Food Preparation & Serving
Cooks, Short Order
Also called: Broiler Cook, Cook, Deli Cook (Delicatessen Cook), Food and Beverage Attendant
US median pay
$35,880
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-5.2%
declining
Openings a year (US)
17,400
138,700 employed
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.
What they do day to day
- Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables.
- Restock kitchen supplies, rotate food, and stamp the time and date on food in coolers.
- Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters.
- Plan work on orders so that items served together are finished at the same time.
- Grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes.
- Perform food preparation tasks, such as making sandwiches, carving meats, making soups or salads, baking breads or desserts, and brewing coffee or tea.
- Perform general cleaning activities in kitchen and dining areas.
- Take orders from customers and cook foods requiring short preparation times, according to customer requirements.
- Grill and garnish hamburgers or other meats, such as steaks and chops.
- Order supplies and stock them on shelves.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Time Management3.1/5
- Service Orientation3.0/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.6/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.6/5
- Instructing2.4/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.2/5
Knowledge
- Food Production4.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.4/5
- English Language3.2/5
- Production and Processing2.6/5
- Communications and Media2.5/5
- Chemistry2.4/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): No formal educational credential.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma66%
- Less than high school14%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.