Fast Food Resume Example
Pursuing a career as a fast food worker provides opportunities for career progression and responsibilities involving maintaining clean environment and preparing food orders. To succeed in your applications for fast food worker roles, you'll need a resume that reflects your relevant skills and experience. In this article, we'll explain how to write a winning resume for fast food worker applications that best showcases your skills and experience.
This complete guide to a fast food resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. You'll find valuable tips on writing a resume that best showcases your unique skills and achievements. There is also extensive guidance on how to structure your resume to match the job description, and to reflect your experience levels to impress HR specialists and employers. Read on to access expert insights from Jobseeker that will help you create a winning fast food resume.
Core sections to include in a fast food worker resume
A successful fast food resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections. If you're a candidate without much experience, you may wish to present your resume in a way that draws attention to your most valuable skills. These might not be in traditional work settings, so sections like education, projects, hobbies and skills can be more prominent.
You will have some choice over your resume layout and structure, but be sure to include these sections as the core of your document:
Resume Header
The resume header is the place to add your name and contact details, along with your LinkedIn URL if you have a profile, so employers can find more information about your career journey and skills. You don't typically need to add a photo, or any other personal information to this section. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.
Make sure the email address you list in your header is professional-looking and doesn't contain any inappropriate content such as nicknames or unsuitable language. Opt for an email address based on your name or profession, or a combination of both. Finally, check your contact details before sending your resume, to ensure everything's up-to-date.
Justin Cooper
justin.cooper@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
12 Grimmauld Place, Brooklyn, NY
linkedin․com/in/justin–cooper123
Resume Summary
The next section is the resume summary. The section might also be called 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. This is a brief introduction to you, your key skills and your career achievements and ambitions. While a resume summary focuses on your career achievements and experience, a resume objective typically focuses on your ambitions for the future. However, make sure you keep your resume summary short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description.
Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.
A strong resume summary focuses on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for fast food worker roles in a clear, quantifiable way. It also gives an insight into your personal qualities, to help the reader understand why you're a suitable candidate. See below for some great examples of what to include in your fast food resume summary.
Dedicated and customer-focused Quick Service Restaurant Team Member with hands-on experience in high-volume fast food environments. Proficient in order taking, food preparation, and maintaining cleanliness standards. Strong teamwork and multitasking abilities, committed to delivering exceptional service and ensuring customer satisfaction
Worked in a place where food is served quickly. Took orders and helped make food. Kept things clean. Worked with others and did many things at once. Tried to make sure people were happy with their experience
Conversely, a bad resume summary might be too generic, lacking focus on the specifics of the job description. It will also fail to provide any useful insights on what makes you a unique candidate. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your fast food resume summary
Hard and Soft Skills
Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for fast food worker jobs. These could be time management proficiency, time management skills or various other relevant skills. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for fast food worker positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.
How to list hard skills on your fast food resume
In your hard skills list, include any specific abilities related to the role you're applying for. These could be technical skills or industry knowledge that showcases your expertise in your chosen profession. Furthermore, these skills are essential for a fast food resume as they showcase your expertise in the field. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.
The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a fast food resume below.
- Food preparation techniques
- POS system operation
- Inventory management skills
How to list soft skills on your fast food resume
In your list of soft skills, add any personal strengths, qualities or transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job. Soft skills are often less specific to different industries, but that doesn't make them any less important. In fact, as technology develops, soft skills are growing in importance for recruiters and employers, so be sure to add several of these to your resume. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in the job description.
Your soft skills section should make the most of your unique personal qualities and strengths, while also reflecting the requirements laid out in the job description. See below for some examples of useful soft skills for a fast food worker resume.
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Effective communication skills
- Problem-solving abilities
Education
The education section provides space to list your highest and most recent academic achievements that are relevant to working as a fast food worker.
While a degree isn't usually a requirement for a fast food worker position, it's still recommended to list your highest or most relevant qualifications. If you have a recognized qualification, such as Cash Handling Certification, list these here. Any educational achievements that show food preparation techniques or customer service excellence can be useful for this section.
For each entry in this section, add the name and level of your qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study. Include bullet points to show any specialist modules you studied, awards or exceptional grades and achievements that can set you apart from other candidates. These will all contribute to creating a positive impression on employers.
Membership or leadership of any societies, clubs or causes while studying can also make a positive impression on hiring managers. Consider adding these to your education section for more insight into how you used your time as a student.
Associate of Applied Science in Hospitality Management, 2017 - 2020
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
Relevant Certifications and Licenses
Under this section, list any relevant certifications or licenses that are relevant to fast food worker jobs. These could be professional accreditations and licenses, or certifications that improve your level of suitability for the position. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.
Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a fast food resume:
- Food Safety Certification, 2022
- Customer Service Training, 2022
- Cash Handling Certification, 2022
Work Experience
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a fast food worker. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.
For each job listed in this section, add some bullet points so the employer can understand the skills you developed, and your achievements. Focus on showcasing the impact you made on the organization, and show evidence of how you made a difference.
A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.
Quick Service Restaurant Team Member, January 2022 - Present
SwiftBite Express, Virginia Beach
- Improved drive-thru efficiency by 25%, reducing average wait time from 5 to 3.75 minutes within six months
- Trained 15 new employees, enhancing team performance and maintaining a 95% customer satisfaction rating
- Managed inventory with 98% accuracy, minimizing waste and contributing to cost savings of $5,000 annually
Quick Service Restaurant Team Member, January 2022 - Present
SwiftBite Express, Virginia Beach
- Enhanced customer service skills, ensuring a positive dining experience for all patrons
- Contributed to team success through effective collaboration and communication
- Supported daily operations, maintaining a smooth and efficient workflow
In the graphic above, you'll see some examples of less effective resume work experience sections. Less effective resume work experience sections might take a more vague, descriptive approach to previous jobs. They focus on responsibilities and everyday duties rather than referencing career achievements and the value you've added for previous employers.
Jobseeker Tip:
Tailor your resume to the job by including keywords from the job description and focusing on skills that align directly with the role’s requirements. (1) Use a professional layout with consistent headings and formatting to ensure your resume stands out visually. (2)
Optional Sections
To provide further information on your suitability for the role, you could add some optional sections to a fast food worker resume. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.
Personal Hobbies and Interests
Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Only include hobbies and interests that showcase your personality and personal qualities, and add something different to your application.
Voluntary Work
Adding voluntary roles can be a useful way of showing relevant experience and skills for fast food worker roles beyond your main employment history. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.
References
References aren't a standard fast food resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Include a maximum of three professional references, being sure to check with your referees before including them in your resume.
Please contact me for a list of references.
Best action words for your fast food resume
Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.
- Serve
- Prepare
- Cook
- Clean
- Greet
- Assemble
- Handle
- Operate
- Stock
- Assist
Jobseeker's clean, attractive resume formats can help your applications make a strong impression on employers. Check them out for help designing a winning resume, and see our cover letter templates to help win over recruiters and hiring managers.
Example of a fast food resume
The fast food resume example below incorporates all the information from above into a full-designed resume template, so you can see how a final resume will look:
12 Grimmauld Place, Brooklyn, NY
•
justin.cooper@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/justin–cooper123
Efficient and customer-focused Quick Service Restaurant Team Member with experience in fast-paced environments. Skilled in food preparation, order accuracy, maintaining cleanliness, and providing excellent customer service. Proven ability to work collaboratively with team members and handle multiple tasks simultaneously. Recognized for reliability, punctuality, and a positive attitude.
Quick Service Restaurant Team Member
2020
-2022
SpeedyBites Diner (Henderson)
- Improved order accuracy by 15% through meticulous attention to detail and streamlined communication with kitchen staff
- Increased customer satisfaction scores by 20% by consistently delivering friendly and efficient service
- Trained and mentored 10 new team members, enhancing team performance and reducing onboarding time by 30%
Food preparation techniques
POS system operation
Inventory management skills
Teamwork and collaboration
Effective communication skills
Problem-solving abilities
Food Safety Certification
Customer Service Training
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Best practices for a fast food resume
- Write a compelling resume summary or objective to introduce yourself and your key fast food worker skills.
- Use a professional resume format with clear headings, a defined structure and consistent margins for optimum readability.
- Quantify your achievements and show evidence of how you've used your skills to bring positive outcomes in your career to date.
- Use strong verbs to help show the actions you've taken in different fast food worker roles (e.g. stock, assist, serve).
- Proofread your resume before sending it, to avoid any unnecessary mistakes that may harm your chances.
- Don't use passive language - avoid phrases like 'I was tasked with' and use strong action verbs instead.
- Don't mention hobbies or interests unless they help you prove a skill required for the role, that you haven't included elsewhere.
- Don't forget to keep your header up-to-date with every application, to make sure you don't include old contact information.
- Don't fill your resume with unnecessary details. Focus everything on showing you're right for the job.
- Don't use jargon or acronyms when you can use simple, straightforward language to say the same thing.
Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are increasingly taking responsibility for the management and processing of job applications, helping hiring practices to become more efficient. This can include screening resumes by scanning and ranking each application according to how closely it matches the job description. When drafting your fast food resume, there are a few guidelines to follow to give you the best chance of passing the ATS screening stage and progressing with your application.
Follow these simple rules when writing your resume, to make sure it's ATS compliant:
- Choose a resume structure that matches the traditional, reverse-chronological layout or alternatively, the functional resume structure. This should make your resume more readable for ATS applications.
- Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
- Use clear headings that break your resume up into readable, scannable sections that match the standard content employers expect from a resume.
- Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
- Adopt simple, professional language to keep your resume as concise as possible. This tends to make your document more readable, and easier for ATS software to scan.
If you need help creating a professional resume, take a look at our expert career articles and variety of resume examples created by careers experts.
A fast food resume FAQs
Now that you know how to write a professional fast food resume, you might also want to learn how to write an accompanying cover letter that makes a similar impact.
Firstly, think about whether you want to write a full, formal cover letter or whether a brief email to introduce yourself and draw attention to your resume will suffice.
A full, formal cover letter follows a traditional letter-writing structure and format. Add your header, the recipient's address an use professional greetings and sign-offs. In your first paragraph, introduce yourself and confirm the role you're applying for, along with your reasons for applying. Next, outline your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to the fast food worker job description. Finish by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and adding a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to contact you for further information.
Jobseeker's HR-approved cover letter templates can help you produce a cover letter that really catches the eye of employers.
As an experienced fast food worker, you'll want your resume to showcase all of your relevant experience and achievements. As a fast food worker with a wealth of experience, you'll want to showcase this in your work history section. Consider going back beyond the standard 10 to 15 years of employment history to show employers your experience levels. In your fast food resume, think about any optional sections you could add to help prove your standing and reputation in your industry. Sections such as awards, achievements and projects can build a picture of your career successes to date.
If you want to create a strong first impression in your fast food worker application, a resume headline can help. Resume headlines are also a powerful way of increasing your resume's chances of passing the ATS stage. They reference the job title and some of the keywords that match the job description. Write a short, snappy heading for your resume including the job title and a reference to your experience, your track record or one or two of your key skills.
Here's an example of a strong resume headline:
- Aspiring Fast Food Service Professional
- Efficient and Reliable Fast Food Worker
- Experienced Fast Food Team Leader
The best format for your resume depends on two key factors. Firstly, the amount of relevant work experience you have. Secondly, the type of role and its level of seniority. If you're applying for a junior position or changing careers, you might want to consider a functional resume. This highlights your skills and education over your work experience. On the other hand, if you're experienced in your industry or applying for senior positions, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format is usually best. This places most emphasis on your work experience.
Key takeaways for your fast food resume
The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Pick a resume format that matches your experience levels, and tailor the content of your resume to reflect the details of the job description.
Using the professional resume templates and resources of Jobseeker can help you create a great-looking resume that stands out from other applicants. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started. To make the best possible impression with your applications, write a cover letter with the help of Jobseeker. You can also find plenty of expert-designed cover letter examples for inspiration.
Sources:
(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
