Mostly Resilient
Last Update: 6/19/2026
AI Resilience Score for Cooks, Restaurant:
61.7%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
Med
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
High
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Low
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
There are a reasonable number of sources for this result, but there is some disagreement between them.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forCooks, Restaurant
$36,830 median salary•250,700 annual openings•SOC Code: 35-2014.00
Cooks, Restaurant are somewhat more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 7 sources.
Restaurant cooking is labeled "Mostly Resilient" because while AI and robotics are taking over the more repetitive tasks (like frying, portioning, and monitoring food freshness), the heart of the job still depends on deeply human skills like creativity, flavor judgment, and hospitality that machines simply cannot replicate. Tools like robotic fry stations are being added to kitchens to help with labor shortages, not to push cooks out entirely, so the role is shifting rather than disappearing.
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Restaurant cooking is labeled "Mostly Resilient" because while AI and robotics are taking over the more repetitive tasks (like frying, portioning, and monitoring food freshness), the heart of the job still depends on deeply human skills like creativity, flavor judgment, and hospitality that machines simply cannot replicate. Tools like robotic fry stations are being added to kitchens to help with labor shortages, not to push cooks out entirely, so the role is shifting rather than disappearing.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreAnalysis of Current AI Resilience
Cooks, Restaurant
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Cooks, Restaurant jobs?
Good news first: AI is showing up in restaurant kitchens, but it's mostly helping cooks rather than replacing them. According to a National Restaurant Association report released in February 2026 [1], about 26% of restaurant operators say they are using AI-related tools, but the top uses are marketing (19% of full-service operators) and administrative tasks (10%) — not actual cooking. On the line, the big story is robotic fry stations like Miso Robotics' Flippy, which is now able to fry and portion more than 40 menu items and reduce staff interactions with the machinery by 90% at chains such as White Castle.
Other innovations highlighted by the NRA's Kitchen Innovations Awards [2] include Manitowoc's NEO ice machine, which tracks ice-making cycles and alerts the user when it's time to change the filter, and AI scanners that monitor leftovers and freshness. These tools target prep, frying, food-safety, and inventory tasks — the more repetitive parts of a cook's job — while leaving recipe judgment, plating, and creativity to humans.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Cooks, Restaurant?
Adoption is moving faster than it used to, mainly because owners are desperate for help. A TD Bank survey reported by Nation's Restaurant News [3] found that 54% of operators cited a shrinking labor pool as their biggest concern in attracting and retaining talent in the year ahead, and AI is seen as a possible fix. But progress is bumpy.
Fortune reports [4] that machinery automating some tasks has shown itself to be expensive to build and maintain, let alone scale widely across the food service industry — Kernel's robot restaurant closed, and Sweetgreen sold off its Infinite Kitchen division. Culinary educators at Escoffier Global [5] argue culinary careers remain "future-proof" because tasting, creativity, and hospitality are deeply human skills. So if you love cooking, the path forward is to lean into flavor, judgment, and learning to work with smart kitchen tools — not to fear them.
Sources
Will AI replace Cooks, Restaurant?
No. We don't think AI will replace Cooks, Restaurant, though we do expect the job to change.
Our 61.7% AI Resilience Score reflects a real pattern: AI is entering kitchens, but mostly to handle the repetitive, lower-skill parts of the work. Robotic fry stations like Miso Robotics' Flippy can handle frying and portioning at chains like White Castle, and AI scanners are monitoring food freshness and inventory [2]. About 26% of restaurant operators are using AI-related tools, but the top uses are marketing and admin tasks, not actual cooking [1]. The machinery that does automate cooking tasks has proven expensive to build, maintain, and scale, with some high-profile robot restaurant concepts already shutting down [4].
What stays human is the heart of the job: tasting, adjusting flavors, plating with care, reading a busy kitchen, and connecting with the people you feed. Culinary educators argue these skills are deeply human and genuinely future-proof [5]. Employer demand for restaurant cooks remains strong through 2034, driven partly by a shrinking labor pool that owners are struggling to fill [3]. The economic picture is tighter, so wages and flexibility are worth thinking about as you plan your path. But the job itself is not going away.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Cooks, Restaurant
For aspiring cooks, these articles highlight the growing role of AI in the restaurant industry. For instance, the piece on quick serve restaurants reveals how AI robots can alleviate high turnover rates by taking on demanding fry station tasks, potentially allowing cooks to focus on more creative aspects of cooking. Meanwhile, the Dubai restaurant showcases an AI chef crafting innovative dishes, suggesting that cooks can leverage technology to enhance their culinary skills and efficiency. Embracing AI can lead to new opportunities and resilience in a rapidly evolving job market.
A robot fried this rice? Okanagan restaurant embraces AI-powered help in the kitchen
www.cbc.ca • 5/20/2026
Would you be interested in eating a meal prepared by an AI-powered robot chef? If you happen to find yourself in Vernon, B.C.,...
6 Ways AI Will Impact Restaurants in 2026
foodinstitute.com • 1/20/2026
AI is shifting from pilot projects to full scale deployment in restaurants, reshaping kitchen workflows and pricing to fraud prevention.
High Turnover and Dangerous: Why Major Quick Serve Restaurant Chains are Replacing Fry Cooks with an AI Robot
www.qsrweb.com • 11/18/2025
Los Angeles, CA– Your fry station is costing you $86,000 a year. Or more. That's not hyperbole. With 144% annual labor turnover,...
The Hot New Dubai Restaurant Run by an AI Chef
www.bloomberg.com • 11/17/2025
On a slow afternoon a few years ago, Dubai restaurateur Ahmet Oytun Cakir was in his office considering menu inspiration.
‘AI cannot taste the way a chef can’: are chatbots a threat to fine dining?
www.theguardian.com • 8/16/2023
Artificial intelligence could take personalized service a new, possibly sinister level – but can it really replace a chef?
More Career Info
Career: Cooks, Restaurant
They prepare and cook food in restaurants, following recipes to make sure meals taste good and are served on time.
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$36,830
Jobs (2024)
1,460,200
Growth (2024-34)
+14.9%
Annual Openings
250,700
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
Less than 5 years
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Bake, roast, broil, and steam meats, fish, vegetables, and other foods.
2
Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
3
Bake breads, rolls, cakes, and pastries.
4
Inspect and clean food preparation areas, such as equipment and work surfaces, or serving areas to ensure safe and sanitary food-handling practices.
5
Observe and test foods to determine if they have been cooked sufficiently, using methods such as tasting, smelling, or piercing them with utensils.
6
Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods.
7
Turn or stir foods to ensure even cooking.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
