Fast Food and Counter Workers

What fast food and counter workers do

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.

Typical tasks

1. 1Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
2. 2Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
3. 3Request and record customer orders, and compute bills, using cash registers, multi-counting machines, or pencil and paper.
4. 4Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
5. 5Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
6. 6Serve 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.
7. 7Monitor and order supplies or food items, and restock as necessary to maintain inventory.
8. 8Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
9. 9Brew coffee and tea, and fill containers with requested beverages.
10. 10Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas.

Technology used

• Facebook
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Windows

How to become one

Education

The most common level among workers surveyed is a less than a high school diploma (56%). Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Training

Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.