Salary and Outlook
According to the US Department of Labor, there are 3,195,600 people employed as fast food and counter workers in
the United States.
The median annual salary is $25,100.
Entry level employees earn approximately $18,230 per year and senior employees earn approximately $32,250
per year.
Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.
Job Duties
- Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
- Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
- Notify kitchen personnel of shortages or special orders.
- Prepare and serve cold drinks, or frozen milk drinks or desserts, using drink-dispensing, milkshake, or frozen custard machines.
- Select food items from serving or storage areas and place them in dishes, on serving trays, or in take-out bags.
- Replenish foods at serving stations.
- Perform personnel activities such as supervising and training employees.
- Take customers' orders and write ordered items on tickets, giving ticket stubs to customers when needed to identify filled orders.
- Distribute food to servers.
- Set up dining areas for meals and clear them following meals.
- Add relishes and garnishes to food orders, according to instructions.
- Deliver orders to kitchens, and pick up and serve food when it is ready.
- Arrange tables and decorations according to instructions.
- Plan, prepare, and deliver meals to individuals with special dietary needs.
- Scrub and polish counters, steam tables, and other equipment, and clean glasses, dishes, and fountain equipment.
- Arrange reservations for patrons of dining establishments.
- Perform cleaning duties such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
- Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
- Request and record customer orders, and compute bills using cash registers, multi counting machines, or pencil and paper.
- Serve food, beverages, or desserts to customers in such settings as take-out counters of restaurants or lunchrooms, business or industrial establishments, hotel rooms, and cars.
- Prepare daily food items, and cook simple foods and beverages, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, pizza, or coffee, using proper safety precautions and sanitary measures.
- Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas.
- Monitor and order supplies or food items and restock as necessary to maintain inventory.
- Brew coffee and tea, and fill containers with requested beverages.
- Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
- Collect and return dirty dishes to the kitchen for washing.
- Wash dishes, glassware, and silverware after meals.
- Wrap menu item such as sandwiches, hot entrees, and desserts for serving or for takeout.