Mostly Resilient
Last Update: 8/30/2026
AI Resilience Score for Cooks, Restaurant:
59.8%
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.
High
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
$37,390 median salary•218,600 annual openings•SOC Code: 35-2014.00
Cooks, Restaurant are somewhat more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 8 sources.
Cooking in restaurants is "Mostly Resilient" because while AI and robots are handling repetitive tasks like frying and grilling at fast-food chains, the creative and human-centered parts of the job (seasoning to taste, plating dishes beautifully, and leading a kitchen team) still depend entirely on skilled people. The Bureau of Labor Statistics actually projects restaurant cook employment to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than most other careers, with more than 200,000 new jobs expected to be added.
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Cooking in restaurants is "Mostly Resilient" because while AI and robots are handling repetitive tasks like frying and grilling at fast-food chains, the creative and human-centered parts of the job (seasoning to taste, plating dishes beautifully, and leading a kitchen team) still depend entirely on skilled people. The Bureau of Labor Statistics actually projects restaurant cook employment to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than most other careers, with more than 200,000 new jobs expected to be added.
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Cooks, Restaurant
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Cooks, Restaurant jobs?
If you love cooking, here's some good news: AI is showing up in restaurant kitchens mostly as a helper, not a replacement. The National Restaurant Association's 2025 tech panel [1] highlighted four main AI use cases — taking phone orders, optimizing food prep and reducing food waste in the back of the house, managing labor to ensure optimal staffing during peak hours, and tailoring ads to diners — all of which support cooks rather than swap them out. Robotics is advancing too: Miso Robotics' AI-powered Flippy Fry Station robot has surpassed 5 million fried baskets [2] across live restaurant operations, and is now deployed at chains like White Castle and Jack in the Box.
New tools like Aniai's Alpha Grill [3], showcased at the 2026 NRA Show, emphasize that Aniai is not trying to replace kitchen employees, but focused on helping operators create more consistent, higher-throughput grill stations. Industry analysts predict AI is moving from experiment to everyday tool [4], with pilot projects turning into system-wide rollouts in 2026. Tasks like seasoning to taste, plating, and supervising a team still rely heavily on human judgment.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Cooks, Restaurant?
Adoption is picking up but uneven. Fast-food kitchens are moving fastest because repetitive stations (fryers, grills) suit robots, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects [5] that employment of some cooks is projected to decline, however. For example, reduced demand for fast food cooks is expected because of automated systems, employment of workers who both prepare and serve food, and other efforts to streamline operations.
Sit-down restaurants are slower to adopt because menus are varied, equipment is expensive, and diners expect a human touch. Encouragingly for restaurant cooks specifically, BLS projects overall employment of cooks is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034 [5], faster than the average for all occupations, with the restaurant-cook category alone expected to add over 200,000 jobs. Labor shortages actually push operators toward AI to help existing cooks, not eliminate them — Aniai's pitch [3] explicitly targets operators managing labor shortages, employee turnover and increasing pressure to maintain throughput.
Skills like creativity, flavor judgment, and teamwork remain deeply human, which is why culinary schools report students are embracing AI as a tool [6] rather than fearing it. Learn the fundamentals well and you'll stay in demand.
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 59.8% AI Resilience Score reflects a field where technology is arriving fast but landing as a helper. The National Restaurant Association's 2025 tech panel identified AI's main kitchen roles as taking phone orders, reducing food waste, and managing staffing [1]. Robotics like the Flippy Fry Station are handling repetitive fryer work at chains like White Castle [2], and newer tools like Aniai's Alpha Grill are explicitly designed to support cooks managing labor shortages, not eliminate them [3]. Fast-food stations are automating faster than sit-down kitchens, so where you work matters.
What stays human is real: seasoning to taste, plating, supervising a team, and reading a dining room all require judgment that robots genuinely struggle with. BLS projects overall cook employment to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than average, with restaurant cooks expected to add over 200,000 jobs [5]. Culinary students are already treating AI as a tool rather than a threat [6].
The honest caveat is that wages and career flexibility in this field remain limited. AI or not, building strong fundamentals and moving into higher-skill cooking roles is the smartest long-term play.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Cooks, Restaurant
These articles highlight how AI is transforming restaurant careers, particularly for cooks. For instance, in "How AI Is Reshaping The Restaurant Industry," personalized apps and streamlined delivery can enhance customer experiences while reducing waste, allowing cooks to focus more on creativity. Meanwhile, "High Turnover and Dangerous" shows how AI robots are taking over fry stations, potentially lowering labor costs and changing the skills needed for cooks. Embracing AI as a tool can help aspiring cooks adapt and thrive in this evolving landscape, ensuring their resilience in the industry.
Kunal Kapur welcomes artificial intelligence as assisting tool in food industry
enterpriseai.economictimes.indiatimes.com • 5/19/2026
Making AI Work: It helps in creating new recipes and making cooking easier and faster. Celebrity chef Kunal Kapur believes AI is becoming a...
Chinese AI Restaurant Goes Viral For Serving Meals After Reading Diner's Face, Tongue
www.ndtv.com • 4/15/2026
From ordering to serving and cleaning to cooking, robots at AI-powered restaurants are handling almost everything.
How AI Is Reshaping The Restaurant Industry — For Better And Worse
www.thetakeout.com • 1/3/2026
From personalized mobile apps to streamlined delivery and less waste, these are the ways Artificial Intelligence will reshape the restaurant...
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,...
Shanghai dreams of a new era of ‘AI restaurants’. But can diners stomach it?
www.scmp.com • 11/16/2025
The Chinese city aims to pioneer a new age of 'smart dining', where automated kitchens, robot servers and data-driven menus are the norm.
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.
Parent Careers
Similar Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$37,390
Jobs (2025)
1,417,500
Growth (2025-35)
+12.1%
Annual Openings
218,600
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
Less than 5 years
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-2035
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Substitute for or assist other cooks during emergencies or rush periods.
2
Coordinate and supervise work of kitchen staff.
3
Season and cook food according to recipes or personal judgment and experience.
4
Butcher and dress animals, fowl, or shellfish, or cut and bone meat prior to cooking.
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
Carve and trim meats such as beef, veal, ham, pork, and lamb for hot or cold service, or for sandwiches.
7
Portion, arrange, and garnish food, and serve food to waiters or patrons.
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.
