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Fast Food and Counter Workers in Pennsylvania

Considering working as a Fast Food and Counter Workers in Pennsylvania? Here’s what the data says. Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages. Counter attendants who also wait tables are included in “Waiters and Waitresses” (35-3031),

What do Fast Food and Counter Workers Make in Pennsylvania?

For fast food and counter workers working in Pennsylvania, the median annual wage is $28,490 per year (or about $13.70/hour).Annual wages span from $21,840 at the 10th percentile to $35,950 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$21,840	$10.50
25th percentile	$23,630	$11.36
Median (50th)	$28,490	$13.70
75th percentile	$32,820	$15.78
90th percentile	$35,950	$17.28

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Pennsylvania nationwide is 0.89, suggesting fewer fast food and counter workers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, fast food and counter workers earn a median of $38,162 per year ($18.35/hour), below the Pennsylvania median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 1,568,792 fast food and counter workers across the United States. In Pennsylvania alone, about 131,650 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 44,110 fast food and counter workers.

Top Pennsylvania Metros for Fast Food and Counter Workers

The metro areas below employ the most fast food and counter workers in Pennsylvania.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	63,800	$31,470
Pittsburgh, PA	27,020	$28,040
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	8,120	$29,230
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	7,420	$28,350
Lancaster, PA	6,280	$28,570
Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA	5,900	$27,770
York-Hanover, PA	4,560	$27,810
Reading, PA	4,110	$28,320
Erie, PA	3,360	$27,450
State College, PA	1,780	$27,540
Altoona, PA	1,630	$26,350
Chambersburg, PA	1,440	$27,680
Lebanon, PA	1,340	$28,290
Johnstown, PA	1,160	$23,740
Williamsport, PA	1,140	$27,340
Gettysburg, PA	880	$27,670

Top States for Fast Food and Counter Workers Employment

These states have the highest employment of fast food and counter workers work.

State	Number Employed
California	438,950
Texas	410,760
Florida	241,010
New York	183,810
Ohio	167,650
Georgia	151,240
Illinois	139,090
Pennsylvania	131,650
Michigan	114,880
Virginia	103,390
Indiana	101,500
Washington	94,830
New Jersey	86,980
Arizona	86,640
North Carolina	85,120
Tennessee	84,170
Massachusetts	81,770
Colorado	78,720
South Carolina	63,380
Wisconsin	60,570

Highest-Paying States for Fast Food and Counter Workers

The highest-paying states for fast food and counter workers.

State	Annual Median Salary
District of Columbia	$38,240
California	$37,010
Washington	$36,820
Colorado	$35,440
New York	$35,270
Massachusetts	$35,060
Vermont	$34,540
Alaska	$34,430
Oregon	$34,430
Maine	$34,360

Skills

Top fast food and counter workers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

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

Abilities

Key abilities for fast food and counter workers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
• Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
• Request and record customer orders, and compute bills, using cash registers, multi-counting machines, or pencil and paper.
• Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
• Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
• Serve food, beverages, or desserts to customers in such settings as take-out counters of restaurants or lunchrooms, business or industrial establishments, hotel rooms, and cars.
• Monitor and order supplies or food items, and restock as necessary to maintain inventory.
• Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
• Brew coffee and tea, and fill containers with requested beverages.
• Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas.
• Prepare daily food items, and cook simple foods and beverages, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, pizza, or coffee, using proper safety precautions and sanitary measures.
• Prepare and serve cold drinks, frozen milk drinks, or desserts, using drink-dispensing, milkshake, or frozen-custard machines.

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Assisting and Caring for Others
• Training and Teaching Others
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Facebook

Related Careers

Careers similar to fast food and counter workers include:

• Food Service Managers
• Chefs and Head Cooks
• First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
• Cooks, Fast Food
• Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
• Cooks, Private Household

Also Known As

Back of House Team Member (BOH Team Member), Bakery Associate, Barista, Bistro Team Member, Cafe Server, Cafe Worker, Cafeteria Food Server, Cafeteria Lunchroom Counter Attendant, Cafeteria Server, Cafeteria Worker, Candy Attendant, Candy Bar Attendant, Candy Counter Clerk, Canteen Operator, Carhop.

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: 35-3023.00