As of June 2026, Cooks, Fast Food has an AI-exposure score of 38/100 (Low 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.
Cooks, Fast Food
More exposed than 7% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$30,890. About 82,100 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.
How you compare to similar Food Service roles
Your tasks, by AI exposure
No automatable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as durable (89%).
- Schedule activities and equipment use with managers, using information about daily menus to help coordinate cooking times.
- Order and take delivery of supplies.
- Measure ingredients required for specific food items.
- Verify that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.
- Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.
- Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
- Pre-cook items, such as bacon, to prepare them for later use.
- Cook and package batches of food, such as hamburgers or fried chicken, prepared to order or kept warm until sold.
- Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.
- 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.
- Maintain sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas.
- Clean food preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and utensils.
- Clean, stock, and restock workstations and display cases.
- Prepare and serve beverages, such as coffee or fountain drinks.
- Serve orders to customers at windows, counters, or tables.
- Prepare dough, following recipe.
- Mix ingredients, such as pancake or waffle batters.
- Wash, cut, and prepare foods designated for cooking.
Safer adjacent roles
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
Instant delivery — your personalized report is ready about a minute after checkout.
Scan your own job
Cooks, Fast Food — median pay by US state (BLS OEWS, USD)
Median annual wage, in USD. US national: US$30,890. More states are being added.