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Cooks, Short Order and Fast Food

THE JOB

SHORT ORDER COOKS make simple, fast-cooking meals and snacks. They are also 
called grill cooks, fry cooks, broiler cooks, breakfast cooks, or line cooks 
and work in places like coffee shops, lunch counters, family restaurants and 
steak houses.

The job duties depend on the restaurant's menu.  If the menu has lots of 
choices, like most family restaurants, there are many cooking steps to know 
and follow. Restaurants that serve breakfast along with other meals all day, 
need cooks with many skills.  Cooks may be asked to poach, pan fry, or boil 
eggs; deep-fry seafood or potatoes; broil steaks, chops or hamburgers; make 
pancakes, sandwiches, drinks and desserts.

Short Order Cooks make food to customer order, following basic house 
recipes.  They must know which side dishes to prepare with each main dish 
and organize their work so that all items are ready at the same time. They 
need to know the right way to place the food on the serving plate.

FAST FOOD COOKS work in restaurants that feature a one-item menu such as 
hamburgers, chicken, pizza or tacos.  The food comes in standard, ready-to-
cook portions.  Cooks operate large cooking units such as grills or deep-fat 
fryers to cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer.  They 
usually work for a national fast food chain restaurant.  

During slow periods, cooks have other duties.  For example, they may clean 
and restock their workstations, cut up food and mix waffle or pancake 
batter.  They may partially cook some items, such as bacon.  Cooks may also 
order and put supplies on shelves.


WORKING CONDITIONS

Cooks are on their feet and moving all the time.  They work under pressure 
during busy meal times when they may cook more than five orders at one 
time.  Temperatures change as they move back and forth between a hot kitchen 
and a cold refrigerated room.  They can get burns from spitting grease, cuts 
from sharp knives and forks, and may fall on slippery floors.  Some Cooks 
belong to locals of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders Union.


EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

The California Projections of Employment, published by the Labor Market 
Information Division of the Employment Development Department, estimates 
that the number of Short Order Cooks and Fast Food Cooks in California will 
reach 96,210 by 2005, an increase in new jobs of 26,550 over the number 
there was in 1993.

There will also be an estimated 24,010 job openings due to people retiring 
or leaving the occupation.  Added to the 26,550 new jobs expected, this 
makes for an estimated total of 50,560 job opportunities through 2005.

(These figures do not include self-employment nor openings due to turnover.)

The number of Short Order and Fast-Food Cooks is expected to grow faster 
than the average for all occupations through 2005.

Everybody eats out nowadays, and cheap restaurants near homes, schools and 
businesses are popular.  A lot of jobs will be available because of the need 
to replace cooks who go to another job.

There is often a shortage of experienced Short Order Cooks.  At the same 
time, a lot of applicants have no experience as cooks.  Employers prefer to 
fill vacancies by training other restaurant employees whose work they know.  
Inexperienced applicants can expect strong competition for cook-trainee jobs 
but will usually be able to find a job if they are willing to start at the 
bottom.


WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS

Union and nonunion restaurants in the same town generally pay the same 
wages.  In California average pay for experienced Short Order and Fast Food 
Cooks goes from minimum wage to $17.00 an hour or more.  Trainees and those 
with very limited skills, may make only minimum wage to about $8.00 an 
hour.  Employers provide and clean any special uniforms needed on the job.

Full-time cooks work eight hours a day, five days a week, and their shift 
can include weekends.  In restaurants that are open 24 hours, cooks may work 
on any of three shifts; beginners may start on the night shift. Many jobs 
are part time for a few hours a day.  Some cooks work fewer than five days a 
week.  Most full-time cooks get paid vacation and sick leave; some also get 
medical and dental insurance.  Most cooks get a free or low cost meal at 
work.


ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING

All cooks have to be clean and wear clean clothing, be in good health and 
have normal vision.  They work with both hands and must move around quickly 
in a small work-space.  They have to keep track of many things at once.  
They are on their feet for long periods at a time to do their work.  

Employers look for workers who will show up for work on time everyday.  They 
often call high schools to get attendance reports for applicants to find out 
if they will be dependable workers.  They must be able to work fast without 
making mistakes during rush hours.  They also need to speak and read English 
in most restaurants and do simple arithmetic to follow recipes.  Cooks have 
to be able to work closely with other workers in a small, sometimes crowded 
area.

Because they know their work, many employers train their kitchen helpers, 
dishwashers or bus persons to be cooks.  Applicants with some basic 
experience or training in restaurant work may begin as prep cooks, griddle 
cooks, cooks' helpers or cook trainees.

Training programs are available throughout the State at high schools, 
community colleges and vocational training centers such as Regional 
Occupational Programs (ROP).  Students take classes part time and get 
experience by working in school kitchens or in student-operated restaurants 
that are open to the public.  Many students also work part time in 
neighborhood restaurants to get some experience and after graduation may 
have a chance to work full time for the same employers.  Training programs 
last from six months to a year.  Graduates may get a certificate of 
completion.  Community college students who take all of the food service 
courses can earn a certificate in two semesters or an Associate Degree in 
two years.  

All of the military service branches give Food Service Specialists/Cooks' 
training for recruits who want to be cooks.  


ADVANCEMENT

Cooks may become head cooks or move to other restaurants for better paying 
jobs.  Cooks who work for restaurants that have more than one location may 
become manager trainees.  Those cooks who take more training may become 
dinner cooks or chefs.

Cooks interested in owning their own restaurants should take business 
management classes at a community college or adult education program or 
call the federal Small Business Administration for information about running 
a business.


FINDING THE JOB

Experienced cooks usually get jobs through the Hotel and Restaurant 
Employees Union.  Job seekers can also apply at the California Employment 
Development Department Job Service and to restaurants.  Newspaper ads and 
school career centers list job openings. 

RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES

Cooks and Chefs                 No.  93
Kitchen Helpers                 No. 331

OCCUPATIONAL CODE REFERENCES

DOT (Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed., Rev. 1)
Cook, Short Order            313.374-014
Cook, Fast Food              313.374-010

OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System
Cooks, Short Order                650350
Cooks, Specialty Fast Foods       650320


Source:  State of California, Employment Development Department,
         Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
         (916) 262-2162.