Jobs Similar to Fast Food and Counter Workers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to fast food and counter workers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers, Waiters and Waitresses and Stockers and Order Fillers.
Fast Food and Counter Workers: $31,200 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 81% | $33,980+9% | High school |
| 2 | Waiters and WaitressesSame group | 80% | $35,230+13% | High school |
| 3 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 79% | $37,330+20% | High school |
| 4 | Food Servers, NonrestaurantSame group | 79% | $35,360+13% | High school |
| 5 | Cooks, Fast Food | 79% | $30,890−1% | High school |
| 6 | Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | 77% | $31,2000% | High school |
| 7 | Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers | 76% | $32,910+5% | High school |
| 8 | Cashiers | 76% | $32,880+5% | High school |
| 9 | Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners | 76% | $34,980+12% | High school |
| 10 | BaristasSame group | 76% | $31,200Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 11 | BartendersSame group | 76% | $34,340+10% | High school |
| 12 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | 74% | $40,140+29% | High school |
| 13 | Cooks, Short Order | 74% | $35,880+15% | High school |
| 14 | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 74% | $35,510+14% | High school |
| 15 | Gambling Dealers | 74% | $34,320+10% | High school |
| 16 | Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks | 74% | $35,070+12% | High school |
| 17 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 74% | $37,450+20% | High school |
| 18 | Amusement and Recreation Attendants | 73% | $32,150+3% | High school |
| 19 | Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants | 73% | $36,300+16% | High school |
| 20 | First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers | 73% | $63,820+105% | High school |
- 1Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
81% similar · $33,980 (+9%) · High school
- 2Waiters and Waitresses
80% similar · $35,230 (+13%) · High school · Same group
- 3Stockers and Order Fillers
79% similar · $37,330 (+20%) · High school
- 4Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
79% similar · $35,360 (+13%) · High school · Same group
- 5Cooks, Fast Food
79% similar · $30,890 (−1%) · High school
- 6Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
77% similar · $31,200 (0%) · High school
- 7Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
76% similar · $32,910 (+5%) · High school
- 8Cashiers
76% similar · $32,880 (+5%) · High school
- 9Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners
76% similar · $34,980 (+12%) · High school
- 10Baristas
76% similar · $31,200 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 11Bartenders
76% similar · $34,340 (+10%) · High school · Same group
- 12Butchers and Meat Cutters
74% similar · $40,140 (+29%) · High school
- 13Cooks, Short Order
74% similar · $35,880 (+15%) · High school
- 14Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
74% similar · $35,510 (+14%) · High school
- 15Gambling Dealers
74% similar · $34,320 (+10%) · High school
- 16Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
74% similar · $35,070 (+12%) · High school
- 17Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
74% similar · $37,450 (+20%) · High school
- 18Amusement and Recreation Attendants
73% similar · $32,150 (+3%) · High school
- 19Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants
73% similar · $36,300 (+16%) · High school
- 20First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers
73% similar · $63,820 (+105%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than fast food and counter workers.
- First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers73% similar · $63,820 (+105%)
- Butchers and Meat Cutters74% similar · $40,140 (+29%)
- Stockers and Order Fillers79% similar · $37,330 (+20%)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria74% similar · $37,450 (+20%)
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants73% similar · $36,300 (+16%)
- Cooks, Short Order74% similar · $35,880 (+15%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for fast food and counter workers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where fast food and counter workers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers (91)
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop (87)
- Cooks, Fast Food (86)
- Food Preparation Workers (82)
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (80)
- Cooks, Short Order (79)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (77)
- Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers (76)
- Stockers and Order Fillers (75)
- Gambling Dealers (74)
Questions about jobs like fast food and counter workers
What jobs are most similar to fast food and counter workers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers (81% similar), Waiters and Waitresses (80% similar), Stockers and Order Fillers (79% similar), Food Servers (79% similar) and Cooks (Fast Food) (79% similar).
Which jobs like fast food and counter workers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers ($63,820, +105%; usually a high school diploma), Butchers and Meat Cutters ($40,140, +29%; usually a high school diploma) and Stockers and Order Fillers ($37,330, +20%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with fast food and counter workers ($31,200). Without more preparation than fast food and counter workers usually need: First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers, Butchers and Meat Cutters and Stockers and Order Fillers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.