Fast Food and Counter Workers
Fast Food and Counter Workers (SOC 35-3023) earn a median $31,200 a year ($15.00 an hour) in the United States, with 3,854,050 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What fast food and counter workers do
Fast food and counter workers wait on customers at a counter or steam table, mainly in eating places built around quick service and low-priced carry-out meals. They write down or key in each order, add up the bill on a register or by hand, take payment, make change, and balance the register receipts at the end. Food, drinks, and desserts are handed out at take-out counters, lunchrooms, and business or industrial sites, and sometimes delivered to hotel rooms or to customers in cars. Some also make food and drinks. They talk with customers about their orders, comments, and complaints, keep an eye on supplies and reorder them, and keep the area sanitary by sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes. The job is different from waiting tables at a dining room and from cooking at a fast-food grill or fryer.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report less than a high school diploma as the usual education level (about 56 percent).
Also called: Back of House Team Member (BOH Team Member), Bakery Associate, Barista, Bistro Team Member, Cafe Server.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.98 | $13.32 | $15.00 | $17.34 | $20.51 | $15.46 | 3,854,050 |
| Annual | $22,840 | $27,700 | $31,200 | $36,070 | $42,650 | $32,150 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where fast food and counter workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.08 | $17.69 | $20.33 | $21.62 | $23.05 | $20.04 | 449,840 | 24.70 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $35,530 | $36,790 | $42,280 | $44,970 | $47,950 | $41,680 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $16.85 | $17.25 | $18.13 | $21.27 | $23.01 | $19.42 | 94,710 | 26.67 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $35,050 | $35,880 | $37,710 | $44,240 | $47,860 | $40,390 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.91 | $17.95 | $18.00 | $18.78 | $22.50 | $19.16 | 5,500 | 7.84 | 0.32 |
| Annual | $37,260 | $37,340 | $37,430 | $39,050 | $46,800 | $39,840 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $14.92 | $16.30 | $17.44 | $18.13 | $21.20 | $17.74 | 82,010 | 28.54 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $31,040 | $33,900 | $36,270 | $37,710 | $44,100 | $36,890 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $14.64 | $16.51 | $17.32 | $18.58 | $22.15 | $18.08 | 6,830 | 22.47 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $30,450 | $34,330 | $36,030 | $38,640 | $46,080 | $37,610 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $10.44 | $11.05 | $13.34 | $14.29 | $17.15 | $13.34 | 460,530 | 32.73 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $21,710 | $22,980 | $27,740 | $29,730 | $35,680 | $27,750 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.08 | $17.69 | $20.33 | $21.62 | $23.05 | $20.04 | 449,840 | 24.70 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $35,530 | $36,790 | $42,280 | $44,970 | $47,950 | $41,680 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.25 | $13.47 | $13.98 | $15.97 | $17.51 | $14.88 | 235,400 | 23.71 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $27,570 | $28,020 | $29,080 | $33,220 | $36,430 | $30,940 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.50 | $16.51 | $16.95 | $17.86 | $21.51 | $17.75 | 168,620 | 17.41 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $32,240 | $34,350 | $35,250 | $37,140 | $44,740 | $36,920 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $11.16 | $12.89 | $13.67 | $14.39 | $16.79 | $13.90 | 163,560 | 29.47 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $23,200 | $26,800 | $28,430 | $29,930 | $34,920 | $28,900 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $17.56 | $18.35 | $21.83 | $22.47 | $23.45 | $21.16 | 1,440 | 18.54 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $36,520 | $38,170 | $45,410 | $46,740 | $48,780 | $44,010 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $18.20 | $18.95 | $21.43 | $23.41 | $26.07 | $21.62 | 23,060 | 20.32 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $37,860 | $39,420 | $44,570 | $48,700 | $54,220 | $44,980 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $17.19 | $17.91 | $21.21 | $22.09 | $23.71 | $20.56 | 4,430 | 30.71 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $35,760 | $37,260 | $44,110 | $45,940 | $49,330 | $42,760 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $17.53 | $18.40 | $21.09 | $23.28 | $26.54 | $21.45 | 49,970 | 21.05 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $36,460 | $38,260 | $43,870 | $48,420 | $55,210 | $44,620 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $17.56 | $17.81 | $20.97 | $22.20 | $23.60 | $20.50 | 4,720 | 22.99 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $36,510 | $37,050 | $43,610 | $46,180 | $49,080 | $42,640 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.90 | $16.58 | $17.03 | $18.17 | $21.22 | $17.85 | 166,040 | 17.49 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $33,070 | $34,480 | $35,420 | $37,790 | $44,130 | $37,130 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.18 | $17.57 | $20.24 | $21.38 | $22.52 | $19.75 | 160,270 | 25.55 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $35,720 | $36,540 | $42,110 | $44,470 | $46,830 | $41,080 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $11.10 | $12.90 | $13.50 | $14.98 | $17.42 | $14.11 | 128,380 | 31.70 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $23,090 | $26,840 | $28,070 | $31,150 | $36,240 | $29,350 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $10.40 | $10.92 | $13.25 | $14.60 | $16.93 | $13.29 | 105,810 | 32.17 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $21,630 | $22,720 | $27,570 | $30,370 | $35,210 | $27,630 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.00 | $16.65 | $17.59 | $18.56 | $16.68 | 97,280 | 21.55 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,200 | $34,630 | $36,590 | $38,610 | $34,690 | ||||
Top industries employing fast food and counter workers
Restaurants and Other Eating Places employ 83.0% of fast food and counter workers nationally (3,197,640 jobs) at a median $30,510 a year ($14.67 an hour), followed by Special Food Services (3.9%) and Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) (3.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places NAICS 722500 | 3,197,640 | 83.0% | $30,510 | $14.67 |
| Special Food Services NAICS 722300 | 152,120 | 3.9% | $34,480 | $16.58 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) NAICS 4450A1 | 134,090 | 3.5% | $34,720 | $16.69 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 109,100 | 2.8% | $35,330 | $16.99 |
| Gasoline Stations NAICS 457100 | 42,650 | 1.1% | $32,240 | $15.50 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (3,854,050). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $25,100 for fast food and counter workers in May 2021 and $31,200 in May 2025, with employment of 3,095,120 and 3,854,050.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $25,100 | $12.07 | 3,095,120 |
| May 2022 | $27,930 | $13.43 | 3,325,050 |
| May 2023 | $29,540 | $14.20 | 3,676,580 |
| May 2024 | $30,480 | $14.65 | 3,780,930 |
| May 2025 | $31,200 | $15.00 | 3,854,050 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $20.33 | $42,280 | $35,530 | $47,950 | 449,840 | 24.70 | 1.00 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $18.13 | $37,710 | $35,050 | $47,860 | 94,710 | 26.67 | 1.08 |
| 3 | District of Columbia profile | $18.00 | $37,430 | $37,260 | $46,800 | 5,500 | 7.84 | 0.32 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $17.44 | $36,270 | $31,040 | $44,100 | 82,010 | 28.54 | 1.15 |
| 5 | Vermont profile | $17.32 | $36,030 | $30,450 | $46,080 | 6,830 | 22.47 | 0.91 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $17.24 | $35,850 | $31,290 | $38,700 | 85,810 | 23.59 | 0.95 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $17.01 | $35,380 | $34,010 | $39,660 | 35,720 | 21.06 | 0.85 |
| 8 | Hawaii profile | $16.95 | $35,250 | $29,120 | $45,140 | 24,130 | 38.46 | 1.55 |
| 9 | New York profile | $16.95 | $35,250 | $32,240 | $44,740 | 168,620 | 17.41 | 0.70 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $16.85 | $35,050 | $30,950 | $44,370 | 59,920 | 30.46 | 1.23 |
| 11 | Maine profile | $16.69 | $34,710 | $30,740 | $42,640 | 17,250 | 26.93 | 1.09 |
| 12 | Arizona profile | $16.46 | $34,230 | $30,760 | $43,990 | 77,210 | 23.83 | 0.96 |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $16.42 | $34,150 | $32,220 | $39,130 | 93,730 | 21.87 | 0.88 |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $16.30 | $33,910 | $31,200 | $37,330 | 127,590 | 20.92 | 0.84 |
| 15 | Maryland profile | $16.18 | $33,660 | $31,200 | $37,390 | 49,380 | 17.87 | 0.72 |
| 16 | Alaska profile | $16.00 | $33,280 | $24,830 | $45,170 | 5,900 | 18.12 | 0.73 |
| 17 | Nevada profile | $15.36 | $31,950 | $26,630 | $42,860 | 45,850 | 29.55 | 1.19 |
| 18 | New Hampshire profile | $15.19 | $31,590 | $22,580 | $38,440 | 14,540 | 21.28 | 0.86 |
| 19 | Rhode Island profile | $15.14 | $31,490 | $31,200 | $36,540 | 13,310 | 26.55 | 1.07 |
| 20 | Minnesota profile | $15.08 | $31,370 | $28,190 | $37,140 | 58,970 | 19.99 | 0.81 |
| 21 | Delaware profile | $15.05 | $31,300 | $31,200 | $37,530 | 13,310 | 27.45 | 1.11 |
| 22 | Missouri profile | $14.61 | $30,390 | $28,600 | $36,830 | 29,360 | 10.00 | 0.40 |
| 23 | Virginia profile | $14.48 | $30,110 | $27,130 | $37,550 | 104,460 | 25.42 | 1.03 |
| 24 | North Dakota profile | $14.46 | $30,080 | $22,750 | $37,380 | 11,470 | 26.71 | 1.08 |
| 25 | South Dakota profile | $14.18 | $29,490 | $27,880 | $36,380 | 15,150 | 33.11 | 1.34 |
| 26 | Montana profile | $13.98 | $29,090 | $22,760 | $36,780 | 14,960 | 29.24 | 1.18 |
| 27 | Florida profile | $13.98 | $29,080 | $27,570 | $36,430 | 235,400 | 23.71 | 0.96 |
| 28 | Nebraska profile | $13.94 | $29,000 | $28,080 | $35,760 | 30,060 | 29.34 | 1.18 |
| 29 | Idaho profile | $13.91 | $28,940 | $20,130 | $36,330 | 25,810 | 30.10 | 1.21 |
| 30 | Michigan profile | $13.91 | $28,930 | $25,960 | $35,970 | 103,130 | 23.42 | 0.94 |
| 31 | Indiana profile | $13.84 | $28,790 | $22,110 | $35,820 | 97,290 | 30.39 | 1.23 |
| 32 | New Mexico profile | $13.80 | $28,700 | $26,670 | $36,360 | 28,250 | 32.43 | 1.31 |
| 33 | Utah profile | $13.78 | $28,670 | $21,980 | $36,670 | 52,340 | 30.16 | 1.22 |
| 34 | Wisconsin profile | $13.75 | $28,600 | $22,240 | $36,090 | 67,750 | 23.03 | 0.93 |
| 35 | North Carolina profile | $13.74 | $28,570 | $21,800 | $36,820 | 92,230 | 18.66 | 0.75 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania profile | $13.74 | $28,570 | $22,030 | $35,880 | 142,220 | 23.45 | 0.95 |
| 37 | Ohio profile | $13.67 | $28,430 | $23,200 | $34,920 | 163,560 | 29.47 | 1.19 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $13.65 | $28,390 | $21,620 | $35,990 | 40,290 | 25.84 | 1.04 |
| 39 | Wyoming profile | $13.40 | $27,860 | $20,300 | $37,020 | 7,060 | 25.14 | 1.01 |
| 40 | Texas profile | $13.34 | $27,740 | $21,710 | $35,680 | 460,530 | 32.73 | 1.32 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | $13.26 | $27,580 | $21,620 | $34,280 | 47,140 | 32.80 | 1.32 |
| 42 | South Carolina profile | $13.23 | $27,520 | $22,340 | $35,020 | 65,070 | 28.23 | 1.14 |
| 43 | Tennessee profile | $13.21 | $27,470 | $21,850 | $35,060 | 90,690 | 27.66 | 1.12 |
| 44 | Kentucky profile | $13.04 | $27,130 | $21,590 | $34,420 | 41,860 | 20.92 | 0.84 |
| 45 | Georgia profile | $12.94 | $26,920 | $20,910 | $36,110 | 145,030 | 29.67 | 1.20 |
| 46 | Arkansas profile | $12.62 | $26,250 | $23,240 | $32,120 | 35,660 | 27.36 | 1.10 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $12.54 | $26,070 | $18,750 | $35,150 | 6,240 | 8.89 | 0.36 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $11.40 | $23,700 | $21,080 | $32,740 | 41,460 | 19.62 | 0.79 |
| 49 | Oklahoma profile | $11.27 | $23,430 | $20,510 | $30,300 | 52,520 | 30.75 | 1.24 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $10.96 | $22,800 | $18,610 | $33,320 | 45,720 | 23.63 | 0.95 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $10.87 | $22,610 | $18,530 | $29,090 | 31,220 | 26.84 | 1.08 |
Part of Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 35-3023 Fast Food and Counter Workers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 35-3023, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 35-3023.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.