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I scrape big chunks of food off the plates, but don't wash or rinse.
The dishwasher cleans better overall if there's something for it to do. You know, like wash the dishes.
The only thing my dishwasher has issues with is stuck-on egg bits, not so much on glass or ceramic plates or bowls, but on silicone or nylon utensils. I scrape the egg off first before putting the utensils in the dishwasher.
Same question I asked the OP: How long do they typically sit in the dishwasher before you put in soap and run it?
As I've indicated with my previous questions, I'm wondering if dishes left with food particles on them (not real big chunks, but yes small chunks sometimes, not rinsed), that sit in the dishwasher for maybe two or three days until it's full and we finally run it, actually get clean. I'm under instruction from the CFO to rinse everything and go over them with the plastic woven "chore boy" before putting them in the dishwasher, they always come out clean after we finally run it.
But, those of you who leave food smears on them, and wait a few days before running the dishwasher, do they always come out clean?
We just remodeled our kitchen, and put in a brand new Maytag dishwasher, advertised as SUPR quiet, and God's gift to dishwashers for cleanliness. After I knocked some longterm crud off left by the previous dishwasher and changed brands of soap, now I'm starting to believe the ads. This thing is so quiet you can't even tell it's running unless you're standing right next to it. Haven't really done the ultimate test: Leaving food smears on most dishes, letting them sit for three days, then putting in soap and rinse agent and running it.
I'm now using Finish Powerball Tabs (not the all-in-one), and Finish rinse agent in the door. Glasses now really do come out sparking clean. I don't want to sound like a hokey commercial, but yes, this stuff works.
Those of you who leave the dirty dishes in the dishwasher for several days before running it, how do they come out? What brand dishwasher, and what brand soap?
But, those of you who leave food smears on them, and wait a few days before running the dishwasher, do they always come out clean?
Yes. In a dishwasher that is working properly, and hot water tank producing sufficient quantities of hot water, dishes always come out clean. Only exceptions are oatmeal and sticky rice. There may be an occasional piece of food on a knife or something, but not much.
What I've read is the scientists who study these things say rinsing the dishes (under water, without cleaning with a rag) makes the dishes more likely to come out dirty. The act of water soaking the food and then drying again does something to make the food more difficult to come off.
I worked in the dishroom at the university cafeteria for several years and cleaned many thousands of plates. I assure you that we did not carefully scrub all the food residue off all the plates before running them through the dish washer. We learned very quickly how much food can be left on that is taken care of by the dishwasher, as long as it was getting up to temp and working properly.
Those of you who leave the dirty dishes in the dishwasher for several days before running it, how do they come out? What brand dishwasher, and what brand soap?
Yes, routinely run about every 3 days, so the dishes often are sitting 2+ full days. They come out good. The plates, which typically have the most food residue, always come clean. Sometimes I find a bit that somehow settled in the flatware or whatever, but it's rare.
Dishwasher is Bosch, 5-6 years old, bottom of line at the time I think. Soap is Cascade Complete pacs. And the rinse agent dispenser is kept filled with Jet Dry. Cycle takes somewhere between 90-110 minutes depending upon its whims. I don't know how it determines it, supposedly some sensor, but there's a countdown timer on the front (which I prefer to hidden controls).
Note we don't wash too many pans in there. My most frequently used pans at this point are a nonstick and a couple of cast irons, not something you want to put in there! Sometimes we use a stainless pan that gets thrown in though. Sometimes a baking pan with a lot of residue goes in, and comes out fine.
Hehe, yep, I use those Finish Powerball ones too, and they do work great and leave the glasses and dishes sparkling clean. I laugh because the first time I used them I was taking the dishes out of the dw while my Son was watching TV. I kept commenting how great the dishes looked and finally my Son said "Dad, you do realize you are talking about washing dishes, don't you ??" What can I say, I am very domesticated these days.
Do a little maintenance on your machine once in a while. Make sure there is no gunk on the filter edge at bottom. Check the sprayer arms and make sure the holes are not plugged. Somehow mine got plugged up with what looked like wood splinters( a wooden spoon??) and they almost completely blocked the wash cycle. I learned not to run recyclable jars through the dishwasher-the labels come off and make a mess.
Also that metal cap thingie on the sink can be unscrewed and you can make sure nothing is blocking the vent.
I think the complete washing of dishes is done by people whose parents/grandparents had the old machines that needed a total pre-wash -- the habit kinda got passed down
It's just me and I don't much cook--more like I defrost food. So, I wash my dishes manually and use my dishwasher as a drying rack. Things that I use every workday like my coffee thermoses stay in the dishwasher instead of a cabinet over the weekend.
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What can I say, I am very domesticated these days. 
