# Cooks, Fast Food

US SOC code 35-2011. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/35-2011

Also called: Fast food cook, Quick service restaurant cook, QSR cook, Fry cook, Counter cook.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **641,070** US fast food cooks, with median pay of **$30,890** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **768,130**, in May 2021. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://guides.loc.gov/this-month-in-business-history/may/mcdonalds-founded) of **12,000** from 1948, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for fast food cooks: Labor-saving equipment and self-serve kiosks, 2012 to 2020.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to change +0.6% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=35-2011&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **0.81** estimated probability that the whole occupation could be computerised, over an unspecified number of years. Not a forecast of job losses. [Frey and Osborne, 2013](https://oms-www.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf)

### Since the 2013 prediction

In 2013, Frey and Osborne put this job's probability of computerisation at 0.81. BLS counted **507,940** of these jobs in May 2013 and **641,070** in May 2025. The count moved sharply in one step, May 2020 to May 2021, when BLS changed how it estimates these counts, so no change is derived here.

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Cooks, Fast Food employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1921
- Latest US employment: 641,070 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $30,890 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [8]
- Outlook: +0.6% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [21]

### All 28 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1948 | 12,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Library of Congress [1] |
| 1970 | 600,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., History.com [2] |
| 1990 | 1,250,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., IBISWorld [3] |
| 1994 | n/a | $10,920 | BLS historical bulletin August 1994 [6] |
| 2000 | 527,500 | $13,590 | BLS OEWS 2000 [4] |
| 2003 | 612,960 | $14,450 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 652,500 | $14,700 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 631,190 | $15,080 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 612,020 | $15,410 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 575,510 | $16,130 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 559,160 | $16,880 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 539,520 | $17,720 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 525,350 | $18,100 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 502,450 | $18,300 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 504,740 | $18,410 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 507,940 | $18,470 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 519,910 | $18,540 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 520,010 | $19,080 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 513,200 | $19,860 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 503,780 | $21,040 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 487,510 | $22,330 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 527,220 | $23,510 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 544,420 | $24,380 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 768,130 | $24,180 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 725,590 | $27,640 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 673,490 | $29,260 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 668,230 | $30,160 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 641,070 | $30,890 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (86)

### Employment series

1. [Library of Congress — McDonald's Founded in 1940 (This Month in Business History)](https://guides.loc.gov/this-month-in-business-history/may/mcdonalds-founded), Library of Congress
2. [History.com — How McDonald's Became an Icon of Fast Food (chain expansion 1960s-1970s)](https://www.history.com/articles/how-mcdonalds-became-fast-food-giant), HISTORY
3. [IBISWorld — Fast Food Restaurants in the US Employment Statistics (historical industry data)](https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/employment/fast-food-restaurants-united-states/), IBISWorld
4. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

6. [BLS Monthly Labor Review, August 1994 — "Occupational wages in the fast-food restaurant industry" (Van Giezen)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1994/article/occupational-wages-in-the-fast-food-restaurant-industry.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
7. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
8. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

9. [White Castle — Family-Owned White Castle, the Founder of Fast Food, Turns 100 (PR Newswire, 2021)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/family-owned-white-castle--the-founder-of-fast-food--turns-100-301243074.html), White Castle / PR Newswire
10. [K-State Research and Extension — Kansas Profile: Walter Anderson, First Fast Food Hamburger Chain](https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2017/01/ksprofile-walter-anderson.html), Kansas State University Research and Extension
11. [San Bernardino County — Did You Know: The Origin of McDonald's in San Bernardino (May 2026)](https://main.sbcounty.gov/2026/05/07/did-you-know-the-origin-of-mcdonalds-in-san-bernardino/), San Bernardino County
12. [EBSCO Research Starters — McDonald's Restaurants and "McDonaldization"](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/mcdonalds-restaurants-and-mcdonaldization), EBSCO Research
13. [HISTORY — How Drive-Thru Dining Changed Fast Food (In-N-Out 1948 origins, mainstream adoption)](https://www.history.com/articles/drive-thru-dining-history-in-n-out-burger), HISTORY
14. [Quikserv Inc — Celebrating 100 Years of Drive-In and Drive-Thru Service (drive-thru history timeline)](https://www.quikserv.com/history-of-the-drive-thru/), Quikserv
15. [O\*NET 35-2011.00 — Cooks, Fast Food (technology and tools section)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/35-2011.00), O\*NET / BLS
16. [Winnow Solutions — AI food waste management (3,500+ sites, $100M savings annually)](https://www.winnowsolutions.com/), Winnow Solutions
17. [National Restaurant Association — Over 25% of restaurant operators use AI (2025 adoption survey)](https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/national-restaurant-assocation-operator-artificial-intelligence-adoption/812418/), Restaurant Dive / National Restaurant Association
18. [Restaurant Dive — Miso Robotics develops smaller, faster Flippy for White Castle and Jack in the Box (2025)](https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/miso-robotics-develops-smaller-faster-flippy-white-castle-jack-in-the-box/738567/), Restaurant Dive
19. [Yum Brands + Nvidia — AI at 500 restaurants: voice, computer vision, analytics (March 2025 press release)](https://www.yum.com/wps/portal/yumbrands/Yumbrands/news/press-releases/yum+brands+to+accelerate+ai+innovation+in+an+industry-first+collaboration+with+nvidia), Yum Brands / Nvidia
20. [Presto Voice AI — drive-thru voice ordering automation (product site)](https://presto.com/voice-ai/), Presto Automation

### Forecasts and exposure studies

21. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 35-2011 Cooks, fast food (2025: 640.5 thousand; 2035: 644.1 thousand; +0.6%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=35-2011&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
22. [Frey & Osborne (2013), "The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?", Appendix (SOC 35-2011 Cooks, Fast Food: probability 0.81, rank 441 of 702)](https://oms-www.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf), Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford

### Historical notes

23. [White Castle — Family-Owned White Castle, the Founder of Fast Food, Turns 100 (PR Newswire, 2021)](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/family-owned-white-castle--the-founder-of-fast-food--turns-100-301243074.html), White Castle / PR Newswire
24. [Library of Congress — McDonald's Founded in 1940 (This Month in Business History)](https://guides.loc.gov/this-month-in-business-history/may/mcdonalds-founded), Library of Congress
25. [HISTORY — How Drive-Thru Dining Changed Fast Food](https://www.history.com/articles/drive-thru-dining-history-in-n-out-burger), HISTORY
26. [Socialist Alternative — The Fast-Food Industry and How it Was Built](https://www.socialistalternative.org/manifesto-of-the-fastfood-worker/fast-food-industry-how-it-was-built/), Socialist Alternative
27. [BLS Monthly Labor Review, August 1994 — "Occupational wages in the fast-food restaurant industry" (Van Giezen)](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1994/article/occupational-wages-in-the-fast-food-restaurant-industry.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
28. [Fight for $15 — Wikipedia (founding 2012 NYC strike, 26 million workers, $150 billion in raises)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight_for_$15), Wikipedia
29. [BLS OOH — Cooks (fast food cook projections and California wage context)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/cooks.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Predecessors & successors

30. [K-State Research and Extension — Kansas Profile: Walter Anderson, First Fast Food Hamburger Chain](https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2017/01/ksprofile-walter-anderson.html), Kansas State University Research and Extension
31. [Socialist Alternative — The Fast-Food Industry and How it Was Built (teenage labor in QSR expansion era)](https://www.socialistalternative.org/manifesto-of-the-fastfood-worker/fast-food-industry-how-it-was-built/), Socialist Alternative

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Cooks, Fast Food (35-2011.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/35-2011.00), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-03
- [BLS OOH — Cooks occupational outlook (fast food cooks projected -1% 2024-2034)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/cooks.htm), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Miso Robotics — Flippy Fry Station: ~20 restaurants, ~100 baskets/hour (Restaurant Dive, 2025)](https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/miso-robotics-develops-smaller-faster-flippy-white-castle-jack-in-the-box/738567/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Fortune — Robot disruption: White Castle and Jack in the Box (Feb 2026)](https://fortune.com/2026/02/26/robot-disruption-fast-food-short-order-cook-flippy-labor-shortage/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Miso Robotics + Roboworx — Flippy Fry Station national rollout (Food on Demand, June 2025)](https://foodondemand.com/06182025/miso-robotics-teams-up-with-roboworx-to-support-flippy-fry-stations/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Yum Brands + Nvidia — AI at 500 restaurants: voice, computer vision, analytics (March 2025)](https://www.yum.com/wps/portal/yumbrands/Yumbrands/news/press-releases/yum+brands+to+accelerate+ai+innovation+in+an+industry-first+collaboration+with+nvidia), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Presto Voice AI — drive-thru voice ordering automation (product site)](https://presto.com/voice-ai/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Winnow — AI food waste tracking: 3,500+ sites, $100M saved per year](https://www.winnowsolutions.com/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [National Restaurant Association — Over 25% of restaurant operators use AI (2025)](https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/national-restaurant-assocation-operator-artificial-intelligence-adoption/812418/), accessed 2026-06-03
- [Winnow — VisionAI: food identified in under one second, 1,000+ items](https://www.winnowsolutions.com/product/food-waste-management-software), accessed 2026-06-03

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.