What is a fry cook and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
introduction image

A Fry cook is a person that works in fast food firms frying sausages and making other fast food delicacies. He/She does deep fry cooking for restaurants with the use of a deep fryer. Dishes such as french fries and fried chicken are dishes prepared in a deep fryer. As a fry cook, one of your responsibilities includes maintenance of the deep fryer to make sure it is working correctly. Another of your duties is to prepare the food for frying.

You are also to ensure that the food doesn't overcook and must always keep the work area clean. A high school diploma at least is preferred for this role. Possessing culinary skills or experience makes you a better candidate for the job. You must also have organizational and time management skills. You should be earning an average of $26,039 per year.

ScoreFry CookUS Average
Salary
2.4

Avg. Salary $30,622

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.2

Growth Rate 16%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.09%

Asian 8.47%

Black or African American 10.49%

Hispanic or Latino 17.00%

Unknown 4.64%

White 58.31%

Gender

female 19.18%

male 80.82%

Age - 37
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37
Stress Level
6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
4.3

Complexity Level is basic

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.4

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Fry Cook career paths

Key steps to become a fry cook

  1. Explore fry cook education requirements

    Most common fry cook degrees

    High School Diploma

    53.4 %

    Associate

    15.7 %

    Diploma

    13.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific fry cook skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Kitchen Equipment23.47%
    Customer Service11.00%
    Safety Standards9.54%
    Deep-Fat Fryers8.62%
    Food Products5.13%
  3. Complete relevant fry cook training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New fry cooks learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a fry cook based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real fry cook resumes.
  4. Research fry cook duties and responsibilities

    • Develop ability to manage multiple stations simultaneously while maintaining high levels of culinary excellence.
    • Grill burgers and used the deep fryers for various foods, clean all equipment at the end of the shift.
    • Bread and cook chicken, fry foods, run and clean fryers, clean coolers, do dishes general utilities.
    • Job responsibilities include preparing and executing dishes, as well as assuming responsibility for cleanliness of restaurant.
  5. Prepare your fry cook resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your fry cook resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a fry cook resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Fry Cook Resume templates

    Build a professional Fry Cook resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Fry Cook resume.
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  6. Apply for fry cook jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a fry cook job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Fry Cook Job

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Average fry cook salary

The average Fry Cook salary in the United States is $30,622 per year or $15 per hour. Fry cook salaries range between $24,000 and $38,000 per year.

Average Fry Cook Salary
$30,622 Yearly
$14.72 hourly

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How do fry cooks rate their job?

4/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Fry Cook reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022
Pros

Because ,I like making sure the dishes etc,food is prepared for customers!!!

Cons

None


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021
Pros

A total time you spend knowing and communicate and get attachment to the clients

Cons

Leaving work when it's time to leave


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

I like being able to work with food and get creative. I enjoy learning new techniques for a set of skills that can be applied outside the workplace.

Cons

It's pretty stressful on the body. I definitely could not see myself doing this the rest of my life; I am 19 and I can admit it's hard work - and I would consider myself in shape. Like dishwashers, I do consider myself underappreciated as well. We don't make very much money - In some cases, the servers make more than us! I think it's because our specific organization doesn't allow the kitchen staff to get tips at all.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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