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.
A Day in the Life of a Fast Food Cook
- Prepare dough, following recipe.
- Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.
- Maintain sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas.
- Clean food preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and utensils.
- Clean, stock, and restock workstations and display cases.
- Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
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Skills Needed to be a Fast Food Cook
Fast Food Cooks state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Types of Fast Food Cook
- Fast Food Cook
- Pizza Cook
- Fryline Attendant
- Restaurant Worker
- Pancake Professional
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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 67,200 job openings in this field each 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 each U.S. state?
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?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Fast Food Cooks:
- 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 is needed to be a Fast Food Cook?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Fast Food Cooks Work?

Below are examples of industries where Fast Food Cooks work:

Related 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.
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