Cooks, Fast Food

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This occupation is part of the Food Preparation and Serving Related cluster

About the Job

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.

It is also Called

  • Cashier
  • Cook
  • Crew Member
  • Crew Person
  • Crew Trainer
  • Fast Food Cook
  • Fast Food Fry Cook
  • Fry Cook
  • Fryline Attendant
  • Grill Cook

What They Do

  • Maintain sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas.
  • Clean food preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and utensils.
  • Verify that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.
  • Cook and package batches of food, such as hamburgers and fried chicken, which are prepared to order or kept warm until sold.
  • Prepare specialty foods such as pizzas, fish and chips, sandwiches, and tacos, following specific methods that usually require short preparation time.
  • Operate large-volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.
  • Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.
  • Measure ingredients required for specific food items being prepared.
  • Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.
  • Clean, stock, and restock workstations and display cases.

Interests

People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: RC.

This means people who work in this occupation generally have Realistic interests, but also prefer Conventional environments.

Work Values

People who work in this occupation generally prize Relationships, but also value Support and Independence in their jobs.

Things They Need to Know

  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Things They Need to Be Able to Do

  • 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.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Education Required

Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.

Wages

In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $19,290.00 with most people making between $17,260.00 and $23,480.00

Outlook

2.97%
avg. annual growth

During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 103,600 people in California. It is projected that there will be 134,400 employed in 2020.

This occupation will have about 3,080 openings due to growth and about 2,210 replacement openings for approximately 5,290 total annual openings.

Industries that Employ this Occupation

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