Dishoom get proper breaks?

    Some people don’t get proper breaks.

    How we know this

    59% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people are stressed

    Is it stressful for servers to work at Dishoom?

    Most people feel stressed here.

    How we know this

    82% of people say they often feel stressed at work.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.

    Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.

  • Okay
  • Only some people enjoy their job

    Do servers at Dishoom enjoy their jobs?

    Only some people enjoy their job.

    How we know this

    36% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.

    Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

  • Okay
  • Only some people recommend their team

    Do servers at Dishoom recommend working with their team?

    Only some people recommend working with their team.

    How we know this

    50% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.

    Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job means enjoying the place where you work.

    The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.

    If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.

  • Good
  • Most people get enough training

    Do servers get enough training when they start at Dishoom?

    Most people got enough training when they started.

    How we know this

    82% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.

    This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.

    It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.

  • Okay
  • Only some people get support to progress

    Are servers given support to progress at Dishoom?

    Only some people are given support to progress here.

    How we know this

    In the last year, 59% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.

    This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.

  • Needs improving
  • Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening

    Do servers think Dishoom head office understands what's happening where they work?

    Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.

    How we know this

    76% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.

    Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.

    To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.

  • Needs improving
  • Most people don’t feel well informed by head office

    Do servers feel well informed about how Dishoom is doing?

    Most people don’t feel well informed about how the company is doing.

    How we know this

    69% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.

    Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.

    Why this matters

    At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.

    You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.

Find out more about working at Dishoom

What Dishoom employees say about their job

  • Best thing

    Okay pay

    Worst thing

    Unpaid breaks, no pay when sick, no team food during Christmas (unless you pay for it).

    1.4

    Host at Dishoom, December 2024

  • Best thing

    Fun colleagues

    Worst thing

    Poor management, they expect overtime every shift, often understaffed, stressful work environment, very dodgy with payslips/ getting paid for overtime

    3.6

    Waiter at Dishoom, November 2024

See more reviews
  • Best thing

    (Most of) the bar team

    Worst thing

    Management, under appreciation, incredibly stressful, too many responsibilities too little people, workload, no rewards or “well done”, micromanagement, politics, not having the proper working equipment

    2.3

    Bartender at Dishoom, August 2024

  • Best thing

    Great Progression and training opportunities.
    Work with a great team.
    Learn about different cultures and history of Irani cafes.
    Great benefits.

    Worst thing

    As with lots of hospitality roles it can be very busy. So physically demanding and stressful at times.

    7.1

    Host at Dishoom, June 2023

  • Best thing

    - The team
    - The food
    - fast paced and exciting

    Worst thing

    - Managers expectations are VERY high
    - We get our rota with less than a week notice

    8.8

    Host at Dishoom, May 2023

  • Best thing

    Free unlimited coffee on shift

    Worst thing

    The pay gap between servers and bartenders is shocking. A head bartender is paid significantly less than a server. Servers have the biggest chunk of service charge (33%) and the gap is so huge that servers are paid an average of £600 more a month than a bartender. The head bartenders are paid nearly £500 pound less than a regular server, and nearly £700 less than a Head server.
    No one does anything to fix this unbelievably unfair gap.

    The lack of any external training.
    The stagnant environment.
    Staff food is between 2pm or 5pm. If you work on a morning shift you have to work on an empty stomach until 2pm.

    4.7

    Head bartender at Dishoom, March 2023

  • Best thing

    Offers relatively good pay for the role compared to similar companies, there are some other benefits and free meals on shift especially can help you save money.

    Worst thing

    Extremely physical job with very long hours which doesn't feel worthwhile for the money, as demonstrated by the highest staff turnover I have witnessed in an 8-year hospitality career. The job does not leave you feeling good about yourself and no matter how hard you work, you are treated as the lowest of the low. New hires almost exclusively apply for the better paid, more respected and less physical server role and are promised that the food runner role is more similar than it is in reality, and that they will be able to step up within a matter of weeks or months when management at the cafes aren't able to offer this. Shifts are therefore almost always understaffed which leaves staff who do show up exhausted and demoralised. The rate of turnover is naturally so high that it is difficult to form the friendships that usually make jobs like this bearable.

    3.0

    Food runner at Dishoom, March 2023

  • Best thing

    You get to wear your own clothes, very straightforward job which is easy to pick up after 1 - 2 shifts. Some teammates are friendly and helpful and easy to get along with.

    Worst thing

    You can’t be caught doing nothing, always have to be active doing something which can be super hard when the restaurant is quiet and there’s nothing to do. Also you never know who is talking bad about you and reporting back to the manager so there’s a lot of fake energy with your teammates which sucks

    4.2

    Host at Dishoom, February 2023

  • Best thing

    The team excluding management is amazing.

    Worst thing

    They do not respect or appreciate staff. There is a very hostile work environment towards staff were staff are expected to work to the bone however are belittled if they fall sick

    2.1

    Waitress at Dishoom, December 2022

  • Best thing

    The are a lot of people who think similarly as they are in the same position so it's easy to talk to people

    Worst thing

    The managements attitude constantly fluctuating depending on who is on shift as well as if the general manager is in

    1.1

    Host at Dishoom, August 2022

  • More reviews from Dishoom employees

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