Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 3,455,500 people employed as fast food and counter workers in the United States. The median annual salary is $23,900. Entry level employees earn approximately $17,940 per year and senior employees earn approximately $31,960 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, 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.

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