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Cooks, Fast Food

Cooks, Fast Food is the O*NET name for people who prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. On the six-type interest model it reads RCE, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. The preparation level is some preparation, typically a few months to a year of learning on the job. O*NET’s skill data points to service orientation, active listening, and speaking as the ones to build. One core duty is to read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking research, analysis and working through hard problems.

What they do

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.

Main tasks

  • Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.
  • Maintain sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas.
  • Clean food preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and utensils.
  • Operate large-volume cooking equipment, such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.
  • Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.
  • Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.

Skills

  • Service Orientation
  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Coordination
  • Monitoring

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on service orientation and active listening.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.4 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCE takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Also called

  • Cook
  • Cook Line Worker
  • Fast Food Cook
  • Food Cook
  • Fry Cook

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.