Fast Food and Food Court Crew Course (US): Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: Counter, drive-thru and delivery orders

Customers expect speed, but they remember mistakes. Accuracy first, then speed: a wrong order must be remade, which is slower for everyone.

Taking an order

1. Greet the customer quickly, even when busy: "Hi, I'll be right with you."
2. Listen to the whole order and ask about size, sides and drinks.
3. Read the order back before payment, so the customer can catch mistakes.
4. Take payment and give the order number.
5. Check the food against the receipt, hand it off and say thank you.

Use your store's script, but sound natural. If a customer orders "the usual" and you do not know them, simply ask what they would like.

Honest add-ons

Suggest a drink, size or dessert once, with a real reason ("It's cheaper as a combo" only when true), and accept "no". Never add items without asking.

Calories, nutrition and allergies

Under FDA menu labeling rules, restaurants in a chain of 20 or more locations with the same name and substantially the same menu must show calories on menus and menu boards, plus the statement that 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, but calorie needs vary. Written nutrition information (including fat, sodium, sugars, fiber and protein) must be available on request. Learn where your store keeps it.

If a customer asks about an allergen and you are not sure, never guess. Say "Let me check," and get the manager or person in charge.

Drive-thru safety (OSHA)

• Headsets: fit them properly and keep the volume reasonable. Noise-induced hearing loss is preventable, but permanent once it happens.
• Car exhaust contains carbon monoxide. Keep the window closed as much as possible.
• Reaching: do not lean far out or twist while lifting. If a car is too far away, walk the order out if your store allows it.
• Late at night: use drop boxes, and keep the back door locked except for deliveries.

At the counter, keep the register closed when not in use and never count cash in front of customers.

Delivery-app orders

• Match the customer name or order code with the driver before handing over a bag. If they cannot show it, hold the order.
• Check drinks, sauces and napkins; missing small items cause many complaints.
• Seal the bag the way your store requires.

Topic quiz 1: Counter, drive-thru and delivery orders

Lesson 2: Food safety on the line

Where the rules come from

The FDA Food Code is a model code, not one national law. The latest full edition is the 2026 Food Code. States, counties and tribes adopt it in their own rules, and many still use older editions (2022, 2017 or 2013). Your inspector enforces your state or local code, so details can differ. This lesson uses Washington State's food worker manual as an example, so check your own state or local rules.

Hands

Wash for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing 10 to 15 seconds (between fingers, under nails, wrists), then rinse and dry with a paper towel. Wash before putting on gloves, after the restroom, after touching your face or phone, after raw meat or trash, and when you change tasks. Never touch ready-to-eat food (buns, lettuce, cooked fries) with bare hands: use gloves, tongs or deli tissue.

Illness

Tell your manager when you are sick. Washington's manual says: after vomiting or diarrhea, stay away from food until you have had no symptoms for at least 24 hours; with yellow skin or eyes, stay home; with a sore throat and fever or an infected wound you cannot cover, do not work with food; and if diagnosed with hepatitis A, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli or norovirus, do not go to work. FDA calls six highly infectious germs that food workers spread easily the "Big 6".

Time and temperature

Foods that need time and temperature control for safety (TCS), such as cooked chicken, rice and cut tomatoes, must be checked with a thermometer.

Allergens

FDA lists nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame (added by the FASTER Act of 2021). The 2022 Food Code added a rule to tell customers in writing about major allergens in unpackaged food, and it uses the term allergen cross-contact for an allergen getting into food by accident (shared utensils, gloves, surfaces or fryer oil). Change gloves, use clean utensils, and never guess.

Food handler cards: state examples

There is no national food handler card. Examples:

• California: a California Food Handler Card within 30 days of hire, from an ANSI-accredited provider, valid 3 years.
• Texas: many food employees need an accredited food handler course within 60 days of getting the job.
• Illinois: training generally within 30 days of hire; renewal may be needed every 3 years.
• Washington: a food worker card; you may work up to 14 days first if your employer trains you. First card 2 years, renewals 3 years.

Topic quiz 2: Food safety on the line

Lesson 3: Food courts and shared spaces

In a food court, outlets share seating, trash stations and restrooms. Mall management sets tenant rules on hours, deliveries, trash rooms, staff parking and breaks. Ask your manager for these rules and the mall security number on day one.

Cleaning and sanitizing

Cleaning removes dirt and food; sanitizing reduces germs to a safe level. Clean first, then sanitize.

• Keep wiping cloths in sanitizer solution between uses, not in a pocket.
• A common mix is 1 teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water (Washington manual). Measure it, do not add soap, and follow the label of your store's product.
• Check strength with test strips, and change the solution when it is dirty or cloudy.
• Read each chemical's label and Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Never mix bleach and ammonia: it releases toxic gas.

Trash, sharps and glass (OSHA)

• Use wheeled carts and ask for help with heavy bags.
• Never step on a trash bag to squash it: glass or needles may be inside.
• Do not touch a needle. Keep people away and report it.
• Sweep broken glass with a broom and dustpan, never by hand.
• Workers under 18 may not load, operate or unload compactors or balers (with a narrow paper-baler loading exception at 16 and 17).

Food waste

EPA's Wasted Food Scale puts preventing waste, donating and upcycling food at the top. Landfilling, incineration and sending food down the drain are least preferred; food in landfills makes methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Recycling rules differ by city and state, so follow your mall's signs.

Service animals (ADA)

Under the ADA, a service animal is a dog trained to do tasks for a person with a disability. Emotional support dogs are not service animals under the ADA, though some state laws are broader.

• If it is not obvious what the dog does, ask only: Is the dog required because of a disability? What task is it trained to perform?
• Do not ask about the disability, for papers, or for a demonstration.
• Food businesses generally must allow service animals in public areas, even where health codes ban animals.
• Removal is allowed only if the dog is out of control and not corrected, or not housebroken. Still offer to serve the person.

Calling mall security

Call mall security, and 911 when someone is in danger, for fights, threats, a lost child, a suspicious bag or a medical emergency. Give clear facts: where, what, and a description.

Topic quiz 3: Food courts and shared spaces

Lesson 4: Rush hour, stations and teamwork

Before and during the rush

• Stock your station first (packaging, cups, sauces, gloves, sanitizer) so you do not have to leave it.
• Use short callouts: "behind", "hot", "corner". They prevent collisions, burns and spills.
• Speak up early when something runs low.
• Never skip handwashing or glove changes because it is busy.
• Help when you are caught up; ask for help when you fall behind. After the rush, report what went wrong.

Heat, slips and strain (OSHA)

It can reach 105 to 110°F (about 41 to 43°C) in front of hot grills. Drink plenty of water, take cool-down breaks, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and tell a coworker if you feel unwell. For heat stroke (confusion, collapse), call 911 at once and cool the person.

• Wear non-slip, waterproof, closed shoes with laces; not canvas, sandals or open toes.
• Wipe up ice and spills right away and use wet-floor signs.
• Carry heavy jugs with both hands, elbows close to your body.
• When standing for hours, change position often and use anti-fatigue mats.

Teen hours (federal law)

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 14- and 15-year-olds may work only outside school hours, and no more than:

Federal law sets no hour limits for 16- and 17-year-olds in non-hazardous jobs. Where a state law is stricter, the state law applies.

Breaks

Federal law does not require meal or coffee breaks, but short breaks (about 5 to 20 minutes) that an employer gives must be paid. Some states require meal periods: California and Washington require 30 minutes when work lasts more than 5 hours, and Illinois requires 20 minutes for 7.5 continuous hours or more. Many states have no general rule.

Topic quiz 4: Rush hour, stations and teamwork

Lesson 5: Hot equipment, difficult customers and late shifts

Fryers and hot equipment

OSHA says deep fat fryers are the number one cause of burns in restaurant cooking.

• Get trained first. Never pour water or ice into hot oil, do not overfill baskets with frozen food, and keep drinks away.
• Let oil cool before moving or straining it.
• Use oven mitts, not wet towels. Open a steamer standing to the side, top one first.

Grease fires

Never use water. Sound the alarm, call the fire department and activate the hood suppression system. Use a Class K extinguisher (approved for kitchens) only if trained and safe. Never move burning oil.

Equipment teens may not use (federal)

• Ages 14 and 15: fryers only if baskets raise and lower automatically; no baking; no broilers, rotisseries or pressure cookers; filter or carry oil only when it is not above 100°F (38°C); no freezer or meat-cooler work except brief entry. Limited cooking is allowed, such as on grills with no open flame.
• Under 18: no operating or cleaning power-driven meat slicers, grinders, patty-forming machines or commercial mixers; no balers or compactors; most driving is banned, and 17-year-olds who may drive in limited cases cannot make time-sensitive deliveries or drive at night.

Difficult customers

Stay calm, listen, apologize for the problem and offer a fix. Do not argue. If the customer becomes abusive or threatening, step back and get your manager, and call security or 911 if anyone is in danger. OSHA defines workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening behavior at work. Risk factors include exchanging money with the public, working alone and working late at night.

Late shifts and robbery

• Use the drop safe and keep the back door locked.
• Leave together at closing; never leave young workers alone to lock up.
• In a robbery, follow your training: stay calm, comply, and do not resist or chase. Call 911 when safe.

Your OSHA rights

You have the right to a safe workplace, to training in a language you understand, to report injuries, and to file a confidential complaint with OSHA. Retaliation is illegal; file a retaliation complaint within 30 days.

Topic quiz 5: Hot equipment and tough customers