Restaurant Award.
Restaurant Industry Award 2020. Verified penalty rates, shift loadings, leave loading and RDO arrangements, with a live calculator under the NES.
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| Component | Formula | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Accrual rate (FULL-TIME) | 4 wks × 38h ÷ 52 | 2.923 hrs/wk |
| Hours accrued | 2.923 × 52 wks | 152.42 hrs |
| Hourly base rate | - | $35.00 |
| Base leave value | 152.42 × $35.00 | $5,334.62 |
| 17.5% leave loading | base × 0.175 | + $933.56 |
| Total payout | - | $6,268.17 |
Disclaimer: This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. Results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation or your circumstances. This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. We do not recommend taking actions based solely on these results. The calculator makes assumptions and results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation, modern awards, or your personal circumstances. You use this information at your own risk. We can't guarantee to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. For official guidance, visit Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au). Fair Work Ombudsman.
Restaurant Award pay rates and penalties.
Dollar rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the Annual Wage Review increase. Penalty rates verified against the MA000119 award text.
Penalty rates by shift type
What each hour is worth as a percentage of the base rate, for permanent and casual employees.
Hourly rate by classification level
24 levels, measured from $0 so the gaps between them are true to scale.
Grey bars fall below the adult national minimum wage. The award itself sets these rates, and the key below says who each one applies to.
- Introductory levelIntroductory level, up to 3 months (Sch A.1)
- Food and beverage, Level 1Food and beverage attendant grade 1
- Kitchen attendant, Level 1Kitchen attendant grade 1
- Food and beverage, Level 2Food and beverage attendant grade 2
- Cook, Level 2Cook grade 1
- Kitchen attendant, Level 2Kitchen attendant grade 2
- Clerical, Level 2Clerical grade 1
- Storeperson, Level 2Storeperson grade 1
- Security, Level 2Door person/security officer grade 1
- Food and beverage, Level 3Food and beverage attendant grade 3
- Cook, Level 3Cook grade 2
- Kitchen attendant, Level 3Kitchen attendant grade 3
- Clerical, Level 3Clerical grade 2
- Storeperson, Level 3Storeperson grade 2
- Security, Level 3Timekeeper/security officer grade 2
- Handyperson, Level 3Handyperson
- Food and beverage, Level 4Food and beverage attendant grade 4 (tradesperson)
- Cook, Level 4Cook grade 3 (tradesperson)
- Clerical, Level 4Clerical grade 3
- Storeperson, Level 4Storeperson grade 3
- Food and beverage, Level 5Food and beverage supervisor
- Cook, Level 5Cook grade 4 (tradesperson)
- Clerical, Level 5Clerical supervisor
- Cook, Level 6Cook grade 5 (tradesperson)
National Minimum Wage, 4-year trend
Lifted each year by the Annual Wage Review. Up 23.7% since FY2023. Percentages are the movement in the NMW itself, which exceeded the award increase in the years the Commission realigned it to the C13 rate.
Where these numbers come from
- Dollar rates
- The MA000119 award text as consolidated by the Fair Work Commission, reflecting Annual Wage Review [2026] FWCFB 3500, effective 1 July 2026.
- Penalty rates and allowances
- MA000119 on awards.fairwork.gov.au, the official award text.
- Your own figures
- Check your classification in the FWO Pay Calculator.
Penalty rates in full
Every loading in the award, side by side for full-time, part-time and casual employees.
| Hours worked | Full-time / part-time | Casual (incl. loading) |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday | 125% | See notes |
| Sunday | 150% | See notes |
| Public holiday | 225% | See notes |
This award combines casual loading differently depending on the penalty. Some casual penalties substitute for the full-time rate rather than adding to it, so the casual column cannot be derived by adding 25% across the board. The stream detail below and the coverage notes give the specific rates.
All values are percentages of the base hourly rate. Casual rates shown are inclusive of the 25% casual loading on top of the FT/PT rate. For your own dollar amounts, use the FWO Pay Calculator.
These are the percentages. To turn them into dollars for a specific roster, the penalty rates calculator prices Saturday, Sunday, public holiday and shift hours against this award’s own classification rates.
Pay rates by classification
Weekly rates are for 38 ordinary hours. Casual hourly includes the 25% loading.
| Level | Classification | Weekly rate | Hourly rate | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory level | Introductory level, up to 3 months (Sch A.1) | $978.10 | $25.74 | $32.18 |
| Food and beverage, Level 1 | Food and beverage attendant grade 1 | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Kitchen attendant, Level 1 | Kitchen attendant grade 1 | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Food and beverage, Level 2 | Food and beverage attendant grade 2 | $1,029.10 | $27.08 | $33.85 |
| Cook, Level 2 | Cook grade 1 | $1,029.10 | $27.08 | $33.85 |
| Kitchen attendant, Level 2 | Kitchen attendant grade 2 | $1,029.10 | $27.08 | $33.85 |
| Clerical, Level 2 | Clerical grade 1 | $1,029.10 | $27.08 | $33.85 |
| Storeperson, Level 2 | Storeperson grade 1 | $1,029.10 | $27.08 | $33.85 |
| Security, Level 2 | Door person/security officer grade 1 | $1,029.10 | $27.08 | $33.85 |
| Food and beverage, Level 3 | Food and beverage attendant grade 3 | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Cook, Level 3 | Cook grade 2 | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Kitchen attendant, Level 3 | Kitchen attendant grade 3 | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Clerical, Level 3 | Clerical grade 2 | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Storeperson, Level 3 | Storeperson grade 2 | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Security, Level 3 | Timekeeper/security officer grade 2 | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Handyperson, Level 3 | Handyperson | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Food and beverage, Level 4 | Food and beverage attendant grade 4 (tradesperson) | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Cook, Level 4 | Cook grade 3 (tradesperson) | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Clerical, Level 4 | Clerical grade 3 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Storeperson, Level 4 | Storeperson grade 3 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Food and beverage, Level 5 | Food and beverage supervisor | $1,189.40 | $31.30 | $39.13 |
| Cook, Level 5 | Cook grade 4 (tradesperson) | $1,189.40 | $31.30 | $39.13 |
| Clerical, Level 5 | Clerical supervisor | $1,189.40 | $31.30 | $39.13 |
| Cook, Level 6 | Cook grade 5 (tradesperson) | $1,221.10 | $32.13 | $40.16 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the Annual Wage Review increase. Weekly rates are for 38 ordinary hours. Casual rates include the 25% loading on top of the hourly rate. Source: the MA000119 award text as consolidated to 1 July 2026.
Allowances
Paid on top of the base rate. Amounts effective from 1 July 2026.
| Allowance | Amount | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split shift allowance | $5.60 | per work period | Full-time and part-time employees with a broken working day, for each separate work period of 2 hours or more (cl 21.3). |
| Overtime meal allowance | $17.42 | per occasion | Overtime of more than 2 hours without notice on or before the previous day. The employer may supply a meal instead. Also paid where the employee brought a meal for notified overtime that was then cancelled or cut to 2 hours or less (cl 21.2). |
| Tool and equipment allowance, cooks | $2.03 | per day | For a cook or apprentice cook required to provide and use their own tools, up to $9.94 a week (cl 21.4(a)). |
| Late night work, 10pm to midnight | $2.95 | per hour or part | Added to the ordinary rate for ordinary hours worked Monday to Friday between 10pm and midnight, casuals included (cl 24.2, Table 8). |
| Late night work, midnight to 6am | $4.42 | per hour or part | Added to the ordinary rate for ordinary hours worked Monday to Friday between midnight and 6am, casuals included (cl 24.2, Table 8). |
| Laundry allowance | Amount agreed | per week | Where the employee launders required special clothing, the employer pays an agreed weekly amount or, without an agreement, reimburses the cost. The award sets no dollar figure (cl 21.5(c)). |
The numbers that drive this award.
Set by Restaurant Industry Award 2020 (MA000119) and the NES.
Award-specific provisions.
Where this award goes beyond, or sits at, the NES floor.
A 7-day shiftworker regularly rostered on Sundays and public holidays, in a business where shifts run continuously 24 hours a day 7 days a week, receives 5 weeks annual leave (clause 25.2). Rare in practice for restaurants.
Day workers get a flat 17.5% on the minimum hourly rate. Shift workers get the same flat 17.5%. Run the numbers in the annual leave loading calculator.
No formal RDO accrual cycle in this award. Time off in lieu of overtime (TOIL) may still be available.
Calculate your leave under this award
The Restaurant Award sets your pay rates, but your paid leave runs on the National Employment Standards. Work out 4 weeks of holidays with the annual leave calculator, and your 10 days of paid sick and carer's leave with the personal leave calculator. To confirm which award applies to you and how it lifts entitlements above the NES floor, read our guide to modern awards.
Who this award covers.
The Restaurant Award (MA000119) is the common name for the Restaurant Industry Award 2020. Industries, work types and exclusions are taken from the Fair Work Ombudsman summary.
Industries
Work types
Notes & exclusions. Covers restaurants, reception centres, night clubs, cafes and roadhouses, including catering by a restaurant business (clause 4.2). Full-time and part-time weekend and public holiday penalties match the Hospitality Award: Saturday 125%, Sunday 150%, public holiday 225%. The key differences from Hospitality are the late-night loading (a flat dollar amount for ordinary hours from 10pm, not a percentage, so it is not shown in the penalty table below) and the classification structure (Introductory plus Levels 1 to 6). Overtime is 150% for the first 2 hours then 200% (175% first 2 hours on Saturday, 200% all Sunday). Casual Sunday work is an exception to the usual 25% casual differential: Table 8 sets it at 150% for Introductory to Level 2, identical to the full-time rate, and 175% for Levels 3 to 6. Excludes restaurants run in connection with premises of an employer covered by the Hospitality Award (such as hotels), the Registered Clubs Award or the Fast Food Award (clause 4.2).
Roles paid under this award.
Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.
- 01Introductory level
- 02Level 1 (food and beverage attendant grade 1, kitchen attendant grade 1)
- 03Level 2 (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)
- 04Level 3 (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)
- 05Level 4 (food and beverage attendant grade 4, cook grade 3, both tradesperson; clerical grade 3; storeperson grade 3)
- 06Level 5 (food and beverage supervisor, cook grade 4 (tradesperson), clerical supervisor)
- 07Level 6 (cook grade 5 (tradesperson), a chef de partie or equivalent)
Restaurant Award questions, answered.
Penalty rates, leave entitlements and award-specific provisions under MA000119. Verified against the modern award text.
Who does the Restaurant Award cover?
What is the Saturday penalty rate under the Restaurant Award?
What is the Sunday rate under the Restaurant Award?
What is the public holiday rate under the Restaurant Award?
How many weeks of annual leave do I get under the Restaurant Award?
How is annual leave loading calculated under the Restaurant Award?
What is the casual loading under the Restaurant Award?
Does the Restaurant Award include rostered days off (RDOs)?
Where do I find current pay rates by classification under the Restaurant Award?
Verified against the modern award text.
Penalty rates, shift loadings and continuous-shift eligibility on this page were verified against Restaurant Industry Award 2020 (MA000119) on the Fair Work Commission's awards.fairwork.gov.au.
For up-to-date pay rates by classification, refer to the FWO Pay Calculator. Modern awards are reviewed and varied periodically by the Fair Work Commission; check the source for the latest text.