State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Fast Food and Counter Workers is $31,200 a year ($15.00/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 6.1% through 2034, with about 904,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 35-3023Food Preparation and Serving RelatedLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $31,200
- Projected growth
- +6.1%
- Openings a year
- 904,300
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Cafe Server, Cafeteria Server, Cafeteria Worker, Counter Worker, Deli Worker (Delicatessen Worker), Dietary Aide.
How much do Fast Food and Counter Workers make?
10th percentile$22,840
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$27,700
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$31,200
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$36,070
Upper quartile
90th percentile$42,650
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $31,200 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $15.00/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $32,150 |
| People employed | 3,854,050 |
Versus all US occupations
At $31,200, Fast Food and Counter Workers earn 39% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $19,780 a year.
Versus food preparation and serving related occupations
Inside the Food Preparation and Serving Related group, where the middle occupation pays $35,275, this is 12% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $42,650 or more while the bottom 10% earn $22,840, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 0% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $42,280, and still leads at $38,186 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Fast Food and Counter Workers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $42,280 | $38,186 | 449,840 |
| Washington | $37,710 | $35,239 | 94,710 |
| District of Columbia | $37,430 | $34,058 | 5,500 |
| Colorado | $36,270 | $35,196 | 82,010 |
| Vermont | $36,030 | $36,781 | 6,830 |
| Massachusetts | $35,850 | $33,898 | 85,810 |
| Connecticut | $35,380 | $34,147 | 35,720 |
| Hawaii | $35,250 | $32,060 | 24,130 |
| New York | $35,250 | $32,663 | 168,620 |
| Oregon | $35,050 | $33,910 | 59,920 |
Is Fast Food and Counter Worker a growing career?
Fast Food and Counter Workers6.1%
All US occupations3.1%
+6.1% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Fast Food and Counter Workers to change 6.1% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 233,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 904,300 openings are projected each year, 23.8% of the 3,796,000 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of food and beverage serving and related workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of food and beverage serving and related workers varies by occupation (see table).
As a growing population continues to dine out, purchase take-out meals, or have food delivered, more restaurants, particularly fast food and casual dining restaurants, are expected to open. In response, more food and beverage serving and related workers are expected to be needed.
How to become a Fast Food and Counter Worker
Food and beverage serving and related workers typically have no requirements for education to enter the occupation. They receive short-term on-the-job training.
Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages, even as an accompaniment to meals, to be at least 18 years old.
| Typical entry-level education | No formal educational credential |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as fast food and counter workers.
- Less than a High School Diploma56.3%
- High School Diploma24.0%
- Some College Courses17.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate2.6%
- Bachelor's Degree0.1%
What does a Fast Food and Counter Worker 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.
Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
- Brew coffee and tea, and fill containers with requested beverages.
- Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
- Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
- 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.
- Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas.
- Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
- Scrub and polish counters, steam tables, and other equipment, and clean glasses, dishes, and fountain equipment.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Monitoring2.9/5
- Speaking2.6/5
- Critical Thinking2.5/5
- Reading Comprehension2.4/5
- Writing2.0/5
- Mathematics2.0/5
- Learning Strategies2.0/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Service Orientation3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.4/5
- Time Management2.4/5
- Persuasion2.0/5
- Instructing2.0/5
- Operations Monitoring2.0/5
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Computer based training software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Point of sale POS software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Fast Food and Counter Worker?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary4.8
Investigative1.0
Artistic1.4
Socialprimary3.5
Enterprising3.5
Conventionalprimary5.0
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Fast Food and Counter Worker: frequently asked questions
How much do Fast Food and Counter Workers make?
Fast Food and Counter Workers earn a median of $31,200 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 39% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $15.00/hr. The middle half earn between $27,700 and $36,070. The top 10% earn $42,650 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Fast Food and Counter Worker?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Fast Food and Counter Workers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 56.3% hold less than a high school diploma.
Is Fast Food and Counter Worker a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6.1% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 904,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Fast Food and Counter Worker do?
Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers. A core O*NET task: communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Operating system software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Fast Food and Counter Workers the most?
The highest state medians for Fast Food and Counter Workers are California ($42,280), Washington ($37,710), District of Columbia ($37,430) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Fast Food and Counter Worker?
O*NET scores Fast Food and Counter Workers highest on the Conventional, Realistic and Social interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ISFJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.