You can hardly drive down any busy street without seeing some type of fast food restaurant. These are very common across most cities and towns. This abundance of them is just one reason for the large amount of employment opportunities in this industry.

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Another reason is because it is a common place for high school kids and young adults to work is because of the limited requirement of education required to obtain work in this business. There is much flexibility in the hours for the employees to work.

The last reason this is the case is because of an increase in popularity and convenience of these facilities. This means that there will always be a need for employees, especially as their current employees move onto other fields of career opportunities.

This can be an ideal location for employment for high school and college students to work, as well as other adults that need a second job for extra income. The flexible hours make it a great option for those who need to work around various other schedules.

This industry will always be a necessary one, because people love the convenience of it. That translates to job security in the long run, which people will find appealing when starting their search for employment.

Job Opportunities

Here are some of the employment opportunities that you can find within this industry:

Cashier: The primary functions of this position are to handle the orders and receive payment from the customers. Often times they are also the ones who will bag the food and get the beverages for customers. The cashier position requires the employee to constantly be at the station and will mean that you are on your feet basically your entire shift. When there are no customers, they are also the people who generally tidy up the dining area and your counter. To be a cashier, no education is required. All that is required is knowledge of returning correct change to customers. Training is usually done on the job for this. The average hourly pay is around $8-$9.

Fast-Food Cook: This is the person who cooks the food. They run the broiler, grill, fryer, and ovens. They often cook most of the food beforehand to ensure they can keep up with rushes if needed. There is no education level required to obtain a position like this. However, having a position like this can be very intensive. The cook stands in front of all the cooking surfaces. That means long hours on your feet while dealing with heat, which can be especially uncomfortable during the warm weather. While no education is required, some places like the cooks to have certifications in safe food preparation. The only training required is on the job training. On average, the hourly wage is around $9.

Food Preparation Worker: These people are the ones who get items like specialty drinks that the customer might order. They are responsible for preparing salads, sandwiches and soups for the customers. When there is downtime, they also are supposed to help clean and maintain the back area, as well as the dining area. There is no education required to be a food preparation worker and only on the job training is required. The hourly pay for this position is around $8-$9.

Managers: The managers are responsible for running daily operations of the restaurant. They are in charge of scheduling, handling displeased customers, and training employees. They also are responsible for supervising, hiring and firing the employees. Managers also fill in when short-handed or if the restaurant is busy and the staff is having difficulties keeping up. They help clean the restaurant. The managers are also usually among the last to leave, but have to make sure everything is cleaned properly and turned off before leaving. Generally this position requires a high school degree, but nothing more but experience in the field in addition. Often times it is preferred to have a higher level degree, but this is not necessary. The hourly pay being a manager in this field can be anywhere around $9-$12.

Job Outlook

The fast food industry is expected to have an increase of growth at around 8% from 2008-2018. This is less than the average of 11% growth in most other industries. This field is exceptional for people out looking for employment for the first time, and has a high turnover rate as employees find higher paying opportunities elsewhere. For this reason, this field always has openings for new employees.