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.

Median Annual Wage: $18,540

Education: Less than high school diploma (87%); High school diploma or equivalent (10%); Some college, no degree (2%)

Projected Growth: Little or no change (-2% to 2%)

Related Job Titles: Crew Member; Cook; Grill Cook; Pizza Cook; Crew Person; Crew Trainer; Line Cook; Pizza Maker; Fry Cook; Prep Cook

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Cooks, Fast Food.

More Food Preparation and Serving Related Careers

  • Clean food preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and utensils.
  • Verify that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.
  • Cook and package batches of food, such as hamburgers and fried chicken, which are prepared to order or kept warm until sold.
  • Prepare specialty foods such as pizzas, fish and chips, sandwiches, and tacos, following specific methods that usually require short preparation time.
  • Operate large-volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.
  • Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.
  • Measure ingredients required for specific food items being prepared.
  • Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.
  • Clean, stock, and restock workstations and display cases.
  • Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
  • Wash, cut, and prepare foods designated for cooking.
  • Serve orders to customers at windows, counters, or tables.
  • Prepare and serve beverages such as coffee and fountain drinks.
  • Pre-cook items such as bacon, to prepare them for later use.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Cooks, Fast Food.

  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Cooks, Fast Food.

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