Short order cooks 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.

  • Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables.
  • Perform food preparation tasks, such as making sandwiches, carving meats, making soups or salads, baking breads or desserts, and brewing coffee or tea.
  • Perform general cleaning activities in kitchen and dining areas.
  • Restock kitchen supplies, rotate food, and stamp the time and date on food in coolers.
  • Grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes.
  • Plan work on orders so that items served together are finished at the same time.
  • Take orders from customers and cook foods requiring short preparation times, according to customer requirements.
  • Grill and garnish hamburgers or other meats, such as steaks and chops.
  • Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters.
  • Order supplies and stock them on shelves.
  • Accept payments, and make change or write charge slips as necessary.
Work Context
  • Spend Time Standing — 90% responded "Continually or almost continually".
  • Contact With Others — 80% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 61% responded "Extremely important".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 55% responded "Every day".
  • Deal With External Customers — 61% responded "Extremely important".
  • Responsible for Others' Health and Safety — 68% responded "Very high responsibility".
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 47% responded "Extremely important".
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Work Activities
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Store supplies or goods in kitchens or storage areas.
  • Maintain food, beverage, or equipment inventories.
  • Prepare foods for cooking or serving.
  • Prepare hot or cold beverages.
  • Prepare breads or doughs.
  • Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
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Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills

Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
  • Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
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Abilities

Near Vision
  • The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Recognition
  • The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity
  • The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Point of sale POS software
  • Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants Pro
  • Foodman Home-Delivery
  • Plexis Software Plexis POS
  • Point of sale POS software
  • RestaurantPlus PRO
Inventory management software
  • Inventory control software