CDCareer Decision

Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in CA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Fast Food and Counter Workers in CA have a median annual salary of $42,280, with 449,840 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $35,530 at the 10th percentile to $47,950 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$42,280

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$20.33

Employment

449,840

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$35,530
10th
$36,790
25th
$42,280
Median
$44,970
75th
$47,950
90th

Local compared with national

CA

$42,280

Median annual · 2025

United States

$31,200

Median annual · 2025

The CA median is 35.5% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $11,080).

Top skills

  1. 1.Active ListeningImportance 3.0
  2. 2.Social PerceptivenessImportance 3.0
  3. 3.CoordinationImportance 3.0
  4. 4.Service OrientationImportance 3.0
  5. 5.MonitoringImportance 2.9
  6. 6.SpeakingImportance 2.6
  7. 7.Critical ThinkingImportance 2.5
  8. 8.Reading ComprehensionImportance 2.4
  9. 9.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 2.4
  10. 10.Time ManagementImportance 2.4
  11. 11.WritingImportance 2.0
  12. 12.MathematicsImportance 2.0

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
Less than a High School Diploma
Experience
None
Job zone
2

Technology used

  • Aldelo Systems Aldelo for Restaurants Pro
  • Compris software
  • Facebook
  • Foodman Home-Delivery
  • Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale
  • Menu and nutrition database software
  • MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • NCR Advanced Checkout Solution
  • NCR NeighborhoodPOS
  • Plexis Software Plexis POS
  • Quizlet
  • RestaurantPlus PRO

Common tasks

  • Balance receipts and payments in cash registers.
  • Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
  • Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
  • Request and record customer orders, and compute bills, using cash registers, multi-counting machines, or pencil and paper.
  • Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
  • Serve food, beverages, or desserts to customers in such settings as take-out counters of restaurants or lunchrooms, business or industrial establishments, hotel rooms, and cars.
  • Monitor and order supplies or food items, and restock as necessary to maintain inventory.
  • Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping, mopping, and washing dishes, to keep equipment and facilities sanitary.
  • Brew coffee and tea, and fill containers with requested beverages.
  • Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in other locations

Other occupations in CA