
Short order cooking, in the restaurant business, is the preparation of foods that are quick to cook. Many small restaurants serve only short-order items, which include
fried,
broiled,
griddled foods, as well as assembled foods like sandwiches. Short order cooking is common at
greasy spoon and
diner
A diner is a small, inexpensive restaurant found across the United States, as well as in Canada and parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a com ...
restaurants.
A cook responsible for short order cooking is a short order cook. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics defines the role of short order cooks as those who, "Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables," and it specifically excludes
fast food
Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheated or precooked ingredien ...
cooks.
As of May 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there were more than 150,000 short order cooks in the United States.
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Notes
Cooking
Restaurant terminology
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