Key takeaways
- Level 1 crew earn $27.81 an hour ($1,056.80 a week), or $34.76 as a casual.
- Full-time Level 1 keeps $900.80 a week after $156 of tax is withheld, or $789.80 if it is your second job.
- Level 1 is paid the same on Sunday as on Saturday ($34.76). Levels 2 and 3 get 150% on Sunday.
- Weeknights after 10pm pay 110%, and midnight to 6am 115% (135% and 140% for casuals).
- Juniors start at 40% of the adult rate under 16. From 1 December 2026, 18 to 20 year olds with more than 6 months of service step up toward the adult rate.
- A casual or part-time shift must be at least 3 consecutive hours.
Rates: Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for the Fast Food Industry Award 2020 [MA000003], published 24 June 2026, for the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Tax: ATO Schedule 1 weekly tax table (NAT 1004), resident, tax-free threshold claimed, no study loan. These are award minimums; an enterprise agreement or your contract can pay more.
Fast Food Award pay rates 2026-27 by level
The award has three levels, and Level 3 is paid by how many people you are in charge of. The last two columns show what a full-time week leaves after the ATO weekly tax table. Level 1 is the same dollar rate as Level 1 of the Retail Award pay rates.
| Level | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly | Tax withheld a week | Take-home a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $1,056.80 | $27.81 | $34.76 | $156 | $900.80 |
| Level 2 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 | $176 | $943.10 |
| Level 3, in charge of 1 or no persons | $1,136.40 | $29.91 | $37.39 | $182 | $954.40 |
| Level 3, in charge of 2 or more persons | $1,150.40 | $30.27 | $37.84 | $186 | $964.40 |
Enter your hourly rate and your real hours. The calculator applies the same ATO tables and shows weekly, fortnightly and yearly take-home, super and your tax bracket.
Open the take-home pay calculatorHow much tax comes out of fast food pay
Your employer withholds tax each pay using the ATO's Schedule 1 tables. On a full-time Level 1 week of $1,056.80, that is $156 when you have claimed the tax-free threshold. The threshold can only be claimed with one employer, so a second job is withheld on the no-threshold scale: $267 on the same week, leaving $789.80. The second job tax calculator runs that for any pair of jobs.
At these pay levels weekly withholding runs slightly ahead of the real annual bill. A full-time Level 1 year of $54,953.60 costs $7,929.46 in tax and Medicare levy, while 52 weeks of withholding comes to $8,112, so $183 comes back when you lodge. The gap is larger for part-time and casual crew, because the weekly table does not build in the whole low income tax offset: a casual working 20 weekday hours every week at Level 1 has $3,328 withheld over the year against $2,715.57 of actual tax, about $612 back. The tax refund calculator works out your own figure.
| Level | Year's pay (52 weeks) | Tax and Medicare for the year | Take-home for the year | Withheld over the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $54,953.60 | $7,929.46 | $47,024.14 | $8,112 |
| Level 2 | $58,193.20 | $9,014.72 | $49,178.48 | $9,152 |
| Level 3, in charge of 1 or no persons | $59,092.80 | $9,316.09 | $49,776.71 | $9,464 |
| Level 3, in charge of 2 or more persons | $59,820.80 | $9,559.97 | $50,260.83 | $9,672 |
Employer super sits on top: 12% of ordinary earnings, or $6,594.43 a year at full-time Level 1. For any other salary, the PAYG calculator gives the same annual breakdown.
Casual fast food rates 2026-27
Casual rates include the 25% loading, and the award adds that loading to every casual penalty and overtime rate too. A casual must be engaged for at least 3 consecutive hours each day, and can be paid at the end of each engagement, weekly or fortnightly.
| Level | Monday to Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Public holiday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $34.76 | $41.72 | $41.72 | $69.53 |
| Level 2 | $36.81 | $44.18 | $51.54 | $73.63 |
| Level 3, in charge of 1 or no persons | $37.39 | $44.87 | $52.34 | $74.78 |
| Level 3, in charge of 2 or more persons | $37.84 | $45.41 | $52.97 | $75.68 |
Three common casual weeks after tax. The second-job column applies when you claim the threshold elsewhere.
| Casual week | Gross | Withheld, main job | Take-home | Withheld, second job | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1, 20 weekday hours before 10pm | $695.20 | $64 | $631.20 | $150 | $545.20 |
| Level 1, 8 hours Saturday and 8 hours Sunday | $667.52 | $59 | $608.52 | $141 | $526.52 |
| Level 2, 8 hours Saturday and 8 hours Sunday | $765.76 | $76 | $689.76 | $173 | $592.76 |
The Level 1 weekend week pays less than 20 weekday hours would suggest, because Level 1 gets no Sunday uplift. The same 16 weekend hours at Level 2 earn $98.24 more. The casual tax calculator shows how loading and penalties combine under other awards.
Saturday, Sunday and public holiday rates
This is where the Fast Food Award differs from most others. Its penalty table has two Sunday rows: Level 1 is paid 125% on Sunday, exactly the Saturday rate, while Levels 2 and 3 get 150%. Casuals get 150% and 175%. A public holiday is 225%, or 250% for casuals.
| Level | Monday to Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Public holiday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $27.81 | $34.76 | $34.76 | $62.57 |
| Level 2 | $29.45 | $36.81 | $44.18 | $66.26 |
| Level 3, in charge of 1 or no persons | $29.91 | $37.39 | $44.87 | $67.30 |
| Level 3, in charge of 2 or more persons | $30.27 | $37.84 | $45.41 | $68.11 |
There is no option in this award to take a day off instead of the public holiday rate: working a public holiday means the public holiday rate.
Late night and early morning rates
Ordinary hours Monday to Friday between 10pm and midnight pay 110%, and between midnight and 6am 115% (135% and 140% for casuals). There is no evening rate before 10pm. These are percentages of the hourly rate, unlike the Hospitality Award pay rates, which add a flat dollar amount from 7pm. The award sets no span of ordinary hours, so a rostered late shift is ordinary time at these rates rather than overtime.
| Level | 10pm to midnight | Midnight to 6am | Casual, 10pm to midnight | Casual, midnight to 6am |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $30.59 | $31.98 | $37.54 | $38.93 |
| Level 2 | $32.40 | $33.87 | $39.76 | $41.23 |
| Level 3, in charge of 1 or no persons | $32.90 | $34.40 | $40.38 | $41.87 |
| Level 3, in charge of 2 or more persons | $33.30 | $34.81 | $40.86 | $42.38 |
A Level 1 casual's week, line by line
If this is a second job, $128 is withheld instead and $497.74 lands. The payslip generator lays out each rate the way an employer must.
Fast Food Award overtime rates
Overtime is time beyond 38 ordinary hours a week (or the roster average), beyond 11 ordinary hours in a day, or outside your rostered start and finish. For part-timers it is any time beyond their agreed hours. Monday to Saturday it is 150% for the first 2 hours and 200% after that; Sunday 200% and a public holiday 250%. Casual overtime adds the 25% loading: 175%, 225%, 225% and 275%. Each day's overtime stands alone.
| Level | First 2 hours | After 2 hours | Sunday | Public holiday | Casual, first 2 hours | Casual, after 2 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $41.72 | $55.62 | $55.62 | $69.53 | $48.67 | $62.57 |
| Level 2 | $44.18 | $58.90 | $58.90 | $73.63 | $51.54 | $66.26 |
| Level 3, in charge of 1 or no persons | $44.87 | $59.82 | $59.82 | $74.78 | $52.34 | $67.30 |
| Level 3, in charge of 2 or more persons | $45.41 | $60.54 | $60.54 | $75.68 | $52.97 | $68.11 |
Sunday overtime that is not joined to ordinary hours is paid for at least 4 hours. Time off instead of overtime pay is allowed by agreement, at the overtime value: 2 hours at 150% earns 3 hours off. The overtime pay calculator works through both.
Which level am I?
Your employer sets your level from the skill the job needs, and must tell you your classification in writing. The award names no job titles such as crew, team leader or shift manager; it defines each level by what you do.
| Level | What the award says | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Taking orders, preparing, cooking, selling, serving or delivering food sold mainly to take away or in food courts, including incidental cleaning | $27.81 |
| Level 2 | Major day-to-day responsibility for supervising Level 1 staff or training new staff, or required to use trade skills | $29.45 |
| Level 3 | Appointed to be in charge of a shop, food outlet or delivery outlet: $29.91 in charge of one or no person, $30.27 in charge of 2 or more | $29.91 |
Delivery is Level 1 work, so a delivery driver employed by the outlet is Level 1 unless they supervise others or are in charge.
Fast Food Award junior rates by age
Workers under 21 are paid a percentage of the adult rate at every level: 40% under 16, 50% at 16, 60% at 17, 70% at 18, 80% at 19 and 90% at 20. Weekend, late night and overtime percentages then apply to the junior rate, including the Level 1 Sunday rule. The Fair Work pay guide notes that trade-qualified juniors must be paid the adult rate.
| Age, full-time and part-time | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3, 1 or none | Level 3, 2 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 16 | $11.12 | $11.78 | $11.96 | $12.11 |
| 16 | $13.91 | $14.73 | $14.95 | $15.14 |
| 17 | $16.69 | $17.67 | $17.94 | $18.16 |
| 18 | $19.47 | $20.62 | $20.93 | $21.19 |
| 19 | $22.25 | $23.56 | $23.92 | $24.22 |
| 20 | $25.03 | $26.51 | $26.91 | $27.25 |
| Age, casual | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3, 1 or none | Level 3, 2 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 16 | $13.90 | $14.73 | $14.95 | $15.14 |
| 16 | $17.39 | $18.41 | $18.69 | $18.93 |
| 17 | $20.86 | $22.09 | $22.43 | $22.70 |
| 18 | $24.34 | $25.78 | $26.16 | $26.49 |
| 19 | $27.81 | $29.45 | $29.90 | $30.28 |
| 20 | $31.29 | $33.14 | $33.64 | $34.06 |
On the tax side, with the tax-free threshold claimed nothing is withheld on a weekly pay up to $364. A 17-year-old casual at Level 1 working 15 hours earns $312.90 and has $0 withheld. Leave the threshold unclaimed on the TFN declaration and $54 a week is withheld instead; if that is your only job, all of it comes back when you lodge a return.
Junior rates change from 1 December 2026
The Fair Work Commission's determination PR813654 (26 August 2026) moves 18, 19 and 20 year olds who have worked for their employer for more than 6 months to the adult rate in steps. Each step applies from the first full pay period on or after the date shown. Under-18s, and anyone with 6 months or less, are unchanged. The 20-year-old row is a Fast Food difference: the Retail Award already pays it at 100%.
| Age | 1 Dec 2026 | 1 Jul 2027 | 1 Dec 2027 | 1 Jul 2028 | 1 Dec 2028 | 1 Jul 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18, employed more than 6 months | 75% | 80% | 85% | 90% | 95% | 100% |
| 19, employed more than 6 months | 85% | 90% | 95% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 20, employed more than 6 months | 95% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
The first step in dollars, full-time and part-time hourly, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 December 2026:
| Age | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3, 1 or none | Level 3, 2 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18, employed more than 6 months | $20.86 | $22.09 | $22.43 | $22.71 |
| 19, employed more than 6 months | $23.64 | $25.03 | $25.42 | $25.73 |
| 20, employed more than 6 months | $26.42 | $27.98 | $28.41 | $28.76 |
A 20-year-old at Level 1 with more than 6 months goes from $25.03 to $26.42 an hour, or from $31.29 to $33.03 as a casual. We will update this page when Fair Work republishes the pay guide for the step.
McDonald's, KFC and Hungry Jack's pay
The Fast Food Award is the legal floor for takeaway outlets. Some employers pay under a registered enterprise agreement instead, which the Fair Work Commission only approves if staff are better off overall than under the award. Your payslip or contract names the instrument that applies. We do not publish employer-specific rates: they change with each agreement, and the award figures above are the minimum any of them can pay.
Fast Food Award allowances
The allowances most crew will see, 2026-27 amounts from the pay guide:
| Allowance | Amount | Who gets it | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, overtime of more than 1 hour without 24 hours notice | $17.33, plus $15.66 after 4 hours | All employees working the overtime | 17.4 |
| Laundry of required special clothing | $6.42 a week, or $1.28 a shift | Full-time, or part-time and casual | 17.5(b) |
| Own vehicle, engaged primarily to deliver | $0.53 a km | Delivery drivers using their own motor vehicle | 17.8(a) |
| Own vehicle, any other case | $1.00 a km | At the employer’s request | 17.8(b) |
| Cold work | $0.38 an hour, $0.97 below 0°C | Cold chambers and refrigerated storage | 17.3 |
| Broken Hill | $47.90 a week | Workplace in the County of Yancowinna | 17.2 |
Delivery drivers using their own car get the lower per-kilometre rate; the award has no bicycle allowance. Staff who finish after 10pm or start before 7am when their usual transport is not running are entitled to the reasonable cost of a ride home or to work.
Which award covers you: fast food, retail or restaurant?
The Fast Food Award covers taking orders for, preparing and selling food and drinks sold mainly to be eaten away from the point of sale, takeaway packaging, and food courts and shopping centre outlets. It excludes coffee shops, cafes, bars and restaurants that mainly provide sit-down service, which usually fall under the Restaurant or Hospitality awards (see the Hospitality Award pay rates), and it does not cover retail or hospitality employers. Shops are on the Retail Award pay rates page. Where two awards could apply, the one with the classification that best fits your work decides.
Are fast food rates different in QLD, NSW, Victoria or WA?
No. The Fast Food Industry Award is a national award, so the rates above apply in every state and territory. The one exception is Western Australia, where sole traders, partnerships, other unincorporated businesses and non-trading corporations sit in the WA state system instead, under a WA state instrument.
What changed on 1 July 2026
The 2026 Annual Wage Review lifted every modern award rate by 4.75% from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. The junior steps above follow from 1 December 2026. The next general increase is due with the 2027 review, from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2027, on the same day as the second junior step.
Frequently asked questions
What are the fast food award pay rates for 2026 in Australia?
What is the minimum wage for a fast food worker in Australia?
What is the hourly rate at Maccas?
How much does KFC pay per hour in Australia?
How much does a 15 year old get paid at KFC in Australia?
How much does a 17 year old get paid in fast food?
Are Sunday rates double pay?
How much do casual fast food workers get paid?
Is there a fair work wage increase in 2026?
Sources
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Pay guide, Fast Food Industry Award 2020 [MA000003] (published 24 June 2026; every rate, junior and allowance figure on this page)
- Fair Work Commission: Fast Food Industry Award 2020 (coverage clause 4, part-time and casual 10 and 11, classifications 12.4, junior rates 15.2, allowances 17, overtime 20, penalty rates 21)
- Fair Work Commission: Determination PR813654 (26 August 2026, the junior rate steps from 1 December 2026 to 1 July 2029, with dollar figures)
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Minimum wages increase from 1 July 2026 (the 4.75% increase and the $26.44 national minimum wage)
- Fair Work Ombudsman: The Fair Work system (who is in the national system, and the Western Australian exception)
- ATO: Schedule 1, statement of formulas for calculating amounts to be withheld (NAT 1004, the withholding figures)
Related resources
Take-Home Pay Calculator
Your hourly rate and hours, after tax and super
Open →PAYG Calculator
Tax on any salary, any pay cycle, 2026-27
Open →Casual Tax Calculator
Casual loading, weekend penalties and the tax on them
Open →Tax Refund Calculator
What comes back when you lodge
Open →Retail Award Pay Rates
Every shop level for 2026-27, with take-home
Open →Hospitality Award Pay Rates
Every pub and hotel level for 2026-27
Open →