Occupation Details
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.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$30,060.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$32,250.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$36,680.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
10,080
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
16,220
+614 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
2,513
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.6%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Quick Start - High school or less
Experience Requirements
Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a waiter or waitress even if he/she has never worked before.
Education Requirements
Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include food preparation workers, dishwashers, floor sanders and finishers, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, logging equipment operators, and baristas.
School Programs
School Programs information is not available for this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Apprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
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.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Communications and Media
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
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.
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Social Orientation
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- 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
- Ice-making machines
- Intercom systems
- Juice dispensers
- Milkshake and smoothie machines
- Mixers
- Pizza ovens
- Point of sale POS computer terminals
- Restaurant blenders
- Restaurant food processors
- Slicing machines
- Soft-serve ice cream machines
Technology
- Foodman Home-Delivery
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- clean equipment or machinery
- cook in quantity
- operate baking equipment
- operate cooking equipment
- operate food preparation equipment
- serve food or beverages
- provide customer service
- use knowledge of food handling rules
- understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
- measure or weigh ingredients for food preparation
- clean rooms or work areas
- cook meals
- use knives
- prepare specialty foods
- place food on dishes or trays or in takeout bags
- prepare beverages
- knead, shape, cut, or roll food products by hand
- cut, trim, or clean meat, or carcasses
- bake breads, rolls, or other baked goods
- cook food requiring short preparation time
- follow recipes
- obtain information from individuals
- receive verbal instructions as to food order
- read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Order and take delivery of supplies.
- Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
- Operate large-volume cooking equipment, such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.
- Prepare specialty foods, such as pizzas, fish and chips, sandwiches, or tacos, following specific methods that usually require short preparation time.
- 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.
- Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.
- Prepare dough, following recipe.
- Verify that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.
- Pre-cook items, such as bacon, to prepare them for later use.
- Measure ingredients required for specific food items.
- Mix ingredients, such as pancake or waffle batters.
- Schedule activities and equipment use with managers, using information about daily menus to help coordinate cooking times.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
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