CFChooseField
Food Service

Cooks, Fast Food

Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Cooks, Fast Food
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Median pay

$30,160
Median annual pay for Cooks, Fast Food.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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10-year growth

-13.5%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Annual openings

82,100
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Employment

669,500
Estimated U.S. employment for Cooks, Fast Food in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Jobs added or lost

-90,300
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Entry preparation

No formal educational credential
Typical additional preparation: Short-term on-the-job training.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
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O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Active Listening
  2. 2Speaking
  3. 3Critical Thinking
  4. 4Monitoring
  5. 5Reading Comprehension
  6. 6Active Learning

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Administration and Management
  2. 2Transportation
  3. 3Communications and Media
  4. 4Customer and Personal Service
  5. 5Public Safety and Security
  6. 6English Language

Abilities

  1. 1Oral Comprehension
  2. 2Information Ordering
  3. 3Near Vision
  4. 4Speech Recognition
  5. 5Deductive Reasoning
  6. 6Manual Dexterity

Career interests

  1. 1Realistic
  2. 2Conventional
  3. 3Enterprising
  4. 4Social
  5. 5Artistic
  6. 6Investigative

Work styles

  1. 1Dependability
  2. 2Attention to Detail
  3. 3Stress Tolerance
  4. 4Cooperation
  5. 5Self-Control
  6. 6Optimism

Work activities

  1. 1Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  2. 2Getting Information
  3. 3Handling and Moving Objects
  4. 4Performing General Physical Activities
  5. 5Processing Information
  6. 6Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Work context

  1. 1Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  2. 2Spend Time Standing
  3. 3Consequence of Error
  4. 4Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
  5. 5Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
  6. 6Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

Representative tasks

  • Order and take delivery of supplies.
  • Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
  • Prepare specialty foods, such as pizzas, fish and chips, sandwiches, or tacos, following specific methods that usually require short preparation time.
  • Operate large-volume cooking equipment, such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.
  • Wash, cut, and prepare foods designated for cooking.
  • Prepare and serve beverages, such as coffee or fountain drinks.
  • Clean food preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and utensils.
  • Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.

Software and tools

Microsoft Excel · hot technologyMicrosoft Outlook · hot technologyMicrosoft Word · hot technologyAldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants ProFoodman Home-DeliveryPlexis Software Plexis POSRestaurantPlus PRO

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

ChooseField compares fields using public labor-market and professional sources.