Short-Order Cooks

Career summary

Short-order cooks may also be called fry cooks.

Short-order cooks focus on serving food quickly to their customers. They may work in:

• Coffee shops
• Diners
• Restaurants

Short-order cooks only need to know how to prepare certain popular items. They often prepare several foods at once. For example, while grilling hamburgers, they may also be frying eggs or heating French fries. In fast food restaurants, cooks may only prepare one item such as hamburgers, French fries, or fried chicken.

To prepare for busy times, cooks may slice meats or vegetables and make soups or salads in advance. Sometimes they cook food ahead of time and keep it warm until it's sold.

Cooks also clean the grills, counters, and floors. Some may order supplies and place items on shelves.

In smaller restaurants cooks may take customers' orders and serve the food. They may also accept payment and make change.

Related careers

This career is part of the Hospitality and Tourism cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Buspersons
• Caterers
• Chefs and Dinner Cooks
• Counter Attendants
• Fast Food Cooks
• Food Preparation Workers
• Kitchen Helpers
• Meat Cutters

Military careers

• Food Service Specialists

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to short-order cooks.

• Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables.
• Prepare food so that items served together are finished at the same time.
• Take orders from customers and cook foods according to customers' requirements.
• Grill, cook, and fry foods.
• Carve meats, make sandwiches, and brew coffee.
• Complete orders and serve customers at tables or counters.
• Accept payments and make change, or charge credit cards.
• Order supplies and place items on shelves.
• Record time and date on food items in cooler.

Common work activities

Short-order cooks perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Get information needed to do the job
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Handle and move objects
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Process information
• Schedule work and activities
• Perform for or work with the public
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Think creatively
• Develop and build teams
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Evaluate information against standards

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, short-order cooks:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social interaction. They work with the public most of the time.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of customers and coworkers.
• Communicate with public and coworkers daily in person.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.
• Are often exposed to very hot or very cold temperatures.
• Are often exposed to hazardous situations that might produce cuts and minor burns.
• Sometimes wear a special uniform.
• Work near other people, but usually have a few feet of space separating them from others.

Work performance

• Must be exact in their work.
• Consult supervisors for some decisions, but make most without talking to a supervisor.
• Are able to set some tasks for the day without consulting with a supervisor.
• Must often meet strict deadlines, such as preparing a meal on time.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• May work part time or full time, but most work 40 hours a week.
• May work early mornings, late evenings, holidays, and weekends.
• May have seasonal work at vacation resorts.

Physical demands

Short-order cooks frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.
• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Repeat the same movements.

It is important for short-order cooks to be able to:

• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for short-order cooks to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.

Skills and abilities

Short-order cooks need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Manage the time of self and others.
• Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.

Work with people

• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Look for ways to help people.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study to consider

• Culinary Arts
• Food Services

Training

To work as a short-order cook, you typically need to:

• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

No formal education is required for this job. However, many employers prefer that you have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Work experience

Experience working as a cook or kitchen worker in a restaurant is helpful.

On-the-job training

Most short-order cooks learn their skills on the job from an experienced worker. Training includes:

• food preparation;
• cooking skills; and
• food handling techniques.

Training may last from one week to a month.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to be food service specialists. This military occupation includes cooks. Training lasts nine to 14 weeks, depending on your specialty. Further training occurs on the job.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Culinary Arts
• Family and Consumer Sciences
• Food and Nutrition
• Food Service

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers prefer to hire applicants who have some experience as a short-order cook. They may hire someone with experience as a kitchen helper or assistant cook.

Employers also prefer to hire short-order cooks with team skills. They look for applicants who have an excellent sense of taste and smell.

Employers also look for workers who have a neat appearance and are in good health. Many employers consider a record of dependability to be important. Most employers do not require formal training or education for short-order cooks.

Costs to workers

Some workers may be required to join a union and pay an initiation fee and monthly dues.

Licensing/certification

Short-order cooks are required by the State of Washington to have a food worker card. To get a card, they must pay a fee and pass a written examination. Permits are approximately $10 but may vary from county to county.

For more information on food worker cards, contact your local county health department listed in the county government section of your phone book. You may also find more information at the Washington Department of Health's Food Worker Card page. 

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Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Cooks, Short Order 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

The minimum wage for Washington State as of January 1, 2020 is $13.50 per hour. Some areas of the state may have a higher minimum wage.

Wages vary based on the type and location of the restaurant.

Short-order cooks who work full time often receive benefits. These benefits may include health insurance, paid vacation, and sick leave. Some employers provide workers with uniforms and free meals. Federal law allows employers to subtract any costs for food from employees' wages.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

In Washington, the outlook depends on economic conditions and the expansion of small restaurants, diners, and short-order eating places. In the summer, the demand for short-order cooks increases and provides some opportunities for students.

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Full-service restaurants
• Fast food restaurants
• Bars

National outlook

Demand for this occupation is expected to show little to no change. This may be due to employers hiring workers who can prepare and also serve food to customers instead of hiring short-order cooks.

Job openings will occur because of the need to replace workers. Many positions are part time. People may work as short-order cooks to increase their income or to have flexible schedules while they attend school. Usually, short-order cooks move on to other positions in the field or to other occupations.

Other resources

Hospitality Careers Online 

National Restaurant Association 
2055 L Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
800.424.5156
202.331.5900

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation 
2055 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
800.424.5156

UNITE HERE 
275 - 7th Avenue, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10001
212.265.7000

References

Career cluster

• Hospitality and Tourism

Career path

• Realistic (Technical)

O*Net  occupation

• Cooks, Short Order (35-2015.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupation

• Cook, Short Order (313.374-014) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Realistic/Conventional/Enterprising

COPSystem

• Consumer Economics