Fast Food Award, explained for shift work.
Fast Food Industry Award 2020 · Reviewed July 2026 by the MyGig compliance team
Fast food and takeaway outlets: quick-service restaurants, takeaway counters, and food-court outlets where food is sold to take away or eat in casual settings.
Penalties and loadings to know
- Casual loading of 25% on the ordinary hourly rate
- Saturday and Sunday penalties (Sunday differs by level)
- Substantial public holiday penalty rates
- Evening loadings after specified times
Roles typically covered
Casual hourly rates under the Fast Food Award
| Classification | Casual $/hr |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | $34.76 |
| Level 2 | $36.81 |
| Level 3 - in charge of 1 or no persons | $37.39 |
| Level 3 - in charge of 2 or more persons | $37.84 |
Adult casual hourly rates including the 25% casual loading, effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, covering all 4 casual classifications in MyGig's award engine. Source: MyGig award engine, built from Fair Work Commission pay guides. Penalties, overtime, and allowances apply on top per the award.
Free download:the 2026 Casual Rates Card puts every award’s entry casual rate on one printable sheet.
Get the rates cardBreaks under the Fast Food Award
| Min hours | Max hours | Break (mins) | Type | Paid | To be taken after | To be taken before | What the award says | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | Meal & rest | - | - | - | “The timing and duration of rest and meal breaks for part-time employees must be included in the roster and are subject to any agreement made under clause 10.3 regarding a part-time employee’s regular pattern of work.” | cl 14.2 |
| - | - | - | Meal & rest | - | - | - | “The timing of the taking of a rest break or meal break is intended to provide a meaningful break for the employee during work hours.” | cl 14.4 |
Quoted from the award text published by Fair Work, as at 20 August 2026. Clause numbers are the award’s own. The quoted words are the award’s. The structured columns are MyGig’s transcription of the quoted sentence in the same row, and a dash means the sentence does not state that value. Breaks vary with shift length, roster and agreement, so read the clause in full before relying on any row.
Span of hours
“The minimum daily engagement for a casual employee is 3 consecutive hours.”
cl 11.3Quoted from the award text published by Fair Work, as at 20 August 2026. Clause numbers are the award’s own.
Current minimum rates
Entry-level adult casual: $34.76/hr as at 1 July 2026, from MyGig's award engine (the same data that prices every shift). Award rates change with every annual wage review (first full pay period on or after 1 July). For the full classification tables, use the official pay guide, or let MyGig apply them for you: every shift estimate uses current rates, penalties included, clause cited.
Fast Food Award FAQs
Fast Food or Restaurant Award: what is the difference?
The Fast Food Award covers quick-service and takeaway-focused outlets; the Restaurant Award covers table-service restaurants and cafés preparing meals on premises. Venue format decides it, and MyGig maps it per venue.
What is the minimum casual shift in fast food?
Typically 3 consecutive hours. MyGig shift posting enforces award minimums automatically.
Do young workers have different rates?
Yes, junior rates (percentages of the adult rate by age) apply under this award. The official pay guide carries the current tables.
General information only, not legal advice. The award itself (Fast Food Industry Award 2020, MA000003) and the Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay tools are the authoritative sources: read the award. Back to all award guides or MyGig compliance & EOR.
Stop interpreting awards by hand.
MyGig employs your casual workers as EOR and applies this award automatically: rates, loadings, penalties, and super, with the clause cited.