Food Preparation Workers
Career, Salary and Education Information
What They Do: Food preparation workers perform many routine tasks under the direction of cooks, chefs, or food service managers.
Work Environment: Food preparation workers are employed in restaurants, hotels, and other places where food is served, such as cafeterias, grocery stores, hospitals, and schools. They often work early mornings, late evenings, weekends, or holidays. Many food preparation workers work part time.
How to Become One: Food preparation workers learn through short-term on-the-job training, usually lasting several weeks. No formal education or previous work experience is required.
Salary: The median hourly wage for food preparation workers was $16.98 in May 2025.
Job Outlook: Employment of food preparation workers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of food preparation workers with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as a food preparation worker with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Food Preparation Worker Jobs
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Food Service Workers - Urgent Hiring!
- JobleticsPro
- Prosper,TX
NOW HIRING MANY POSITIONS! Forward your resume today for further review. Work today, paid tomorrow after setup. Jobletics by Compunnel is seeking...
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Cook $22/hr
- gategroup
- Dallas,TX
We're looking for motivated, engaged people to help make everyone's journeys better. Job Summary: A Head Cook is responsible for preparing and cooking various food items according to recipes...
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0382 - Food Safety Team Member - General Labor (Night)
- Fortrex
- Dallas,TX
We are seeking a meticulous and dedicated Food Safety Sanitor to join our team and ensure the highest standards of cleanliness and safety in our food production processes. If you are committed to maintaining a safe and sanitary environment, apply...
What Food Preparation Workers Do[About this section] [To Top]
Food preparation workers perform many routine tasks under the direction of cooks, chefs, or food service managers. Food preparation workers prepare cold foods, slice meat, peel and cut vegetables, brew coffee or tea, and perform many other food service tasks.
Duties of Food Preparation Workers
Food preparation workers typically do the following:
- Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, and dishes
- Weigh or measure ingredients, such as meats and liquids
- Prepare fruit and vegetables for cooking
- Cut meats, poultry, and seafood and prepare them for cooking
- Mix ingredients for salads
- Store food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage
- Take and record the temperature of food and food storage areas
- Place food trays over food warmers for immediate service
Food preparation workers perform routine, repetitive tasks under the direction of cooks, chefs, or food service managers. To help cooks and other kitchen staff, they prepare ingredients for dishes by slicing and dicing vegetables and by making salads and cold food items. Other common duties include keeping salad bars and buffet tables stocked and clean.
Food preparation workers retrieve pots and pans, clean and store kitchen equipment, and unload and store food supplies. When needed, they retrieve food and equipment for cooks and chefs. In some kitchens, food preparation workers use a variety of commercial kitchen equipment, such as commercial dishwashers, blenders, slicers, or grinders.
In restaurants, workers stock and use soda machines, coffeemakers, and espresso machines to prepare beverages for customers.
Work Environment for Food Preparation Workers[About this section] [To Top]
Food preparation workers hold about 817,400 jobs. The largest employers of food preparation workers are as follows:
| Restaurants and other eating places | 50% |
| Food and beverage stores | 22% |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 6% |
| Special food services | 5% |
The work is often strenuous. Food preparation workers may stand for hours at a time while cleaning or preparing ingredients. Some may be required to lift and carry heavy pots or unload heavy food supplies.
The fast-paced environment in kitchens can be hectic and stressful, especially during peak dining hours. Therefore, food preparation workers must work well with cooks and other kitchen staff so that dishes are prepared properly and on time.
Injuries and Illnesses for Food Preparation Workers
Food preparation areas in kitchens often have potential safety hazards, such as hot ovens and slippery floors. As a result, food preparation workers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. The most common hazards include slips, falls, cuts, and burns, but these injuries are seldom serious. To reduce risks, workers often wear gloves, aprons, and nonslip shoes.
Food Preparation Worker Schedules
Many food preparation workers work part time. Because many restaurants are open extended hours, working early mornings, late evenings, weekends, or holidays is common. Those who work in school cafeterias may have hours that are more regular and may work only during the school year, usually for 9 or 10 months. Some resorts offer seasonal employment.
How to Become a Food Preparation Worker[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Food Preparation Workers near you!
Food preparation workers typically learn through on-the-job training. No formal education or previous work experience is required.
Education for Food Preparation Workers
There are no formal education requirements for becoming a food preparation worker.
Food Preparation Worker Training
Most food preparation workers learn through short-term on-the-job training, usually lasting several weeks. Trainees typically start by working under the supervision of an experienced worker, who teaches them basic kitchen duties. Training also may include basic sanitation and workplace safety regulations, as well as instructions on how to handle and prepare food.
Important Qualities for Food Preparation Workers
Dexterity. Food preparation workers chop vegetables, cut meat, and perform many other tasks with sharp knives. They must have the ability to work quickly and safely with sharp objects.
Listening skills. Food preparation workers must understand customers' orders and follow directions from cooks, chefs, or food service managers.
Physical stamina. Food preparation workers stand on their feet for long periods while they prepare food, clean work areas, or lift heavy pots from the stove.
Physical strength. Food preparation workers should be strong enough to lift and carry heavy food supply boxes, which often can weigh up to 50 pounds.
Advancement for Food Preparation Workers
Advancement opportunities for food preparation workers depend on their training and work experience. Many food preparation workers advance to assistant or line cook positions as they learn basic cooking skills.
Food Preparation Worker Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
Salary and job outlook data updated October 2026 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (May 2025 wages, 2025-35 employment projections).
The median hourly wage for food preparation workers was $16.98 in May 2025. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $12.41, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $21.80.
In May 2025, the median hourly wages for food preparation workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| General merchandise retailers | $18.66 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 17.89 |
| Grocery and specialty food retailers | 17.26 |
| Food services and drinking places | 16.67 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 16.62 |
Part-time work is common for food preparation workers. Work schedules may vary to include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, or holidays.
Those in school cafeterias may have more regular hours and may work only during the academic year, usually 9 or 10 months. In establishments that offer seasonal employment, food preparation workers may be hired for only a few months each year.
Job Outlook for Food Preparation Workers[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of food preparation workers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline.
About 135,700 openings for food preparation workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Restaurants and cafeterias may customize their food orders from wholesalers and distributors in an effort to lower costs. For example, they may order prewashed, precut, or preseasoned ingredients, which is expected to reduce the need for food preparation workers. Additionally, some establishments prefer to employ fast food and counter workers, who both prepare and serve food to customers, which also may reduce the need for food preparation workers.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2025 | Projected Employment, 2035 | Change, 2025-35 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Food preparation workers | 908,500 | 881,300 | -3 | -27,200 |
More Food Preparation Worker Information[About this section] [To Top]
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A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.