What is Minimum Wage?

The minimum wage for restaurant employees varies depending on how they are compensated. Roles such as managers, chefs, and some senior full-time employees are often salaried and may fall outside standard hourly minimum wage requirements.

When jobs like waiters, bussers, hostesses, and bartenders are mentioned, minimum wage becomes an important consideration. They are usually not all compensated in the same way. This is typically impacted by the fact that certain jobs are subject to standard state minimum wage laws, while others are subject to tipped minimum wage rules.

Why Minimum Wage Matters for Restaurants?

In a One Fair Wage survey of restaurant workers, 76% said that they’d leave a restaurant they worked at because of low wages, and 78% said the most important thing a restaurant employer can do to encourage them to stay is to pay a “full, stable, livable” wage.

Minimum wage increases have been happening around the country. Considering the economic pressures of inflation and other factors like a labor shortage, the question of labor costs has never been more urgent for restaurant and bar owners. Historically, many roles within a restaurant were simply paid minimum wage, but now more and more employers are faced with staff seeking higher wages.