Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
Machines can already do 26% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 66%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 26% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2032, and 66% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 31,250 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $41,590 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 73% for contact with people.
- Also called: Cooker Operator, Food Production Worker, Fryer Operator, Kettle Fry Cook Operator.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tend or operate and control equipment, such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, and boilers, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing | 18% | 20% to 60% | |
| Clean, wash, and sterilize equipment and cooking area, using water hoses, cleaning or sterilizing solutions, or rinses | 15% | 20% to 60% | |
| Observe gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjust controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients | 14% | 30% to 75% | |
| Measure or weigh ingredients, using scales or measuring containers | 7% | 20% to 60% | |
| Pour, dump, or load prescribed quantities of ingredients or products into cooking equipment, manually or using a hoist | 7% | 20% to 60% | |
| Record production and test data, such as processing steps, temperature and steam readings, cooking time, batches processed, and test results | 6% | 70% to 95% | |
| Remove cooked material or products from equipment | 6% | 20% to 60% | |
| Set temperature, pressure, and time controls, and start conveyers, machines, or pumps | 4% | 30% to 75% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills food cooking machine operators and tenders use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders64% of tasks by 2035 · US median $47,920
- Print Binding and Finishing Workers63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $42,290
- Tire Builders60% of tasks by 2035 · US median $57,390
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders65% of tasks by 2035 · US median $48,990
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2032. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of food cooking machine operators and tenders?
Machines can do 26% of the tasks of food cooking machine operators and tenders today and 66% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 51-3093.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/food-cooking-machine-operators-and-tenders/