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AI Work Index

Headline risk

35%

High Risk

Cooks, short order

United States AI Work IndexISCO 3511major_group_fallback

United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.

151.1 current · 142.7 projectedConfidence high

Why This Score

Tasks 100%

Weighted task overlap from O*NET

Wage $36K

Median annual from BLS OEWS

Demand -6%

BLS employment projections

Prep Zone 2

O*NET job zone level

Occupation profile

Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.

Task evidence

100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage

Method contract

structural_pressure = exposure × (1 - bottleneck)

headline_risk = structural_pressure × (1 - country_demand_resilience)

United States Now

Median Wage

USD 35,620

Employment 2024

151.1K

Projected Change

-5.6%

Openings

20.6K

Wage distribution

p10: USD 23,770p25: USD 30,160median: USD 35,620p75: USD 39,990p90: USD 46,010

Demand outlook

Overall employment of cooks is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

Education: No formal educational credential Experience: —

Role Profile

AdaptabilityCustomer serviceDetail oriented

Tasks

  • 1. Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables. AI 0%
  • 2. Restock kitchen supplies, rotate food, and stamp the time and date on food in coolers. AI 0%
  • 3. Perform food preparation tasks, such as making sandwiches, carving meats, making soups or salads, baking breads or desserts, and brewing coffee or tea. AI 0%
  • 4. Perform general cleaning activities in kitchen and dining areas. AI 0%
  • 5. Grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes. AI 0%
  • 6. Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters. AI 0%

Technologies

Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants ProFoodman Home-DeliveryInventory control softwarePlexis Software Plexis POSPoint of sale POS softwareRestaurantPlus PRO

Requirements

Telework: <0.5%Telework: >99.5%Credentials: <5%Credentials: >95%Credentials: <0.5%Credentials: >99.5%Credentials: <5%Credentials: >95%

Work context

Spend Time Standing 4.8/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams 4.7/5
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled 4.5/5
Freedom to Make Decisions 4.1/5
Physical Proximity 4.1/5
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings 4.0/5

Worker profile

Median age 34.7 · 2.1M employed

Under 25: 30% · 25–54: 53% · 55+: 17%

Related

No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.

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