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Cooks, Fast Food in Pennsylvania

Want to work as a Cooks, Fast Food in Pennsylvania? Below are the key facts. 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.

What do Cooks, Fast Food Make in Pennsylvania?

For cooks, fast food working in Pennsylvania, wages run about $27,440 per year (or roughly $13.19/hour).Annual wages span from $21,930 at the 10th percentile to $37,830 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$21,930	$10.54
25th percentile	$23,310	$11.21
Median (50th)	$27,440	$13.19
75th percentile	$30,700	$14.76
90th percentile	$37,830	$18.19

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Pennsylvania compared to the national average — is 0.48, indicating fewer cooks, fast food per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, cooks, fast food earn a median of $24,489 per year ($11.77/hour), exceeding the Pennsylvania median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 1,965,721 cooks, fast food in the U.S.. In Pennsylvania alone, approximately 12,420 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 6,250 cooks, fast food.

Top Pennsylvania Metros for Cooks, Fast Food

The largest metro-area employers of cooks, fast food in Pennsylvania.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	5,230	$29,460
Pittsburgh, PA	2,010	$24,130
Lancaster, PA	700	$27,730
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA	620	$27,360
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	610	$28,210
York-Hanover, PA	510	$27,690
Reading, PA	410	$27,930
State College, PA	230	$27,470
Chambersburg, PA	210	$27,080
Altoona, PA	190	$25,430
Gettysburg, PA	70	$27,240

Top States for Cooks, Fast Food Employment

View the states that employ the most cooks, fast food work.

State	Number Employed
California	136,550
North Carolina	89,140
Missouri	52,590
Texas	31,120
Alabama	25,580
New York	21,210
Kentucky	20,250
Florida	19,510
Virginia	17,430
Tennessee	16,690
Illinois	16,320
West Virginia	15,590
Ohio	12,610
Pennsylvania	12,420
Michigan	11,470
Arizona	11,220
Mississippi	10,520
South Carolina	10,120
Oklahoma	9,760
Colorado	9,560

Highest-Paying States for Cooks, Fast Food

Where cooks, fast food earn the most: cooks, fast food.

State	Annual Median Salary
Hawaii	$40,300
District of Columbia	$38,350
New Hampshire	$37,220
Massachusetts	$37,100
Vermont	$37,050
Oregon	$37,020
Washington	$36,800
California	$36,410
Alaska	$35,820
Maine	$35,780

Skills

Key cooks, fast food skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for cooks, fast food, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• 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.
• Serve orders to customers at windows, counters, or tables.
• Clean, stock, and restock workstations and display cases.
• Maintain sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas.
• Cook and package batches of food, such as hamburgers or fried chicken, prepared to order or kept warm until sold.

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Processing Information
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Thinking Creatively
• Training and Teaching Others
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

Related Careers

Related occupations to cooks, fast food include:

• Food Service Managers
• Chefs and Head Cooks
• Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
• Cooks, Private Household
• Cooks, Restaurant
• Cooks, Short Order

Also Known As

Cook, Deep Fat Fryer Operator, Fast Food Cook, Fast Food Fry Cook, Fast Food Worker, Food Service Cook, Fry Cook, Fryer, Fryline Attendant, Grill Cook, Grill Line Cook, Hotel and Restaurant Baker, Kitchen Team Member, Line Cook, Pancake Professional.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 35-2011.00