Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
Perform duties which combine preparing and serving food and nonalcoholic beverages.
How AI Impacts Each Task
22 tasks analyzed
Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
Request and record customer orders, and compute bills using cash registers, multi counting machines, or pencil and paper.
Prepare daily food items, and cook simple foods and beverages, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, pizza, or coffee, using proper safety precautions and sanitary measures.
Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas.
Monitor and order supplies or food items and restock as necessary to maintain inventory.
Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
Collect and return dirty dishes to the kitchen for washing.
Wash dishes, glassware, and silverware after meals.
Distribute food to servers.
Notify kitchen personnel of shortages or special orders.
Relay food orders to cooks.
Prepare and serve cold drinks, or frozen milk drinks or desserts, using drink-dispensing, milkshake, or frozen custard machines.
Select food items from serving or storage areas and place them in dishes, on serving trays, or in take-out bags.
Pack food, dishes, utensils, tablecloths, and accessories for transportation from catering or food preparation establishments to locations designated by customers.
Cook or reheat food items such as french fries.
Arrange tables and decorations according to instructions.
Serve food and beverages to guests at banquets or other social functions.
Provide caterers with assistance in food preparation or service.
Plan, prepare, and deliver meals to individuals with special dietary needs.
Perform personnel activities such as supervising and training employees.
Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas and sweep and mop floors.
| Task | AI Capability | Risk | Time % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints. | 40.23Observed | 31.1% | 8% | |
| Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary. | 95Estimated | 87.2% | 8% | |
| Request and record customer orders, and compute bills using cash registers, multi counting machines, or pencil and paper. | 95Estimated | 87.2% | 8% | |
| Prepare daily food items, and cook simple foods and beverages, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, pizza, or coffee, using proper safety precautions and sanitary measures. | 66.5Observed | 59.6% | 14% | |
| Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 6% | |
| Monitor and order supplies or food items and restock as necessary to maintain inventory. | 92Estimated | 86.0% | 3% | |
| Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food. | 45Estimated | 51.0% | 8% | |
| Collect and return dirty dishes to the kitchen for washing. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 4% | |
| Wash dishes, glassware, and silverware after meals. | 45Estimated | 51.0% | 5% | |
| Distribute food to servers. | 45Estimated | 51.0% | 2% | |
| Notify kitchen personnel of shortages or special orders. | 92Estimated | 86.0% | 2% | |
| Relay food orders to cooks. | 92Estimated | 86.0% | 2% | |
| Prepare and serve cold drinks, or frozen milk drinks or desserts, using drink-dispensing, milkshake, or frozen custard machines. | 55Estimated | 55.0% | 4% | |
| Select food items from serving or storage areas and place them in dishes, on serving trays, or in take-out bags. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 5% | |
| Pack food, dishes, utensils, tablecloths, and accessories for transportation from catering or food preparation establishments to locations designated by customers. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 2% | |
| Cook or reheat food items such as french fries. | 60Estimated | 57.0% | 5% | |
| Arrange tables and decorations according to instructions. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 2% | |
| Serve food and beverages to guests at banquets or other social functions. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 2% | |
| Provide caterers with assistance in food preparation or service. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 2% | |
| Plan, prepare, and deliver meals to individuals with special dietary needs. | 40Estimated | 43.0% | 2% | |
| Perform personnel activities such as supervising and training employees. | 15Estimated | 21.0% | 2% | |
| Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas and sweep and mop floors. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 4% |
Skill Impact Analysis
AI-Vulnerable Skills (6)
High reliance on Mathematics is a risk area. Consider developing complementary AI-resistant skills to maintain value.
Information Ordering is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Reading Comprehension is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Programming is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
AI-Resistant Skills (11)
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Service Orientation is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Manual Dexterity is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Instructing is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Persuasion is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Recommended Courses
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Score History
Risk score over 2 scoring runs
overall change
Education & Training
Percentage of workers at each education and training level
Prior Experience Needed
Work experience required to enter this job
Training Provided After Hiring
How long it typically takes to learn on the job
Related News
Recent articles about AI affecting this occupation

Taco Bell tests AI-arranged digital menu boards to drive fast-food growth
Yum Brands is deploying AI to dynamically arrange digital menu boards at Taco Bell locations. The fast-food giant is using automation to optimize customer ordering and streamline restaurant operations.

Fast Food Chains Deploy ChatGPT Apps, Shifting Customer Service Dynamics
Major restaurant brands are building custom AI experiences directly into their customer-facing platforms. This aggressive push into automated engagement signals a long-term reduction in reliance on human customer service and order-taking staff.
White Castle Adding 1,000 Automated Slider Kiosks
Rather than building fully staffed retail stores, White Castle will deploy 1,000 fully automated kiosks across a "wide range of markets."

Samsung and McDonald's Test Humanoid Robots in Retail
Samsung launched a test store to show off AI powered in store technology. In China, McDonalds has put humanoid robots in restaurants.

Dairy Queen expands drive-thru voice AI test
Following a successful pilot program, franchisees can now implement Presto's automated order-taking technology nationwide. This expansion signals a rapid shift toward automated fast-food roles that traditionally employed millions of entry-level workers.
Last scored March 14, 2026 · Based on BLS employment data and O*NET task analysis