Fast Food Award Pay Rates 2025–26
Last updated: March 2026 · Rates effective 1 July 2025 · MA000003
If you work in fast food and have never checked your classification grade against the award, there is a high chance your base rate is wrong. Your grade determines your minimum hourly rate — and every penalty, overtime, and leave payment flows from it. Get the base wrong and everything else is wrong too.
If you work under the Fast Food Industry Award — this applies to you.
For the full Fast Food Award overview, see the Fast Food Award pay guide.
Real example — what a Sunday shift should pay
Scenario: Casual crew member, Grade 1. 6-hour Sunday shift.
What they were paid: $33.19/hr (casual ordinary rate) × 6hrs = $199.14
What should have happened: Sunday casual rate at Grade 1 — $46.47/hr × 6hrs = $278.82
Underpayment: $79.68 for one shift. $4,143.36/year if this happens every Sunday.
Why it happens: Employer pays the casual rate every day. The Sunday multiplier is never applied.
Fast Food Award pay rates 2025 — Full-time and Part-time
| Grade | Ordinary rate | Saturday | Sunday (150%) | Public holiday (250%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | $26.55/hr | $33.19/hr | $39.83/hr | $59.74/hr |
| Grade 2 | $28.12/hr | $35.15/hr | $42.18/hr | $63.27/hr |
| Grade 3 (Solo) | $28.55/hr | $35.69/hr | $42.83/hr | $64.24/hr |
| Grade 3 (Responsible) | $28.90/hr | $36.13/hr | $43.35/hr | $65.02/hr |
Saturday is paid at the ordinary rate under this award. Rates based on the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000003, effective 1 July 2025.
Fast Food Award casual pay rates 2025
| Grade | Casual ordinary rate | Saturday | Sunday (175%) | Public holiday (275%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | $33.19/hr | $39.83/hr | $46.47/hr | $66.38/hr |
| Grade 2 | $35.15/hr | $42.18/hr | $49.21/hr | $70.30/hr |
| Grade 3 (Solo) | $35.69/hr | $42.83/hr | $49.97/hr | $71.38/hr |
| Grade 3 (Responsible) | $36.13/hr | $43.36/hr | $50.58/hr | $72.26/hr |
Casual rates include the 25% loading. Saturday is paid at the casual ordinary rate (no penalty). Rates based on the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000003, effective 1 July 2025.
For the full breakdown of penalty rate multipliers, see the Fast Food Award penalty rates guide. Not sure of your grade? Check the Fast Food Award classifications guide. For overtime rules, see the Fast Food Award overtime guide.
Not sure if your Fast Food Award pay is right?
Enter your shifts and find out in 2 minutes. Free, instant, based on official Fair Work rates.
Check my pay nowNo sign-up required
Late-night loadings
If you work closing shifts or overnight shifts, late-night loadings apply on top of your ordinary or penalty rate:
| Time period | Loading | Grade 1 FT/PT example | Grade 1 casual example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10pm – midnight | 10% | $29.21/hr | $36.51/hr |
| Midnight – 6am | 15% | $30.53/hr | $38.17/hr |
These loadings are calculated on the ordinary rate. They apply on top of any penalty rate already in effect.
Red flags for incorrect pay rates
Your grade has not changed since you started
If your duties have expanded but your classification has not moved, there is a good chance your base rate is too low.
You work alone or supervise others but are paid Grade 1
Opening or closing a store alone is a Grade 3 Solo duty. Supervising two or more employees is Grade 3 Responsible. Being paid Grade 1 for either of these is underpayment on every hour worked.
Your payslip does not show your classification
If your payslip does not state your classification grade, you have no way to verify your rate. Ask your employer to confirm it in writing.
These issues rarely happen in isolation — and because classification affects your base rate, even a one-grade error compounds across every penalty, overtime, and leave payment.
If any of these sound familiar, check your pay now.
Not sure if your Fast Food Award pay is right?
Enter your shifts and find out in 2 minutes. Free, instant, based on official Fair Work rates.
Check my pay nowNo sign-up required
Frequently asked questions
My payslip does not show a classification grade — is that a problem?
Yes. Your employer is required to tell you your classification grade. If it is not on your payslip, you have no way of verifying your rate is correct. Ask your employer to confirm your grade in writing.
I have been working for over 6 months — should I still be Grade 1?
Possibly not. If you now operate equipment independently, handle stock, or work without direct supervision, you are performing Grade 2 duties and should be reclassified. The pay difference is $0.87/hr — roughly $1,700/year on full-time hours.
Can my employer set my grade lower than what my duties require?
No. Your classification is determined by the work you actually perform, not what your employer decides. If your duties match a higher grade, you must be paid at that grade — and you may be owed back pay for the difference.
Not sure if you are being paid correctly? Check now.
Enter your shifts below and see exactly what you should have been paid — at the correct classification grade, with every penalty rate and loading applied.
It takes 2 minutes — and you will know for certain if you have been underpaid.
Based on official pay rates from the Fair Work Commission (MA000003).
Not sure if your Fast Food Award pay is right?
Enter your shifts and find out in 2 minutes. Free, instant, based on official Fair Work rates.
Check my pay nowNo sign-up required
Rates sourced from the Fair Work Commission pay guide for the Fast Food Industry Award 2010 (MA000003), effective 1 July 2025. General information only — not legal advice. Verify at fairwork.gov.au.