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Hospitals and Health Systems
Mayo Clinic, HCA Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente
Food Preparation Workers
Food preparation workers keep kitchens moving by washing, cutting, storing, and assembling food while also cleaning up the tools and work areas cooks depend on. The job is distinct because it mixes basic food prep with strict cleanliness and timing, especially in places like hospitals and cafeterias where trays may need to match special diets. The tradeoff is clear: the job is easy to enter and always needed, but the pay is modest and the work is repetitive, physical, and often behind the scenes.
Also known as Food Prep WorkerKitchen Prep WorkerFood Service WorkerKitchen HelperPrep Cook
Median Salary
$34,220
Mean $33,940
U.S. Workforce
~889K
148K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-3.4%
902.7K to 871.8K
Entry Education
No formal educational credential
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Food Preparation Workers sits in the Hospitality category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~889K workers, with a median annual pay of $34,220 and roughly 148K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 902.7 K in 2024 to 871.8K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with No formal educational credential, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Kitchen Utility Worker and can progress toward Kitchen Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Food Safety, Sanitation & HACCP Basics, Knife Skills & Food Prep Equipment, and Temperature Logs & Safe Food Storage, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Service Orientation, and Time Management.
Core Responsibilities
- Wash, peel, slice, and trim ingredients so cooks can use them right away.
- Bring food, pans, utensils, and small equipment from storage to prep and cooking areas.
- Clean counters, tools, dishes, and other kitchen surfaces so the space stays sanitary.
- Take out trash, empty waste bins, and keep garbage areas from backing up.
Keep exploring: more Hospitality careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Wash, peel, slice, and trim ingredients so cooks can use them right away.
02 Bring food, pans, utensils, and small equipment from storage to prep and cooking areas.
03 Clean counters, tools, dishes, and other kitchen surfaces so the space stays sanitary.
04 Take out trash, empty waste bins, and keep garbage areas from backing up.
05 Put food into the right containers, store it properly, and check temperatures to help prevent spoilage.
06 Assemble meal trays or plates based on the order or the customer’s special dietary needs.
Industries That Hire
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Restaurants and Fast Casual Chains
McDonald's, Chipotle, Panera Bread
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School and College Dining
Sodexo, Aramark, Compass Group
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Senior Living and Long-Term Care
Brookdale Senior Living, Atria Senior Living, Genesis Healthcare
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Hotels and Resorts
Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt
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Grocery and Prepared Foods
Whole Foods Market, Kroger, Wegmans
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can usually get started without a degree, and BLS lists no formal educational credential plus short-term training as the typical entry route.
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There are about 148.0K annual openings, so employers hire regularly even when the overall occupation is shrinking.
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The work can move across settings such as restaurants, hospitals, schools, and hotels because the core tasks are similar.
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Daily tasks are concrete and easy to measure: prep the food, keep supplies moving, and keep everything clean and safe.
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It can be a practical stepping stone into prep cook, line cook, or kitchen supervisor jobs if you build speed and reliability.
Challenges
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Pay is modest for the amount of physical work, with mean annual earnings of $33,940 and a median of $34,220.
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Employment is projected to fall by 3.4% from 2024 to 2034, a drop of 30.9K jobs, so the field is not expanding.
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The job is physically demanding because it involves standing for long periods, lifting supplies, and repeating the same motions all shift.
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A lot of the work is routine and tightly assigned, so there is limited day-to-day autonomy compared with more skilled kitchen jobs.
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There is a real career ceiling: many workers need to move into cooking or supervision to earn much more, and some prep tasks are vulnerable to automation or centralized food production.
Career Progression
Kitchen Utility Worker
0-1 years
$28K-$32K
New workers focus on washing, hauling supplies, and keeping the kitchen clean while learning basic food-safety habits.
Food Preparation Worker
1-3 years
$31K-$37K
At this level, workers handle routine prep, storage, sanitation, and tray assembly with less supervision.
Lead Prep Cook THIS ROLE
3-6 years
$37K-$45K
Experienced workers move faster, help coordinate prep tasks, and may train newer staff or handle more complex kitchen assignments.
Kitchen Supervisor
6-10 years
$45K-$58K
Supervisors oversee prep flow, sanitation checks, staffing coverage, and compliance with kitchen standards.
Education Paths
No formal educational credential
This is the usual entry point, and workers can often start without any formal credential.
Short-term on-the-job training
Most workers learn the basics this way, with quick training focused on cleaning, prep routines, and food safety.
Less than a high school diploma
A small share of workers, about 2.73%, report this education level, showing that school completion is not always required.
Post-Secondary Certificate
Only about 1.2% of workers report this level, so a certificate can help but is not a common requirement.
Key Skills
Technical
Food Safety, Sanitation & HACCP Basics 74%
Knife Skills & Food Prep Equipment 69%
Temperature Logs & Safe Food Storage 66%
Commercial Kitchen Equipment & Small Appliances 62%
Portioning & Tray Assembly for Special Diets 60%
Inventory Rotation, Labeling & Waste Control 57%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningService OrientationTime ManagementCoordinationSpeakingSocial Perceptiveness Job Outlook and Trends
+-3.4%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
148K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 902.7K to 871.8 K over the next decade, representing -3.4% growth. Around 148 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.