Food Service · SOC 35-3023
Self-order kiosks and AI are handling ordering and payment, but food service and cleaning remain physical and human.
Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
Timeline: Kiosk and app ordering has already automated much of the order-taking workflow; by 2028, counter workers will increasingly handle fulfillment and service while AI manages ordering and payments.
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$42,010 median pay
$30,480 median pay
$33,760 median pay
$30,380 median pay
$36,450 median pay
$33,530 median pay
AI job-risk card
Fast Food and Counter Workers is watch on AIFear. Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Fast Food and Counter Workers is 35/100 (Watch). Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
35 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Recording and processing customer orders, Communicating order status and complaints, Computing bills with cash registers. Harder to automate: Serving food and beverages at the counter, Monitoring and restocking supplies, Cleaning and maintaining sanitary areas, Handling non-standard customer needs.
Lean into Customer service communication, POS and kiosk system operation, Food safety basics, Inventory monitoring. Consider roles such as Shift Supervisor or Food Service Team Lead or Restaurant Manager Trainee.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.