As of June 2026, Cooks, Short Order has an AI-exposure score of 43/100 (Moderate exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.

AI Exposure Score for

Cooks, Short Order

43/100
Moderate exposure
LowModerateElevatedHighVery High

More exposed than 15% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$35,880. About 20,600 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).

Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.

Where are you in your career? (optional — tailors the context)

How you compare to similar Food Service roles

Cooks, Short Order (you)
43
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
43
Cooks, Restaurant
42
Food Preparation Workers
41
Cooks, Private Household
41
Bartenders
41
See all roles by exposure →
Know someone whose job is changing? Share your score.
Post Share Score card
Every share sends them to their own free scan.
Create a free account to follow this role and get weekly AI-safe matches.

Your tasks, by AI exposure

Automatable

No automatable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as durable (73%).

Augmentable
  • Plan work on orders so that items served together are finished at the same time.
  • Order supplies and stock them on shelves.
  • Accept payments, and make change or write charge slips as necessary.
Durable
  • Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters.
  • Grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes.
  • Grill and garnish hamburgers or other meats, such as steaks and chops.
  • Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables.
  • Perform general cleaning activities in kitchen and dining areas.
  • Restock kitchen supplies, rotate food, and stamp the time and date on food in coolers.
  • Take orders from customers and cook foods requiring short preparation times, according to customer requirements.
  • Perform food preparation tasks, such as making sandwiches, carving meats, making soups or salads, baking breads or desserts, and brewing coffee or tea.

Safer adjacent roles

YOUR ROLE TODAY
Cooks, Short Order 43
→
Cooks, Restaurant 80% overlap42Cooks, Fast Food 72% overlap38Food Preparation Workers 64% overlap41
Cooks, Restaurant
80% skills overlap · Moderate exposure · ~US$37,390
42
Cooks, Fast Food
72% skills overlap · Low exposure · ~US$30,890
38
Food Preparation Workers
64% skills overlap · Moderate exposure · ~US$35,320
41
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
56% skills overlap · Moderate exposure · ~US$37,450
43
Fast Food and Counter Workers
48% skills overlap · Moderate exposure · ~US$31,200
48
Bakers
40% skills overlap · Moderate exposure · ~US$37,160
48
Chefs and Head Cooks
40% skills overlap · Elevated exposure · ~US$62,470
54
Cooks, Private Household
40% skills overlap · Moderate exposure · ~US$47,940
41

Your AI-Safe Career Report

Every task scored with what to do about it · 5–10 safer roles with salary, demand & reachability · skill-gap map · a 30/60/90-day roadmap · plus a résumé & LinkedIn rewrite · PDF.
Grounded in O*NET + the Anthropic Economic Index + BLS — personalized to your role.

Workers with AI skills earn a roughly 62% wage premium — adapting pays. — PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer, 2026

Personalize it: paste your résumé & LinkedIn (optional) — your rewrite is included in the report
Used only to generate your report. You can delete it anytime via delete my data.
Personalize my plan (optional, 20 sec — tailors your safer roles & recommendation)
14-day money-back guarantee One-time · kept forever · no subscription

Instant delivery — your personalized report is ready about a minute after checkout.

Get ahead: a rising skill on this path is Critical Thinking. Explore courses →
Some course links are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Important: This is an estimate of AI exposure, not a prediction that your job will disappear. It is designed to help you understand how your role may change and improve your career resilience.

Scan your own job

More Food Service roles

Chefs and Head Cooks First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers Cooks, Fast Food Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria Cooks, Private Household Cooks, Restaurant
Browse all industries · Safest jobs from AI