Fast food cook demographics and statistics in the US
Fast food cook demographics research summary. Zippia estimates fast food cook demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our fast food cook estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about fast food cooks after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 499,460 fast food cooks currently employed in the United States.
- 25.8% of all fast food cooks are women, while 74.2% are men.
- The average fast food cook age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of fast food cooks is White (56.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.5%), Black or African American (10.4%) and Asian (8.6%).
- Fast food cooks are most in-demand in Atlanta, GA.
- The hospitality industry is the highest-paying for fast food cooks.
- Boston, MA pays an annual average wage of $34,998, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women fast food cooks earned 95% of what men earned.
- 6% of all fast food cooks are LGBT.
- Nevada is the best state for fast food cooks to live.
- Fast food cooks are 73% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Fast food cook demographics by:
Fast food cook gender statistics
25.8% of fast food cooks are women and 74.2% of fast food cooks are men.
- Male, 74.2%
- Female, 25.8%
Fast food cook gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 74.2% |
| Female | 25.8% |
Fast food cook gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$27,231
Female income
$25,937
Fast food cook gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in fast food cook positions over time. Currently, 25.8% of fast food cooks are female.
Fast food cook gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.56% | 28.44% |
| 2011 | 71.95% | 28.05% |
| 2012 | 72.94% | 27.06% |
| 2013 | 73.03% | 26.97% |
| 2014 | 74.18% | 25.82% |
| 2015 | 73.48% | 26.52% |
| 2016 | 74.29% | 25.71% |
| 2017 | 74.32% | 25.68% |
| 2018 | 73.67% | 26.33% |
| 2019 | 73.42% | 26.58% |
| 2020 | 74.13% | 25.87% |
| 2021 | 74.18% | 25.82% |
Fast food cook related jobs gender ratio
We compared fast food cooks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, saucier and vacuum kettle cook have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Clerk | 13% | 87% |
| Dietary Clerk | 16% | 84% |
| School Cafeteria Cook | 20% | 80% |
| Fast Food Cook | 74% | 26% |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | 84% | 16% |
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 87% | 13% |
| Saucier | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Fast food cook demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among fast food cooks is White, which makes up 56.8% of all fast food cooks. Comparatively, 18.5% of fast food cooks are Hispanic or Latino and 10.4% of fast food cooks are Black or African American.
- White, 56.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.5%
- Black or African American, 10.4%
- Asian, 8.6%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Fast food cook race
| Fast food cook race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.5% |
| Black or African American | 10.4% |
| Asian | 8.6% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Fast food cook race and ethnicity over time
See how fast food cook racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Fast food cook race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.12% | 11.96% | 7.56% | 16.80% |
| 2011 | 60.91% | 13.16% | 7.60% | 15.31% |
| 2012 | 60.58% | 12.69% | 7.40% | 16.27% |
| 2013 | 60.73% | 12.54% | 7.39% | 16.47% |
| 2014 | 60.31% | 12.40% | 7.66% | 16.42% |
| 2015 | 60.35% | 12.16% | 7.76% | 16.54% |
| 2016 | 60.03% | 11.81% | 7.69% | 17.00% |
| 2017 | 59.17% | 11.44% | 7.86% | 17.58% |
| 2018 | 60.28% | 11.42% | 7.74% | 17.07% |
| 2019 | 60.33% | 11.01% | 8.10% | 16.99% |
| 2020 | 58.31% | 10.36% | 8.35% | 17.19% |
| 2021 | 56.77% | 10.35% | 8.64% | 18.49% |
Fast food cook wage gap by race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $26,979 |
| White | $27,026 |
| Black or African American | $26,705 |
| Asian | $27,871 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $27,590 |
Average fast food cook age
See how the average age of fast food cooks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Fast food cook age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 35 | 45 |
| Unknown | 27 | 36 |
| Asian | 42 | 49.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 42 |
| White | 29 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31.5 | 49 |
Fast food cook age breakdown
The average age of fast food cooks is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the fast food cook population.
Fast food cook age breakdown
| Fast Food Cook Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
Fast food cook educational attainment
The most common degree for fast food cooks is high school diploma, with 51% of fast food cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 17% and associate degree degree at 16%.
- High School Diploma, 51%
- Associate, 17%
- Diploma, 16%
- Bachelor's, 11%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Fast food cooks by degree level
| Fast food cook degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 51% |
| Associate | 17% |
| Diploma | 16% |
| Bachelor's | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Fast food cook jobs you might like
Fast food cook wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $26,682 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $28,207 |
| No Education | $26,304 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $27,415 |
Fast food cook employment statistics
Most fast food cooks work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where fast food cooks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where fast food cooks work.
Fast food cook jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 17% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 28% |
Fast food cook jobs by company type
Employees with the fast food cook job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most fast food cooks prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Fast food cook jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 23% |
| Private | 73% |
| Government | 1% |
Fast food cook jobs by industry
The most common industries for fast food cooks are hospitality, retail and media.
Fast food cook industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 56% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Media | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Fast food cook turnover and employment statistics
Fast food cook unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for fast food cooks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fast food cook unemployment rate by year
| Year | Fast food cook unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.74% |
| 2011 | 13.72% |
| 2012 | 12.24% |
| 2013 | 11.55% |
| 2014 | 9.93% |
| 2015 | 8.76% |
| 2016 | 8.73% |
| 2017 | 7.83% |
| 2018 | 7.48% |
| 2019 | 6.91% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 10.11% |
Average fast food cook tenure
The average fast food cook stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,345 fast food cooks resumes in Zippia's database.
Fast food cook tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 49% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 7% |
| 5-7 years | 7% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 2% |
Fast food cook LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of fast food cooks that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food Cook | 5.53% | - |
| Pantry Goods Maker | 6.78% | 7,831 |
| Beverage Server | 7.02% | 79,100 |
| Hostess | 7.29% | 82,629 |
| Deli Associate | 7.36% | 117,130 |
| Mixologist | 7.68% | 53,872 |
| Kitchen Manager/Cook | 8.43% | 27,963 |
Similar fast food cook jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pantry Goods Maker | 6.78% | 7,831 |
| Beverage Server | 7.02% | 79,100 |
| Hostess | 7.29% | 82,629 |
| Deli Associate | 7.36% | 117,130 |
| Mixologist | 7.68% | 53,872 |
| Kitchen Manager/Cook | 8.43% | 27,963 |
Foreign languages spoken by fast food cooks
The most common foreign language among fast food cooks is Spanish at 77.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.1% and Hmong is the third-most popular at 5.6%.
- Spanish, 77.8%
- French, 11.1%
- Hmong, 5.6%
- Thai, 5.6%
Fast food cook languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 77.8% |
| French | 11.1% |
| Hmong | 5.6% |
| Thai | 5.6% |
