← All careers

Skilled Trades

Fast Food and Counter Workers

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$31,200

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$23k – $43k

Job outlook

+6% (faster than average)

AI exposure

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one wage for this occupational group, which covers 2 related roles — so read the median as an approximate group figure, and the range as the truer picture for this specific title. BLS source.

Plan a path to Fast Food and Counter Workers

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: No degree required

Plan my path to this →

How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Fast Food and Counter Workers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Fast Food and Counter Workers

    Entry / Junior

    $22,840

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Fast Food and Counter Workers

    Established

    $31,200

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Fast Food and Counter Workers

    Senior

    $36,925

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

Explore all

Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.