How much does a cooks, fast food make?

The median pay is $14.85 per hour — roughly $31,000 a year, with the real range running from about $10.86/hr (10th percentile) to $20.63/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a cooks, fast food?

The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).

What does a cooks, fast food actually do all day?

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.

Culinary & Hospitality

Cooks, Fast Food

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.

What it pays
Cooks, Fast Food earn a median of $14.85/hr — about $31,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $10.86/hr; the top 10% earn $20.63/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).

The feel of the work

The work is mostly indoors; much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0% of cooks, fast food are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and take-charge.

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Quick questions

How much does a cooks, fast food make?: The median pay is $14.85 per hour — roughly $31,000 a year, with the real range running from about $10.86/hr (10th percentile) to $20.63/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a cooks, fast food?: The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: little or no preparation (Job Zone 1 of 5).
What does a cooks, fast food actually do all day?: 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.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

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