What Does it Take to Be a Short Order Cook?
Job Description & Duties Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.
Life As a Short Order Cook
- Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters.
- Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables.
- Accept payments, and make change or write charge slips as necessary.
- Perform food preparation tasks, such as making sandwiches, carving meats, making soups or salads, baking breads or desserts, and brewing coffee or tea.
- Restock kitchen supplies, rotate food, and stamp the time and date on food in coolers.
- Take orders from customers and cook foods requiring short preparation times, according to customer requirements.
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Short Order Cook Required Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Short Order Cooks say are important on the job.
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.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Related Job Titles
- Griddle Cook
- Caterer
- Prep Cook (Preparation Cook)
- Cook
- Line Cook
Is There Going to be Demand for Short Order Cooks?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 185,900 jobs in the United States for Short Order Cook. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Short Order Cook. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 24,700 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Short Order Cook are Utah, Washington, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Short Order Cook Salary
Short Order Cooks make between $18,190 and $34,370 a year.

Short Order Cooks who work in Alaska, Hawaii, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Short Order Cooks make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $21,910 |
Alaska | $33,400 |
Arizona | $26,090 |
Arkansas | $24,900 |
California | $28,530 |
Colorado | $26,900 |
Connecticut | $29,430 |
Delaware | $22,230 |
District of Columbia | $31,010 |
Florida | $29,350 |
Georgia | $23,560 |
Hawaii | $29,920 |
Idaho | $21,050 |
Illinois | $24,770 |
Indiana | $21,270 |
Iowa | $21,810 |
Kansas | $23,220 |
Kentucky | $20,500 |
Louisiana | $21,270 |
Maine | $26,910 |
Maryland | $25,570 |
Massachusetts | $33,670 |
Michigan | $23,760 |
Minnesota | $27,370 |
Mississippi | $21,340 |
Missouri | $22,440 |
Montana | $25,010 |
Nebraska | $25,050 |
Nevada | $30,750 |
New Hampshire | $24,240 |
New Jersey | $25,030 |
New Mexico | $24,880 |
New York | $27,580 |
North Carolina | $21,920 |
North Dakota | $24,700 |
Ohio | $22,680 |
Oklahoma | $20,460 |
Oregon | $26,330 |
Pennsylvania | $27,180 |
Rhode Island | $27,890 |
South Carolina | $22,330 |
South Dakota | $24,070 |
Tennessee | $22,420 |
Texas | $22,880 |
Utah | $24,870 |
Vermont | $28,570 |
Virginia | $24,300 |
Washington | $29,690 |
West Virginia | $20,680 |
Wisconsin | $24,000 |
Wyoming | $22,380 |
What Tools do Short Order Cooks Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Short Order Cooks:
- Point of sale POS software
- Inventory control software
- Plexis Software Plexis POS
- RestaurantPlus PRO
- Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants Pro
- Foodman Home-Delivery
Becoming a Short Order Cook
Learn what Short Order Cook education requirements there are.

How Long Does it Take to Become a Short Order Cook?

Where Short Order Cooks Are Employed

Short Order Cooks work in the following industries:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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