Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Cook
- Grill Cook
- Line Cook
- Pizza Cook
Alternate Job Titles
- 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
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities 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.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Take out garbage.
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Information Ordering
- Near Vision
- Speech Recognition
- Trunk Strength
- Written Comprehension
- Manual Dexterity
- Selective Attention
- Speech Clarity
- Oral Expression
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Stress Tolerance
- Cooperation
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Independence
- Achievement
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Bakers' peels
- Cappuccino makers
- Carbonated beverage dispensers
- Cash registers
- Chefs' knives
- Commercial coffeemakers
- Convection ovens
- Deep fat fryers
- Electric ovens
- Food scales
- Food warmers
- Gas ovens
- Griddles
- Grills
- Hot dog cookers
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Standing
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Consequence of Error
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $22,370 |
| Median | $30,160 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $38,980 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 668,230
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Cooks, Short Order
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $35,620
Cooks, Restaurant
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $36,830
Food Preparation Workers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $34,220
Bakers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $36,650
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $36,450
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

