How to become a fast food preparer

Official title: Fast food preparers

Also called: Fast food cook, Hamburger maker, Pizza maker, Short order cook

Fast food preparers prepare and cook to order a limited range of foods or beverages that involve simple preparation processes and a small number of ingredients. They may take orders from customers and serve at counters or tables.

Main tasks

• Preparing simple or pre-prepared foods and beverages such as sandwiches, hamburgers, pizzas, fish and chips, salads and coffee
• Washing, cutting, measuring and mixing foods for cooking
• Operating large-volume single-process cooking equipment such as grills, deep-fat fryers or griddles
• Re-heating pre-prepared food
• Cleaning food preparation areas, cooking surfaces and utensils
• Taking and serving food and beverage orders in eating places that specialize in fast service and carry-out food
• Ordering and taking delivery of fast food ingredients
• Maintaining sanitation, health and safety standards in work areas
• Verifying that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: HK$14,400 a month
• About 337,600 people in 2025, and about 334,700 projected by 2028. (-0.8%)
• Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Related jobs

• Kitchen helpers

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Questions people ask

Do you need a degree to become a fast food preparer?

Usually not. Only 2% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a fast food preparer?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

• Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Census and Statistics Department (Annual Earnings and Hours Survey): Monthly and hourly wage percentiles by occupational group (5 groups) (Tables 220-23014, 220-23024, 220-23003) (2025 (May to June 2025), released 2026-03-23), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026