Fast food worker demographics and statistics in the US
Fast food worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates fast food worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our fast food worker 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 workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 28,524 fast food workers currently employed in the United States.
- 53.0% of all fast food workers are women, while 47.0% are men.
- The average fast food worker age is 23 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of fast food workers is White (57.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (9.6%) and Unknown (6.9%).
- Fast food workers are most in-demand in Ann Arbor, MI.
- The hospitality industry is the highest-paying for fast food workers.
- 8% of all fast food workers are LGBT.
On this page
Fast food worker demographics by:
Fast food worker gender statistics
53.0% of fast food workers are women and 47.0% of fast food workers are men.
- Female, 53.0%
- Male, 47.0%
Fast food worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 53.0% |
| Male | 47.0% |
Fast food worker gender pay gap
Women earn $1.02 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$26,455
Female income
$27,076
Fast food worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in fast food worker positions over time. Currently, 53.0% of fast food workers are female.
Fast food worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 41.49% | 58.51% |
| 2011 | 41.49% | 58.51% |
| 2012 | 45.64% | 54.36% |
| 2013 | 44.78% | 55.22% |
| 2014 | 47.40% | 52.60% |
| 2015 | 44.65% | 55.35% |
| 2016 | 47.00% | 53.00% |
| 2017 | 47.92% | 52.08% |
| 2018 | 48.09% | 51.91% |
| 2019 | 49.27% | 50.73% |
| 2020 | 48.44% | 51.56% |
| 2021 | 47.01% | 52.99% |
Fast food worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared fast food workers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, busboy/waiter and host/waiter have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Barmaid | 5% | 95% |
| Head Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Bartender, Cook, And Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Fast Food Worker | 47% | 53% |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 86% | 14% |
| Host/Waiter | 90% | 10% |
| Busboy/Waiter | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Fast food worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among fast food workers is White, which makes up 57.5% of all fast food workers. Comparatively, 18.6% of fast food workers are Hispanic or Latino and 9.6% of fast food workers are Black or African American.
- White, 57.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.6%
- Black or African American, 9.6%
- Unknown, 6.9%
- Asian, 6.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Fast food worker race
| Fast food worker race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.6% |
| Black or African American | 9.6% |
| Unknown | 6.9% |
| Asian | 6.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Fast food worker race and ethnicity over time
See how fast food worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Fast food worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.31% | 13.07% | 3.29% | 14.66% |
| 2011 | 66.24% | 14.53% | 3.52% | 12.64% |
| 2012 | 65.06% | 14.43% | 3.94% | 13.05% |
| 2013 | 64.18% | 13.75% | 3.69% | 14.97% |
| 2014 | 64.11% | 14.58% | 3.91% | 13.79% |
| 2015 | 64.38% | 13.39% | 4.87% | 13.68% |
| 2016 | 63.01% | 13.46% | 4.15% | 14.93% |
| 2017 | 61.71% | 13.46% | 4.79% | 15.03% |
| 2018 | 64.11% | 11.49% | 5.21% | 15.12% |
| 2019 | 62.41% | 10.01% | 6.21% | 17.04% |
| 2020 | 59.95% | 9.82% | 6.36% | 16.74% |
| 2021 | 57.47% | 9.64% | 6.49% | 18.63% |
Fast food worker wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino fast food workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american fast food workers have the lowest average salary at $25,296.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $26,098 |
| White | $26,386 |
| Black or African American | $25,296 |
| Asian | $27,216 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $27,335 |
Average fast food worker age
See how the average age of fast food workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Fast food worker age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 22.5 | 21 |
| Unknown | 21 | 20.5 |
| Asian | 21 | 22 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21 | 22 |
| White | 21 | 21 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 21 |
Fast food worker age breakdown
The average age of fast food workers is 20-30 years years old, representing 51% of the fast food worker population.
Fast food worker age breakdown
| Fast Food Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 3% |
| 30-40 years | 12% |
| 20-30 years | 51% |
Fast food worker educational attainment
The most common degree for fast food workers is high school diploma, with 63% of fast food workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 13% and diploma degree at 11%.
- High School Diploma, 63%
- Diploma, 13%
- Associate, 11%
- Bachelor's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Fast food workers by degree level
| Fast food worker degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 63% |
| Diploma | 13% |
| Associate | 11% |
| Bachelor's | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Fast food worker jobs you might like
Fast food worker wage gap by degree level
According to the data, fast food workers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $29,246 annually. With a Associate degree, fast food workers earn a median annual income of $28,108 compared to $24,644 for fast food workers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $24,644 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $29,246 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $28,108 |
Fast food worker employment statistics
Most fast food workers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where fast food workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where fast food workers work.
Fast food worker jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 9% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 18% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 32% |
| > 10,000 employees | 23% |
Fast food worker jobs by company type
Employees with the fast food worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most fast food workers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Fast food worker jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 24% |
| Private | 69% |
| Government | 1% |
Fast food worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for fast food workers are hospitality, manufacturing and education.
Fast food worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 60% |
| Education | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
Fast food worker turnover and employment statistics
Fast food worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for fast food workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fast food worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | Fast food worker unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.75% |
| 2011 | 16.23% |
| 2012 | 13.34% |
| 2013 | 12.58% |
| 2014 | 10.04% |
| 2015 | 8.71% |
| 2016 | 10.19% |
| 2017 | 9.58% |
| 2018 | 9.31% |
| 2019 | 8.07% |
| 2020 | 9.90% |
| 2021 | 9.86% |
Average fast food worker tenure
The average fast food worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,451 fast food workers resumes in Zippia's database.
Fast food worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 44% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 9% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 2% |
Fast food worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of fast food workers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service And Serving | 6.48% | 248,533 |
| Room Service Clerk | 6.98% | 93,459 |
| Lead Bartender | 7.82% | 28,748 |
| Fast Food Worker | 7.82% | - |
Similar fast food worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service And Serving | 6.48% | 248,533 |
| Room Service Clerk | 6.98% | 93,459 |
| Lead Bartender | 7.82% | 28,748 |
Foreign languages spoken by fast food workers
The most common foreign language among fast food workers is Spanish at 64.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.1% and German is the third-most popular at 5.1%.
- Spanish, 64.6%
- French, 10.1%
- German, 5.1%
- Portuguese, 2.5%
- Bulgarian, 1.3%
- Other, 16.4%
Fast food worker languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 64.6% |
| French | 10.1% |
| German | 5.1% |
| Portuguese | 2.5% |
| Bulgarian | 1.3% |
| Other | 16.4% |
