It sounds too good to be true, but Sakae Sushi chief Douglas Foo confirms that the company pays its dishwashers $3,000 a month.

He said that he had, in fact, been offering that salary for a year nowbut there have been few takers. Those who did take up the job quit soon after they discovered how tough it is.

Dishwashers at the restaurant chain work for nine hours a day, six days a week. Though they are given health benefits and annual leave, the job is admittedly a dead-end one. There is little scope for promotion since every outlet requires only a single dishwasher, or up to two for bigger outlets.

Many Netizens have greeted the news with scepticism. wondering if there was a catch.

Wrote Jonny Lee: "What's the condition. Work 7 days a week? Work 12 hours day?"

Asked if it was a marketing gimmick, Mr Foo said: "No, it's true. We've had this offer for a year and I can tell you that we are paying our each of our 30 plus dishwashers $3,000 a month."

At $3,000 a month, dishwashers at Sakae Sushi restaurants would probably earn more than twice what dishwashers in other eateries might get. In fact, $3,000 is what Sakae Sushi pays their managers and supervisors.

"Yes its high but look its a tough job. You stand on your feet, work weekends and its dirty and wet. Our crew earns less but they get a chance to move up or move out. Most dishwashers don't," he said.

He also said he's only looking for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents.

"As a local firm, if we can hire a local guy, why not? I rather we do this than rely on a foreigner," he said.

The news first emerged last Friday when Mr Foo mentioned during an interview on UFM100.3 that he had trouble finding any cleaners despite offering a high salary. The Sakae communications team put a post on the company's Facebook page this evening confirming that it was looking to hire dishwashers with a monthly pay of $3,000.