Cooks, Fast Food

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Food Preparation & Serving
• O*NET-SOC code: 35-2011
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• 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.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants Pro, Bakers' peels, Cappuccino makers, Carbonated beverage dispensers, Cash registers, Chefs' knives, Commercial coffeemakers, Convection ovens, Deep fat fryers

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Cooks, Short Order
• Cooks, Restaurant
• Food Preparation Workers
• Bakers
• Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
• Fast Food and Counter Workers
• Butchers and Meat Cutters
• Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Cooks, Fast Food — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.