Cooks, Fast Food

Career Description: Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of the cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.

Industry: Food Preparation and Serving Related

Other Job Titles for Cooks, Fast Food:

• 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.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• 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.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• 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.
• Verify that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.
• Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.
• Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.
• Wash, cut, and prepare foods designated for cooking.
• Measure ingredients required for specific food items being prepared.
• Cook and package batches of food, such as hamburgers and fried chicken, which are prepared to order or kept warm until sold.
• Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
• Serve orders to customers at windows, counters, or tables.
• Clean, stock, and restock workstations and display cases.
• Prepare specialty foods such as pizzas, fish and chips, sandwiches, and tacos, following specific methods that usually require short preparation time.
• Prepare dough, following recipe.
• Schedule activities and equipment use with managers, using information about daily menus to help coordinate cooking times.
• Prepare and serve beverages such as coffee and fountain drinks.
• Mix ingredients such as pancake or waffle batters.
• Order and take delivery of supplies.
• Pre-cook items such as bacon, to prepare them for later use.
• Plan, direct, and supervise the food preparation and cooking activities of multiple kitchens or restaurants in an establishment such as a restaurant chain, hospital, or hotel.
• Coordinate planning, budgeting, and purchasing for all the food operations within establishments such as clubs, hotels, or restaurant chains.

Emerging Tasks

• Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas.
• Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
• Monitor and order supplies or food items and restock as necessary to maintain inventory.
• Perform personnel activities, such as supervising and training employees.
• Plan, prepare, and deliver meals to individuals with special dietary needs.
• Prepare daily food items for line cook or buffet and cook simple foods and beverages, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, pizza, and coffee using proper safety precautions and sanitary measures.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• bake breads, rolls, or other baked goods
• clean equipment or machinery
• clean rooms or work areas
• cook food requiring short preparation time
• cook in quantity
• cook meals
• cut, trim, or clean meat, or carcasses
• follow recipes
• knead, shape, cut, or roll food products by hand
• measure or weigh ingredients for food preparation
• obtain information from individuals
• operate baking equipment
• operate cooking equipment
• operate food preparation equipment
• place food on dishes or trays or in takeout bags
• prepare beverages
• prepare specialty foods
• provide customer service
• read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
• receive verbal instructions as to food order
• serve food or beverages
• understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
• use knives
• use knowledge of food handling rules
• wash dishes, glassware, or related utensils
• perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking
• plan menus
• price items on menu
• read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
• recognize customer intoxication
• requisition stock, materials, supplies or equipment
• resolve or assist workers to resolve work problems
• schedule employee work hours
• schedule restaurant reservations
• test food to determine that it is cooked
• understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
• use knives
• use knowledge of food handling rules
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use specialized bakery equipment

Overall Experience
No previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a cashier even if he/she has never worked before.

Job Training
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.

Education
These occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate. Some may require a formal training course to obtain a license.

Examples
These occupations involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include taxi drivers, amusement and recreation attendants, counter and rental clerks, cashiers, and waiters/waitresses.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$7.75
• Average annual wage (2007) - $16,130.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 8.27%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 52,050
• Employment (2006): 629,405

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