How to hire cooks, short order
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables. • Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters. • Grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes. • 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. • Plan work on orders so that items served together are finished at the same time. • Restock kitchen supplies, rotate food, and stamp the time and date on food in coolers. • Take orders from customers and cook foods requiring short preparation times, according to customer requirements. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: No formal educational credential] • Strong active listening, reading comprehension and speaking skills • Working knowledge of food production • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $17.25 an hour ($35,880 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for cooks, short order
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to perform food preparation tasks, such as making sandwiches, carving meats, making soups or salads, baking breads or desserts, and brewing coffee or tea. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What cooks, short order do
- Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables.
- Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters.
- Grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes.
- 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.
- Plan work on orders so that items served together are finished at the same time.
- Restock kitchen supplies, rotate food, and stamp the time and date on food in coolers.
- Take orders from customers and cook foods requiring short preparation times, according to customer requirements.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for cooks, short order
- Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 3 to 6 months (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: -5.2% over ten years, declining · about 17,400 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay cooks, short order
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $46,630 |
| Massachusetts | $44,290 |
| California | $42,930 |
| Washington | $42,760 |
| District of Columbia | $42,450 |
| Texas | $25,320 |
| Indiana | $21,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $19,910 |
See cooks, short order pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Cooks, Restaurant
- Cooks, Fast Food
- Food Preparation Workers
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
- Bakers
- Butchers and Meat Cutters
- Cooks, Private Household
- Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Chefs and Head Cooks
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.