Fast Food Award Pay Rates by Level
Adult minimum rates for full-time and part-time employees under the Fast Food Industry Award 2020. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rate as full-time employees at their classification — the difference is hours, not rate. The casual column adds the 25% loading (cl 11.2(b)).
| Classification level | Weekly (38 hrs) | Hourly | Casual hourly (+25%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $1,056.80 | $27.81 | $34.76 |
| Level 2 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Level 3 (in charge of one or no person) | $1,136.40 | $29.91 | $37.39 |
| Level 3 (in charge of 2 or more people) | $1,150.40 | $30.27 | $37.84 |
Weekly rates are the award’s minimum weekly rate for a full-time employee (cl 15.1, Table 3); hourly is the weekly rate divided by 38.
Which level am I?
- Level 1: Preparation, receipt of orders, cooking, sale, serving or delivery of meals, snacks and/or beverages sold to the public primarily to take away or in food courts, including incidental cleaning.
- Level 2: Has the major day-to-day responsibility for supervising Level 1 employees and/or training new employees, or is required to exercise trade skills.
- Level 3: Appointed by the employer to be in charge of a shop, food outlet or delivery outlet. The rate depends on whether they are in charge of one or no person, or 2 or more people.
Junior rates change on 1 December 2026 — gradually
From the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2026, fast food workers aged 18–20 who have been with their employer for more than 6 months move up 5 percentage points (18: 70% → 75%, 19: 80% → 85%, 20: 90% → 95%), then 5 more each July and December until they reach the adult rate. It is not the full adult rate on 1 December. Under-18s are unchanged — a 16-year-old at Level 1 stays on $13.91 an hour.
Fast Food Award Pay Guide 2026-27: Every Level, Every Day
The hourly rate for each classification at each penalty band, in the layout of the Fair Work pay guide. Find your level, then the day you worked.
Full-time and part-time
| Classification | Mon–Fri100% | Mon–Fri 10pm–midnight110% | Mon–Fri midnight–6am115% | Saturday125% | Sunday (Level 1)125% | Sunday (Levels 2–3)150% | Public holiday225% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $27.81 | $30.59 | $31.98 | $34.76 | $34.76 | – | $62.57 |
| Level 2 | $29.45 | $32.40 | $33.87 | $36.81 | – | $44.18 | $66.26 |
| Level 3 (in charge of one or no person) | $29.91 | $32.90 | $34.40 | $37.39 | – | $44.87 | $67.30 |
| Level 3 (in charge of 2 or more people) | $30.27 | $33.30 | $34.81 | $37.84 | – | $45.41 | $68.11 |
Casual
| Classification | Mon–Fri125% | Mon–Fri 10pm–midnight135% | Mon–Fri midnight–6am140% | Saturday150% | Sunday (Level 1)150% | Sunday (Levels 2–3)175% | Public holiday250% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $34.76 | $37.54 | $38.93 | $41.72 | $41.72 | – | $69.53 |
| Level 2 | $36.81 | $39.76 | $41.23 | $44.18 | – | $51.54 | $73.63 |
| Level 3 (in charge of one or no person) | $37.39 | $40.38 | $41.87 | $44.87 | – | $52.34 | $74.78 |
| Level 3 (in charge of 2 or more people) | $37.84 | $40.86 | $42.38 | $45.41 | – | $52.97 | $75.68 |
Casual figures are the award's casual percentages, which already include the 25% loading where it applies. Figures are rounded to the cent. A dash means the column does not apply to that classification.
Fast Food Award Penalty Rates
| When worked | Full-time / part-time | $ on Level 1 | Casual | $ casual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday — between 10.00 pm and midnight | 110% | $30.59 | 135% | $37.54 |
| Monday to Friday — between midnight and 6.00 am | 115% | $31.98 | 140% | $38.93 |
| Saturday — any time of day | 125% | $34.76 | 150% | $41.72 |
| Sunday (Level 1 employees) — any time of day | 125% | $34.76 | 150% | $41.72 |
| Sunday (Level 2 and 3 employees) — any time of day | 150% | $41.72 | 175% | $48.67 |
| Public holiday — any time of dayPublic holiday pay calculator & dates by state → | 225% | $62.57 | 250% | $69.53 |
Source: cl 21, Table 6.
Sunday is paid differently by level: Level 1 employees receive 125% (casuals 150%), while Level 2 and Level 3 employees receive 150% (casuals 175%).
Casual penalty rates are the full-time percentage plus the 25% casual loading — Table 6 NOTE 1 says so in terms.
Fast Food Award Overtime Rates
| Overtime worked | Full-time / part-time | $ on Level 1 | Casual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday — first 2 hours | 150% | $41.72 | 175% · $48.67 |
| Monday to Saturday — after 2 hours | 200% | $55.62 | 225% · $62.57 |
| Sunday — all overtime hours | 200% | $55.62 | 225% · $62.57 |
| Public holiday — all overtime hours | 250% | $69.53 | 275% · $76.48 |
Source: cl 20.6(a), Table 5.
Casual overtime includes the 25% loading (Table 5 NOTE 1). Monday to Saturday overtime is calculated with each day's work standing alone (cl 20.6(b)).
Fast Food Award Junior Rates
Junior rates are a percentage of the adult rate for the classification (cl 15.2, Table 4), and apply to all fast food classifications. The dollar columns apply the percentage to Level 1 ($1,056.80 a week) and divide by 38. The full adult rate applies from age 21.
| Age | % of adult rate | Weekly on Level 1 | Hourly | Casual hourly (+25%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 16 | 40% | $422.72 | $11.12 | $13.90 |
| 16 | 50% | $528.40 | $13.91 | $17.39 |
| 17 | 60% | $634.08 | $16.69 | $20.86 |
| 18 | 70% | $739.76 | $19.47 | $24.34 |
| 19 | 80% | $845.44 | $22.25 | $27.81 |
| 20 | 90% | $951.12 | $25.03 | $31.29 |
| 21 and over | 100% | $1,056.80 | $27.81 | $34.76 |
Junior rates from 1 December 2026: a phase-in, not the adult rate
Determination PR813654, made on 26 August 2026 under [2026] FWCFB 222 (implementing [2026] FWCFB 75), replaces the junior table for employees aged 18, 19 and 20 who have been employed by their employer for more than 6 months. Each step takes effect from the first full pay period starting on or after the date shown. Under-18 rates and the rates for the first 6 months with an employer do not change.
| Age (more than 6 months with the employer) | Now | 1 Dec 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 | 1 Jul 2027 – 30 Nov 2027 | 1 Dec 2027 – 30 Jun 2028 | 1 Jul 2028 – 30 Nov 2028 | 1 Dec 2028 – 30 Jun 2029 | From 1 Jul 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 70%$19.47 | 75%$20.86 | 80%$22.25 | 85%$23.64 | 90%$25.03 | 95%$26.42 | 100%$27.81 |
| 19 | 80%$22.25 | 85%$23.64 | 90%$25.03 | 95%$26.42 | 100%$27.81 | 100%$27.81 | 100%$27.81 |
| 20 | 90%$25.03 | 95%$26.42 | 100%$27.81 | 100%$27.81 | 100%$27.81 | 100%$27.81 | 100%$27.81 |
Dollar figures are the hourly rate on Level 1 ($1,056.80 a week at current rates), before any future Annual Wage Review increase. Employees aged 18–20 with 6 months or less with the employer stay on 70%, 80% and 90%. Source: determination PR813654.
For how junior scales compare across awards and against the National Minimum Wage, see our junior pay rates guide.
Fast Food Award Allowances
Fixed-dollar allowances in cl 17, operative from 1 July 2026. Each is paid only where the clause’s conditions are met.
| Allowance | Amount | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowance (overtime of more than 1 hour without 24 hours' notice)Or the employer supplies a meal. | $17.33 per occasion | cl 17.4(a) |
| Further meal allowance (that overtime exceeds 4 hours) | $15.66 per occasion | cl 17.4(b) |
| Laundry of special clothing — full-time | $6.42 per week | cl 17.5(b)(i) |
| Laundry of special clothing — part-time or casual | $1.28 per shift | cl 17.5(b)(ii) |
| Own vehicle — engaged primarily to deliver the employer's products | $0.53 per km | cl 17.8(a) |
| Own vehicle — any other case | $1.00 per km | cl 17.8(b) |
| Cold work (cold chambers, refrigerated storage)Below 0°C a further $0.59 applies, $0.97 an hour in total (cl 17.3(b)). | $0.38 per hour | cl 17.3(a) |
| Broken Hill allowance | $47.90 per week | cl 17.2 |
Minimum Shifts and Hours
- Casuals have a minimum daily engagement of 3 consecutive hours (cl 11.3), and part-time employees must be rostered for at least 3 consecutive hours a shift (cl 10.2).
- The maximum ordinary hours on any day is 11 (cl 13.5).
What does a fast food award rate take home?
Working a mix of shifts? Enter your hours in the weekly pay calculator, or turn a salary into net pay with the take-home pay calculator.
What This Page Does Not Cover
These parts of the award carry rules or rates we have not verified line by line, so we publish no figures for them:
- Split shift and broken shift arrangements
- Transport and travelling-time reimbursements (amounts are the actual cost, not a fixed figure)
- National Training Wage (Schedule E of the Miscellaneous Award) trainee rates
An enterprise agreement, if one covers your workplace, replaces these award rates — though it must leave you better off overall.
When These Rates Took Effect
Applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, not universally 1 July. If your pay period began before 1 July 2026, the previous rate lawfully applies to that whole period and the rise starts with the next one. The award was varied by determination PR799284 following the Annual Wage Review 2026. If you have been paid below these rates, our backpay calculator works out what is owed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fast Food Award questions and answers
What are the fast food award pay rates for 2026-27?
Under the Fast Food Industry Award 2020 (MA000003), adult minimum rates run from $27.81 an hour ($1,056.80 a week) for Level 1 to $30.27 an hour ($1,150.40 a week) for Level 3 (in charge of 2 or more people). They apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026.
What is the casual rate under the Fast Food Award?
Casuals receive a 25% loading on the minimum hourly rate, so Level 1 becomes $34.76 an hour. Casual penalty rates add the loading rather than multiplying by it — the casual column in the award is the permanent percentage plus 25 percentage points.
What allowances are paid under the Fast Food Award?
The award's allowances clause (cl 17) includes: meal allowance (overtime of more than 1 hour without 24 hours' notice) $17.33 per occasion; further meal allowance (that overtime exceeds 4 hours) $15.66 per occasion; laundry of special clothing — full-time $6.42 per week; laundry of special clothing — part-time or casual $1.28 per shift; own vehicle — engaged primarily to deliver the employer's products $0.53 per km. Allowances are paid on top of the classification rate when the employee meets the clause's conditions.
What are the junior rates under the Fast Food Award?
Junior rates are a percentage of the adult rate for the classification (cl 15.2, Table 4): Under 16 40%, 16 50%, 17 60%, 18 70%, 19 80%, 20 90%. The full adult rate applies from age 21. They apply to all fast food classifications.
Are fast food award junior rates changing on 1 December 2026?
Yes, but it is a phase-in, not an immediate move to the adult rate. Determination PR813654, made on 26 August 2026 under [2026] FWCFB 222, lifts rates for employees aged 18 to 20 who have been employed by their employer for more than 6 months. From the first full pay period on or after 1 December 2026, 18-year-olds move from 70% to 75%, 19-year-olds from 80% to 85% and 20-year-olds from 90% to 95%, reaching 100% by 1 Jul 2029. Employees with 6 months or less with the employer, and all under-18s, stay on the current percentages.
When did the new fast food award rates start?
Applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, not universally 1 July. The MA000003 rates were varied by determination PR799284 following the Annual Wage Review 2026. If your pay period started before 1 July 2026, the old rate lawfully applies to that whole period.
What is the fast food Sunday rate?
It depends on your level. Level 1 employees are paid 125% on a Sunday (casuals 150%) — $34.76 an hour for a permanent adult, $41.72 for a casual. Levels 2 and 3 are paid 150% (casuals 175%). Saturday is 125% (casuals 150%) at every level, and public holidays are 225% (casuals 250%).
Do fast food workers get paid more for late nights?
Yes, Monday to Friday only. Ordinary hours between 10.00 pm and midnight are paid at 110% (casuals 135%), and between midnight and 6.00 am at 115% (casuals 140%). On Level 1 that is $30.59 and $31.98 an hour for a permanent adult.
What is a fast food Level 2 or Level 3 employee?
Level 2 is an employee with the major day-to-day responsibility for supervising Level 1 staff and/or training new employees, or who is required to use trade skills ($29.45 an hour). Level 3 is an employee appointed to be in charge of a shop, food outlet or delivery outlet — $29.91 if in charge of one or no person, $30.27 if in charge of two or more.
What is the minimum shift under the fast food award?
Casuals must be engaged for at least 3 consecutive hours a day, and part-time employees rostered for at least 3 consecutive hours a shift.
How these rates were verified▼
Every figure comes from one constants file transcribed on 23 September 2026 from the Fair Work Commission’s consolidated MA000003 award text, which incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 July 2026 (PR799280, PR799284 and PR799442). Clause numbers are cited against each table. Hourly is the published weekly rate divided by 38; derived dollar figures are rounded half up to the cent.
Automated tests pin the published rates, check every hourly rate against its weekly rate, and assert the rules this award is most often modelled wrongly on — including that casual penalties add the loading rather than multiplying by it. Parts of the award we have not verified are listed as gaps rather than estimated.
Sources & References
- 1Consolidated award text — Fast Food Industry Award 2020 (MA000003)— Fair Work Commission
- 2Award summary and pay guide — MA000003— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 4Junior rates determination PR813654 ([2026] FWCFB 222)— Fair Work Commission
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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