Restaurant Industry Award 2025 Pay Rates (MA000119)
Plain-English Summary
Who does this award cover?
The Restaurant Industry Award covers employees working in restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, takeaway outlets, and catering businesses across Australia. If you are a waiter, barista, kitchen hand, cook, cafe manager, or any other role in a food service business that is not a pub, club, or hotel, this award almost certainly applies to you. It covers an estimated 100,000 workers.
This award does NOT cover fast food businesses (which fall under the Fast Food Industry Award, MA000003), or employees in hotels, motels, pubs, and clubs (which fall under the Hospitality Industry Award, MA000009). The dividing line: if your workplace primarily serves food and drink for consumption on or off the premises and is not part of a licensed hotel or club, you are under the Restaurant Award. See clause 4.1 for the full coverage terms.
How pay levels work
The award has two streams of classifications: Food and Beverage Attendants (front-of-house staff) and Kitchen Employees (back-of-house). Food and Beverage Attendants are graded 1 through 4. Kitchen employees are graded as Kitchen Attendant (entry level) through Cook Grade 5 (head chef). Your classification depends on what you actually do each shift, not your job title on paper (clause 14 and Schedule A).
Casuals in restaurants
Casual employment is extremely common in restaurants. Casuals receive a 25% loading on top of the base hourly rate to compensate for the lack of paid leave and job security (clause 11.1). The minimum engagement for a casual is 2 hours (clause 11.2) -- shorter than many other awards. This means your employer must pay you for at least 2 hours every time you come in, even if they send you home after 45 minutes.
Classification Levels and Base Rates
All rates effective 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2024-25.
Food and Beverage Attendants
| Level | Typical Duties (Schedule A) | Weekly Rate | Hourly Rate | Casual Rate (incl. 25% loading) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Clearing tables, washing dishes, cleaning, basic food assembly | $882.80 | $23.23 | $29.04 |
| Grade 2 | Greeting and seating guests, taking orders, serving food, barista work, basic bar service | $906.20 | $23.85 | $29.81 |
| Grade 3 | Responsible service of alcohol, cocktail making, silver service, training Grade 1-2 staff | $918.00 | $24.16 | $30.20 |
| Grade 4 | Supervising food and beverage operations, wine service, function coordination | $937.80 | $24.68 | $30.85 |
Kitchen Employees
| Level | Typical Duties (Schedule B) | Weekly Rate | Hourly Rate | Casual Rate (incl. 25% loading) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen Attendant Grade 1 | General kitchen duties, food preparation under supervision, cleaning | $882.80 | $23.23 | $29.04 |
| Kitchen Attendant Grade 2 | Operating kitchen equipment, basic cooking tasks, stock rotation | $906.20 | $23.85 | $29.81 |
| Kitchen Attendant Grade 3 | Cooking breakfasts and snacks, simple a la carte under supervision | $918.00 | $24.16 | $30.20 |
| Cook Grade 1 | Cooking under supervision, may hold or be working towards trade certificate | $918.00 | $24.16 | $30.20 |
| Cook Grade 2 | Cooking with trade certificate or equivalent experience, menu input | $937.80 | $24.68 | $30.85 |
| Cook Grade 3 | Qualified cook, menu planning, ordering, supervising junior kitchen staff | $969.20 | $25.51 | $31.89 |
| Cook Grade 4 | Head cook / sous chef in a smaller operation, full menu responsibility | $993.60 | $26.15 | $32.69 |
| Cook Grade 5 | Head chef, executive chef, full kitchen management and P&L responsibility | $1,024.00 | $26.95 | $33.69 |
Hourly rate = weekly rate / 38 (clause 13.1). Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25 (clause 11.1).
Penalty Rates
All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate (clause 32 and clause 33).
Full-Time and Part-Time Employees
| When you work | Penalty | F&B Grade 1 example | Cook Grade 2 example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday (ordinary hours) | 100% | $23.23/hr | $24.68/hr |
| Saturday | 125% (clause 32.1) | $29.04/hr | $30.85/hr |
| Sunday | 150% (clause 32.1) | $34.85/hr | $37.02/hr |
| Public holiday | 225% (clause 35.3) | $52.27/hr | $55.53/hr |
| Public holiday -- refuses to work | 150% for hours not worked (clause 35.3) | $34.85/hr | $37.02/hr |
| Overtime -- first 2 hours (Mon-Fri) | 150% (clause 33.1(a)) | $34.85/hr | $37.02/hr |
| Overtime -- after 2 hours (Mon-Fri) | 200% (clause 33.1(a)) | $46.46/hr | $49.36/hr |
| Overtime -- Saturday | 150% first 2 hrs, 200% after (clause 33.1(b)) | $34.85 / $46.46 | $37.02 / $49.36 |
| Overtime -- Sunday | 200% (clause 33.1(c)) | $46.46/hr | $49.36/hr |
| Overtime -- public holiday | 250% (clause 33.1(d)) | $58.08/hr | $61.70/hr |
| Late night (midnight to 7am) | 110% (clause 32.2) | $25.55/hr | $27.15/hr |
Casual Employees
| When you work | Penalty (on base rate) | F&B Grade 1 example |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday (ordinary hours) | 125% | $29.04/hr |
| Saturday | 150% (clause 32.3) | $34.85/hr |
| Sunday | 175% (clause 32.3) | $40.65/hr |
| Public holiday | 250% (clause 35.3) | $58.08/hr |
| Overtime -- first 2 hours (Mon-Fri) | 175% (clause 33.3) | $40.65/hr |
| Overtime -- after 2 hours (Mon-Fri) | 225% (clause 33.3) | $52.27/hr |
| Overtime -- Sunday | 225% (clause 33.3) | $52.27/hr |
| Overtime -- public holiday | 275% (clause 33.3) | $63.88/hr |
Casual penalty rates include the 25% loading. Sunday casual = base x 1.75 (not base x 1.25 x 1.50). See clause 32.3.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Casual barista working Saturday and Sunday
Mia is a casual Grade 2 Food and Beverage Attendant (barista) who works 6 hours on Saturday and 5 hours on Sunday.
- Base rate: $23.85/hr
- Saturday casual rate: 150% = $23.85 x 1.50 = $35.78/hr
- Sunday casual rate: 175% = $23.85 x 1.75 = $41.74/hr
- Saturday pay: 6 x $35.78 = $214.68
- Sunday pay: 5 x $41.74 = $208.70
- Weekend total: $423.38 gross
- Clause reference: clause 32.3
Example 2: Full-time cook on a public holiday
Deng is a full-time Cook Grade 3 who works an 8-hour shift on Australia Day.
- Base rate: $25.51/hr
- Public holiday rate: 225% = $25.51 x 2.25 = $57.40/hr
- Total for 8 hours: $459.18 gross
- Plus: Deng is also entitled to a substitute day off or an extra day of annual leave (clause 35.3)
- Clause reference: clause 35.3
Example 3: Kitchen hand called in for a 1-hour task
Lily is a casual Kitchen Attendant Grade 1 called in to prep for a private function. The work takes 1 hour.
- Base rate: $23.23/hr
- Casual rate (weekday): 125% = $23.23 x 1.25 = $29.04/hr
- But minimum engagement is 2 hours (clause 11.2)
- Minimum payment: 2 x $29.04 = $58.08 gross
- Even though Lily only worked 1 hour, she must be paid for 2.
- Clause reference: clause 11.2
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between the Restaurant Award and the Hospitality Award?
The Restaurant Industry Award (MA000119) covers businesses whose main purpose is serving food -- restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, takeaway outlets, and catering companies. The Hospitality Industry Award (MA000009) covers hotels, motels, pubs, clubs, casinos, and similar accommodation or entertainment venues. If your workplace has accommodation rooms, gaming machines, or is a licensed club, you are almost certainly under the Hospitality Award. If it is a standalone restaurant or cafe, you are under the Restaurant Award. See clause 4.1 of each award for the full definitions.
2. What is the minimum number of hours I can be rostered as a casual?
Casual employees must be engaged for a minimum of 2 hours per shift (clause 11.2). This is shorter than many other awards (the Clerks Award minimum is 3 hours, for example). If your employer calls you in and the shift runs short, you are still entitled to payment for the full 2 hours.
3. Do I get a meal break?
If you work more than 5 hours continuously, your employer must provide an unpaid meal break of at least 30 minutes (clause 15.1). The break must be given no later than 6 hours after starting work. If your employer cannot give you a meal break because of operational requirements, you must be paid at 150% of your ordinary rate for all time worked after the break should have been given, until the break is provided (clause 15.2).
4. Can my employer make me work a split shift?
Yes, but with restrictions. A split shift means your work is broken into two separate periods with an unpaid break of more than one hour in between (clause 15.6). The maximum spread of hours including the break is 12 hours. If you work a split shift, you are entitled to the split shift allowance -- currently $4.24 per shift (clause 24.2(h)). Both parts of the split shift must meet the minimum engagement requirements.
5. Am I entitled to free meals during my shift?
The award does not require your employer to provide free meals. However, if your employer requires you to work through a meal break and does not provide food, you may be entitled to a meal allowance of $16.91 per meal (clause 24.2(a)). This allowance applies when you are required to work overtime of more than 2 hours without being given notice the day before.
Check Your Rate
Working in a restaurant or cafe and not sure what you should be earning? Use our free calculator to check your exact pay rate.
Select your classification (waiter, barista, cook, kitchen hand), enter your employment type and the day you worked, and get an instant answer with the clause reference so you can show your employer exactly where the rate comes from.
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Home > Awards > Restaurant Industry Award (MA000119)
Rates current as of 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission, CC BY 4.0. This information is general in nature and is not legal advice. Always verify rates against the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) at calculate.fairwork.gov.au.