Tim Cook Once Talked About His Burger-Flipping Days and the Friends That Made Fun of Him: 'My Upbringing

Apple Inc.

CEO Tim Cook once opened up about his unlikely journey from a small-town teenager flipping burgers at a local fast-food restaurant to leading one of the world’s most valuable companies, revealing how those early jobs shaped his lifelong work ethic.

Tim Cook’s First Job Was Flipping Burgers For $1.10 An Hour During a 2025 appearance on the "Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware" podcast, Cook recalled starting work at a young age, first delivering newspapers before taking a job at a restaurant called Tasty Freeze.

Cook said he began flipping burgers when he was around 14 or 15 years old, wearing a hat and apron while earning about $1.10 an hour.

The Apple CEO said Tasty Freeze was the only fast-food spot in town, making it a popular gathering place for locals.