How to become a Fast Food and Counter Worker
Official title: Fast Food and Counter Workers
Also called: Cafe Server, Cafeteria Server, Cafeteria Worker, Counter Worker, Deli Worker (Delicatessen Worker), Dietary Aide, Food Server, Food Service Worker, Server, Snack Bar Attendant
Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages.
Main tasks
- Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
- Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
- Request and record customer orders, and compute bills, using cash registers, multi-counting machines, or pencil and paper.
- Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
- Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
- 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.
- Monitor and order supplies or food items, and restock as necessary to maintain inventory.
- Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
How to become one
Food and beverage serving and related workers typically have no requirements for formal education or work experience to enter the occupation. They learn their skills on the job.
Typical education to start: No formal educational credential
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $31,200 a year The middle half earn $27,700 to $36,070.
- About 3,855,900 people work in this job now, and about 4,079,100 are projected by 2035. (+5.8%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Fast Food and Counter Worker?
Food and beverage serving and related workers typically have no requirements for formal education or work experience to enter the occupation. They learn their skills on the job.
How much does a Fast Food and Counter Worker earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $31,200 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $27,700 to $36,070.
Is a Fast Food and Counter Worker a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 3,855,900 to about 4,079,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Fast Food and Counter Worker?
Usually not. Only 18% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Fast Food and Counter Worker?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.