All About Fast Food Cooks
Occupation Description 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.
Fast Food Cook Responsibilities
- Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
- Prepare and serve beverages, such as coffee or fountain drinks.
- Verify that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.
- Prepare dough, following recipe.
- Measure ingredients required for specific food items being prepared.
- Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.
Featured schools near , edit
Qualities of a Fast Food Cook
These are the skills Fast Food Cooks say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
Types of Fast Food Cook
- Cook
- Pizza Baker
- Cashier
- Line Cook
- Specialty Cook
Is There Job Demand for Fast Food Cooks?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 517,600 jobs in the United States for Fast Food Cook. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Fast Food Cook. There will be an estimated 67,200 positions for Fast Food Cook per year.

The states with the most job growth for Fast Food Cook are Washington, Alaska, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, West Virginia, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Fast Food Cook Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Fast Food Cook ranges between $17,390 and $29,290.

Fast Food Cooks who work in Hawaii, Washington, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Fast Food Cooks make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $19,220 |
Alaska | $26,420 |
Arizona | $23,620 |
Arkansas | $20,840 |
California | $25,330 |
Colorado | $24,130 |
Connecticut | $27,040 |
Delaware | $21,450 |
District of Columbia | $29,220 |
Florida | $22,550 |
Georgia | $20,430 |
Hawaii | $28,160 |
Idaho | $19,360 |
Illinois | $21,690 |
Indiana | $20,000 |
Iowa | $20,500 |
Kansas | $19,760 |
Kentucky | $20,670 |
Louisiana | $19,440 |
Maine | $23,700 |
Maryland | $24,830 |
Massachusetts | $28,620 |
Michigan | $22,580 |
Minnesota | $24,370 |
Mississippi | $18,270 |
Missouri | $20,800 |
Montana | $22,550 |
Nebraska | $22,490 |
Nevada | $22,230 |
New Hampshire | $22,400 |
New Jersey | $23,410 |
New Mexico | $20,840 |
New York | $26,210 |
North Carolina | $19,020 |
North Dakota | $25,000 |
Ohio | $21,630 |
Oklahoma | $19,380 |
Oregon | $26,350 |
Pennsylvania | $20,530 |
Rhode Island | $24,950 |
South Carolina | $19,810 |
South Dakota | $22,280 |
Tennessee | $20,490 |
Texas | $21,000 |
Utah | $23,750 |
Vermont | $25,660 |
Virginia | $20,320 |
Washington | $28,960 |
West Virginia | $21,330 |
Wisconsin | $22,780 |
Wyoming | $20,210 |
What Tools & Technology do Fast Food Cooks Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Fast Food Cooks may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
- Point of sale POS software
- Plexis Software Plexis POS
- RestaurantPlus PRO
- Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants Pro
- Foodman Home-Delivery
Becoming a Fast Food Cook
What education or degrees do I need to become a Fast Food Cook?

What work experience do I need to become a Fast Food Cook?

Fast Food Cooks Sector

Below are examples of industries where Fast Food Cooks work:

Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Fast Food Cook might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |