The origin of the term forklift

Dumbwaiters, that is, small industrial forklifts, are nowadays an almost ubiquitous spectacle in hotels, bars and restaurants. Often used to reduce travel and simplify daily tasks for kitchen and hotel staff, these devices are extremely popular for their compact size, versatility, ease of use, and relative robustness.

However, while many people are familiar with the concept of a dumbwaiter, very few have likely stopped and thought about where that name came from and why it was adopted for that specific implement in the first place. Apart from being common in the kitchen areas of hotels and restaurants, what other link exists between an industrial elevator and a waiter? Where does the ‘dumb’ part come from? Are you referring to a lack of intelligence or a lack of speaking ability? All these questions and more will be addressed in the following lines.

The employee who does not speak

The exact origin of the term dumbwaiter is difficult to pin down, but its etymology is relatively uncontroversial. The expression derives from the fact that the small elevators of the same name were often used as an inanimate stand-in for a real member of staff; Thus, ‘the dumb waiter’ referred to the way in which these devices performed some of the tasks that help would normally handle, while at the same time being unseen and unheard of, or in other words, ‘dumb ‘.

The term is believed to have first been used sometime in the mid-19th century, on wealthy homes and estates in the United States. It seems agreed, however, that the term first rose to prominence in the public consciousness when it was used in a play, Harold Pinter’s ‘The Silly Waiter’. First introduced in 1957, the piece quickly achieved international fame and renown, and with it, the term ‘plateau’ as a synonym for a small-scale industrial forklift. It is thanks to this work that the expression is believed to have entered the public consciousness once and for all, and therefore can be considered its true creator, or at least responsible for its spread in Western society.

campaign for change

Perhaps more surprising than the origin or meaning of the term dumbwaiter is the fact that, in recent years, various parties have been pushing for it to be changed. Today, the expression is considered mildly derogatory, and a number of replacement terms have slowly but surely taken its place over the past few decades. Alternative names for these types of devices include microlift, lazy Susan, and serving tray, all of which are considered more acceptable and politically correct than the term defined above.

Regardless of these efforts, however, it seems unlikely that the term dumbwaiter will disappear from public consciousness any time soon. Even if these alternative denominations catch on with an increasingly socially conscious general public, the transition will not happen overnight; The process will likely take several years, and until then these useful little implements will continue to be known by their present name.

However, by whatever name they are known, one thing seems clear: dumbwaiters should continue to play as important a role in the hotel and restaurant industry for decades to come as they do now. The versatile and easy-to-use nature of these risers makes them an indispensable asset in any large industrial-style kitchen or utility room, and this status looks set to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future. Whether they are known as dumbwaiters, microlifts, lazy Susans, serving trays, or any other name, these elevators should continue to be the best friends of hotel and hospital staff as long as they remain in production.