Washing dishes to pay off a meal was a common plot device in older films (etc.), and - at least in theory - it remains something of a possibility depending on the situation, location, and inclinations of the restaurant operator(s).
A collection of incident reports can be found in multiple threads strewn around the Web. For example, this one:
https://www.quora.com/Do-restaurant...h-dishes-as-compensation-if-he-she-cannot-pay
... covers multiple angles on the subject.
For one thing, some responses explain why working off a meal debt can pose a problem for restaurants in some places. Labor laws, health laws, training requirements, staff coordination issues, etc., etc., can make it difficult or impossible to even contemplate having customers off the street do dishwashing duty.
On the other hand, some respondents indicate such work is commonly imposed in certain places, though not necessarily limited to dishwashing. Apparently peeling potatoes is so common a resolution method in Kenya the practice has been given a name that's propagated widely in popular culture.
In addition, some of the responses in this particular collection refer to restaurants that offer customers the option to work for their meal 'up front' (i.e., trading labor for food is an explicitly acceptable mode of payment).