Restaurant Industry Award pay rates 2026 (Australia)

Employers in the restaurant industry throughout Australia and their employees: restaurants, reception centres, night clubs, cafés and roadhouses, including catering by a restaurant business (clauses 4.1 and 4.2).

Restaurants in hotels, motels or registered clubs (covered by the Hospitality or Clubs awards), fast food, retail, contract caterers, hospitals and in-flight catering, among others (clause 4.4).

From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, after the Annual Wage Review (clause 18.1).

In the consolidated award published by the Fair Work Commission (MA000119); the Fair Work Ombudsman also publishes pay guides.

No. Award rates are minimums. An enterprise agreement or an employment contract can pay more, never less.

The Introductory level: $978.10 per week or $25.74 per hour.

A Cook grade 3 (tradesperson) is Level 4: $1119.10 per week; Cook grade 4 is Level 5 ($1189.40) and Cook grade 5 is Level 6 ($1221.10) (clause 18.1).

Yes. Unless it is unreasonable, an employee may refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from the employer outside working hours (clause 15A and section 333M of the Fair Work Act).

$978.10 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $25.74 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: new employees for up to 3 months while they train for a Level 1 position (clause 18.1 and Schedule A).

$1004.90 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $26.44 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: Food and beverage attendant grade 1 Kitchen attendant grade 1 (clause 18.1 and Schedule A).

$1029.10 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $27.08 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: Food and beverage attendant grade 2 Cook grade 1 Kitchen attendant grade 2 Clerical grade 1 Storeperson grade 1 Door person/security officer grade 1 (clause 18.1 and Schedule A).

$1062.90 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $27.97 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: Food and beverage attendant grade 3 Cook grade 2 Kitchen attendant grade 3 Clerical grade 2 Storeperson grade 2 Timekeeper/security officer grade 2 Handyperson (clause 18.1 and Schedule A).

$1119.10 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $29.45 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: Food and beverage attendant grade 4 (tradesperson) Cook grade 3 (tradesperson) Clerical grade 3 Storeperson grade 3 (clause 18.1 and Schedule A).

$1189.40 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $31.30 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: Food and beverage supervisor Cook grade 4 (tradesperson) Clerical supervisor (clause 18.1 and Schedule A).

$1221.10 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $32.13 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Typical roles: Cook grade 5 (tradesperson) (clause 18.1 and Schedule A).

25 % on top of the minimum hourly rate for each hour worked (clause 11.1).

2 consecutive hours each time the casual is required to attend work (clause 11.3).

Up to 12 hours a day or per shift and 38 hours a week (or an average over a roster cycle of up to 4 weeks); time beyond that is overtime (clauses 11.2 and 11.5).

Yes. Casuals at Introductory level to Level 2 get 150 % on Sunday and casuals at Levels 3 to 6 get 175 %, both including the casual loading (clause 24.2).

Yes. The National Employment Standards provide a pathway to change to full-time or part-time employment (sections 66A to 66MA of the Fair Work Act, referred to in clause 11.6).

$32.18 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (including the 25 % casual loading); $38.61 on Saturday, $38.61 on Sunday and $64.35 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$33.05 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (including the 25 % casual loading); $39.66 on Saturday, $39.66 on Sunday and $66.10 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$33.85 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (including the 25 % casual loading); $40.62 on Saturday, $40.62 on Sunday and $67.70 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$34.96 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (including the 25 % casual loading); $41.96 on Saturday, $48.95 on Sunday and $69.93 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$36.81 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (including the 25 % casual loading); $44.18 on Saturday, $51.54 on Sunday and $73.63 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$39.13 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (including the 25 % casual loading); $46.95 on Saturday, $54.78 on Sunday and $78.25 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$40.16 per hour for ordinary hours Monday to Friday (including the 25 % casual loading); $48.20 on Saturday, $56.23 on Sunday and $80.33 on public holidays (Schedule B).

125 % of the minimum hourly rate for full-time and part-time employees and 150 % for casuals (clause 24.2).

150 % for full-time and part-time employees (clause 24.2).

225 % for full-time and part-time employees and 250 % for casuals, with a minimum of 4 hours’ pay (2 hours for casuals) (clauses 24.2 and 24.4).

By agreement, you can be paid 125 % for the hours worked on the public holiday plus the same amount of paid time added to annual leave or taken as a day off within 28 days (clause 24.4(d)).

Yes. Monday to Friday, an extra $2.95 per hour (or part of an hour) from 10 pm to midnight and $4.42 per hour from midnight to 6 am (clause 24.2).

A full-time employee must get an extra day’s pay, an alternative day off within 28 days or an extra day of annual leave (clause 30.3).

$32.18 per hour on Saturday (125 %), $38.61 on Sunday (150 %) and $57.92 on public holidays (225 %) (Schedule B).

$33.05 per hour on Saturday (125 %), $39.66 on Sunday (150 %) and $59.49 on public holidays (225 %) (Schedule B).

$33.85 per hour on Saturday (125 %), $40.62 on Sunday (150 %) and $60.93 on public holidays (225 %) (Schedule B).

$34.96 per hour on Saturday (125 %), $41.96 on Sunday (150 %) and $62.93 on public holidays (225 %) (Schedule B).

$36.81 per hour on Saturday (125 %), $44.18 on Sunday (150 %) and $66.26 on public holidays (225 %) (Schedule B).

$39.13 per hour on Saturday (125 %), $46.95 on Sunday (150 %) and $70.43 on public holidays (225 %) (Schedule B).

$40.16 per hour on Saturday (125 %), $48.20 on Sunday (150 %) and $72.29 on public holidays (225 %) (Schedule B).

At least 6 ordinary hours for full-time employees and at most 11.5 (excluding meal breaks) (clause 15.1).

At least 8 full days off in every 4-week period (clause 15.1(f)).

At least 10 hours between finishing ordinary hours one day and starting the next, and 8 hours for a roster changeover (clause 15.1(e)).

12 hours (clause 15.1(g)).

7 days’ notice, unless the employer and employee agree (clause 15.3(d)).

For shifts of 5 hours or more, an unpaid meal break of at least 30 minutes after the first hour and within the first 6 hours (or 6.5 hours by agreement) (clauses 16.2 and 16.4).

Shifts over 10 hours include 2 additional 20-minute paid rest breaks, and a 20-minute paid meal break applies if the unpaid break is rostered later than 5 hours after starting (clause 16.2).

The employer must pay an extra 50 % of the ordinary hourly rate from when the break was due until it is allowed or the shift ends (clauses 16.5 and 16.6).

A 20-minute paid rest break if you are required to work more than 2 hours of overtime after your rostered hours (clause 16.8).

Monday to Friday 150 % for the first 2 hours and 200 % after; Saturday 175 % for the first 2 hours and 200 % after; Sunday and rostered days off 200 % (clause 23.4).

Yes, 4 hours at overtime rates, unless the work is continuous with a normal rostered shift (clause 23.1(e)).

You can delay your next shift until you have had 8 hours off without loss of pay; otherwise the employer pays overtime rates until you get that break (clause 23.2).

An employee engaged for at least 8 and fewer than 38 ordinary hours a week with reasonably predictable hours (clause 10.2).

In writing, the guaranteed hours and the days and times the employee is available to work them; guaranteed hours can only change with the employee’s written consent (clauses 10.4 and 10.5).

No fewer than 3 and no more than 11.5 hours a day, only within their availability, and 2 days off each week (clause 10.7).

Monday to Friday $38.61 per hour for the first 2 hours and $51.48 after; Saturday $45.05 for the first 2 hours and $51.48 after; Sunday $51.48 (Schedule B).

Monday to Friday $39.66 per hour for the first 2 hours and $52.88 after; Saturday $46.27 for the first 2 hours and $52.88 after; Sunday $52.88 (Schedule B).

Monday to Friday $40.62 per hour for the first 2 hours and $54.16 after; Saturday $47.39 for the first 2 hours and $54.16 after; Sunday $54.16 (Schedule B).

Monday to Friday $41.96 per hour for the first 2 hours and $55.94 after; Saturday $48.95 for the first 2 hours and $55.94 after; Sunday $55.94 (Schedule B).

Monday to Friday $44.18 per hour for the first 2 hours and $58.90 after; Saturday $51.54 for the first 2 hours and $58.90 after; Sunday $58.90 (Schedule B).

Monday to Friday $46.95 per hour for the first 2 hours and $62.60 after; Saturday $54.78 for the first 2 hours and $62.60 after; Sunday $62.60 (Schedule B).

Monday to Friday $48.20 per hour for the first 2 hours and $64.26 after; Saturday $56.23 for the first 2 hours and $64.26 after; Sunday $64.26 (Schedule B).

$17.42 (or a meal) if you work more than 2 hours of overtime without being told on or before the previous day (clause 21.2).

Yes. Full-time and part-time employees with a broken working day get $5.60 for each separate work period of 2 hours or more (clause 21.3).

Yes. A cook or apprentice cook who must provide their own tools gets $2.03 per day, up to $9.94 per week (clause 21.4).

The employer reimburses required special clothing and pays an agreed weekly laundry allowance or the laundering cost (clause 21.5).

A percentage of the adult rate: 50 % under 17, 60 % at 17, 70 % at 18, 85 % at 19 and 100 % at 20 (clause 18.2).

Yes. Junior employees working as liquor service employees, where the law allows, must be paid the adult rate for the work performed (clause 13.5).

No more than 10 hours (clause 13.3).

$12.87 per hour for ordinary hours (50 % of the adult rate); $16.09 on Saturday, $19.31 on Sunday and $28.96 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$15.44 per hour for ordinary hours (60 % of the adult rate); $19.30 on Saturday, $23.16 on Sunday and $34.74 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$18.02 per hour for ordinary hours (70 % of the adult rate); $22.53 on Saturday, $27.03 on Sunday and $40.55 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$21.88 per hour for ordinary hours (85 % of the adult rate); $27.35 on Saturday, $32.82 on Sunday and $49.23 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$13.22 per hour for ordinary hours (50 % of the adult rate); $16.53 on Saturday, $19.83 on Sunday and $29.75 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$15.87 per hour for ordinary hours (60 % of the adult rate); $19.84 on Saturday, $23.81 on Sunday and $35.71 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$18.51 per hour for ordinary hours (70 % of the adult rate); $23.14 on Saturday, $27.77 on Sunday and $41.65 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$22.48 per hour for ordinary hours (85 % of the adult rate); $28.10 on Saturday, $33.72 on Sunday and $50.58 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$13.54 per hour for ordinary hours (50 % of the adult rate); $16.93 on Saturday, $20.31 on Sunday and $30.47 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$16.25 per hour for ordinary hours (60 % of the adult rate); $20.31 on Saturday, $24.38 on Sunday and $36.56 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$18.96 per hour for ordinary hours (70 % of the adult rate); $23.70 on Saturday, $28.44 on Sunday and $42.66 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

$23.02 per hour for ordinary hours (85 % of the adult rate); $28.78 on Saturday, $34.53 on Sunday and $51.80 on public holidays (clause 18.2 and Schedule B).

4 weeks of paid annual leave a year for full-time employees and a pro rata amount for part-time employees (section 87 of the Fair Work Act and clause 25).

Full-time employees get 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave a year and part-time employees a pro rata amount (section 96 of the Fair Work Act). Casuals are entitled to 2 days of unpaid carer’s leave per occasion.

From 1 week (up to 1 year of service) to 4 weeks (more than 5 years), plus 1 week if the employee is over 45 with at least 2 years of service (clause 35 and section 117 of the Fair Work Act).