Operator Guide · Updated 18 May 2026
The Restaurant Industry Award (MA000119), in plain English
The Restaurant Industry Award 2020 (MA000119) is the Fair Work modern award that sets minimum pay and conditions for most Australian restaurants and cafes, six classification levels, casual loading, junior and apprentice rates, and Saturday, Sunday, and public-holiday penalties. This plain-English guide walks each part for cafe and restaurant operators.
Step 1, Classify Each Role
The six classification levels
MA000119 has six classification levels covering both front and back of house. Each role on your roster maps to one of these levels, that determines the base hourly rate before loadings and penalties.
Introductory
First three months in the industry. Routine duties under direct supervision, clearing tables, dishwashing, basic food preparation, simple drinks. The base rate of the award; most casual juniors start here.
Typical roles
- Clearing and resetting tables
- Dishwashing (manual or automatic)
- Basic food prep, peeling, chopping under direction
Food and Beverage Attendant Grade 2 / Cook Grade 1
Most floor staff and entry kitchen staff. Service of food and beverages, taking orders, operating POS, espresso machine, basic cooking duties (assembly, reheating, plating).
Typical roles
- Waiting tables, taking orders, running food
- Operating coffee machine, pouring beer/wine
- Cook grade 1, assembly, reheat, basic plating
F&B Attendant Grade 3 / Cook Grade 2 (Qualified)
Specialist skill or supervisory of one or more Level 1/2 staff. Includes qualified bartenders, baristas with certification, and cook grade 2, applying basic cookery techniques to a la carte service.
Typical roles
- Cocktail-trained bartender, certified barista
- Wine service requiring product knowledge (sommelier-adjacent)
- Cook grade 2, basic a la carte, sauces, mise en place
Cook Grade 3 / Senior F&B Attendant
Trade-qualified cook (Certificate III in Commercial Cookery) or senior front-of-house with supervisory responsibility. The first 'trade-rate' tier in the kitchen hierarchy.
Typical roles
- Cert III qualified chef, section work, prep leadership
- Restaurant supervisor, rostering, training new staff
- Function/event coordinator on shift
Cook Grade 4 (Demi Chef)
Trade-qualified chef in charge of a section (sauce, larder, pastry, etc.) with responsibility for the menu items produced within that section. Reports to head/sous chef.
Typical roles
- Section chef (sauce, garde manger, pastry)
- Pastry chef with menu input on desserts
- Demi chef supervising 1 to 2 junior cooks
Cook Grade 5 / Senior Chef
Senior trade-qualified chef, chef de partie, sous chef, or head chef in a smaller establishment. Menu development, kitchen leadership, ordering, and full responsibility for a service period.
Typical roles
- Chef de partie, runs a section in a high-volume kitchen
- Sous chef, second-in-charge to head chef
- Head chef in single-venue cafes / casual restaurants
Step 2, Apply Junior Rates
Junior rates (under 21)
Employees under 21 are paid a percentage of the adult rate at their classification level. The percentage steps up each year. Apprentices use a different (apprentice) scale, see Section 5 below.
| Age | % of adult rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 16 | 45% | Of the adult rate for the relevant classification level. Common for school-leaver casuals on weekends. |
| 16 | 50% | Half the adult rate. Bear in mind super still applies on top, the SG threshold removal means under-18 staff working 30+ hours/week now accrue super. |
| 17 | 60% | 60% of the adult rate. Typical for senior high school casuals. |
| 18 | 70% | 70% of the adult rate. Note: at 18 the employee can also pour and serve alcohol with an RSA. |
| 19 | 80% | 80% of the adult rate. Common entry-year rate for young adults. |
| 20 | 90% | 90% of the adult rate. From 21 the employee receives the full adult rate at their classification level. |
Junior percentages apply to the base hourly rate. Penalties and allowances apply on top of the junior's percentage rate, not the adult rate.
Step 3, Apply Loadings & Penalties
Casual loading, weekend & public holiday penalties
Loadings are percentage additions to the base hourly rate. They stack, a casual cook working Sunday lunch receives casual loading + Sunday penalty for their level. Public holiday work attracts +150% for all classes.
| Type | Loading | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Casual loading | +25% | Added to the base hourly rate for casual employees in lieu of paid leave, personal leave, and notice entitlements. |
| Saturday penalty (full-time, part-time) | +25% | Full and part-time staff working ordinary Saturday hours receive +25%. |
| Saturday penalty (casual) | +50% total | Casual loading (+25%) plus Saturday penalty (+25%) = +50% on the base rate. |
| Sunday penalty, Level 1 & 2 (full-time/part-time) | +50% | Sundays attract a 50% penalty for full-time and part-time staff at levels 1 and 2. |
| Sunday penalty, Level 3+ (full-time/part-time) | +75% | From Level 3 and above (cook grades, senior F&B), Sunday penalty rises to +75% for full-time and part-time. |
| Sunday penalty (casual) | +75% to +100% total | Casual loading (+25%) plus Sunday penalty (+50% or +75%) depending on classification level, total +75% to +100% on the base. |
| Public holiday | +150% | All employees, double-time-and-a-half for public holiday work, in addition to the entitlement to the holiday at ordinary rates for full-time and part-time staff if rostered. |
| Early-morning shift loading | +10% | For ordinary hours commenced before 7am, common for bakery cafes and breakfast service. |
| Late-night shift loading | +10% | For ordinary hours worked between midnight and 7am, common for late-trading restaurants and bars. |
Penalty rates summarised reflect the structure of MA000119 at the time of review. Always confirm specific clauses against the current instrument on fwc.gov.au.
Step 4, Add Allowances
Split-shift, broken-shift, meal & uniform allowances
Allowances are flat dollar amounts (per day, per shift, per week) rather than percentages. Split-shift is the most common in hospitality, a lunch + dinner roster with a 2-hour break triggers the allowance.
Split-shift allowance
Per-day amount when the day's work is split into two periods with an unpaid break of one hour or more (typical lunch + dinner roster). Paid on top of base rate.
Broken-shift allowance
Where a shift is broken into more than two periods, an additional broken-shift allowance applies. Not common but applies in high-coverage venues.
Meal allowance
Where the employer doesn't provide a meal but the employee works through a meal break or overtime exceeding 1.5 hours after ordinary finishing time.
Uniform / laundry
Where the employer requires a uniform but doesn't launder it, a per-week laundry allowance applies. If the employer supplies AND launders, no allowance is due.
First-aid allowance
Where an employee is nominated as first-aider and holds a current Provide First Aid (HLTAID011) certificate.
Cold work / hot work allowance
For work in coolrooms below 0°C (cold work) or kitchens where ambient temperature exceeds 46°C (hot work). Specific per-hour amounts.
Step 5, Apprentice & Trainee Rates
Apprentice cook progression
Apprentices undertaking Certificate III in Commercial Cookery are paid a progression scale against the Level 4 (trade-rate) hourly rate. Adult apprentices (21+) receive an enhanced minimum to prevent age-discrimination effects.
Year 1 apprentice cook (Cert III Commercial Cookery)
55% of Level 4 rateYear 1 of the standard 4-year apprenticeship. The 55% rate is conditional on the apprentice being engaged in training (TAFE, RTO).
Year 2 apprentice cook
65% of Level 4 rateSecond year. Progression contingent on satisfactory competency and on-the-job performance.
Year 3 apprentice cook
80% of Level 4 rateThird year. Substantial skill development, usually able to run a section under supervision.
Year 4 apprentice cook
95% of Level 4 rateFinal year. Nearly trade-qualified, often promoted to demi or chef de partie on completion.
School-based apprentice
Pro-rataApprentices undertaking the qualification while completing senior secondary education are paid pro-rata for actual hours worked, plus training time.
Adult apprentice (21+)
Minimum 80% of Level 4Adult apprentices (commencing the apprenticeship at age 21 or older) receive a minimum rate equivalent to 80% of the Level 4 rate in year one, protects mature-age career changers from junior rates.
Practical tips for hospitality operators
Don't reclassify down to save cost
Paying a Cert III chef at Level 3 because “they're still learning” is the single most common Fair Work finding in hospitality audits. Once an employee holds the qualification or performs the duties, they're classified at the matching level, regardless of business size or ability to pay.
Roster around Sunday penalty
Sunday at Levels 3+ attracts +75% for full-time/part-time and +100% for casual. Rostering your highest-paid chefs across weekday dinners and using junior or Level 1/2 staff for Sunday brunch is a legitimate way to manage labour cost without underpaying.
Annualised salaries are not free passes
Putting a head chef on a $75,000 salary doesn't exempt you from MA000119. The annualised-wage clause requires a roll-up calculation each year showing actual hours worked (including weekends and public holidays) wouldn't have paid more under strict award compliance.
Super on every hour
The Superannuation Guarantee applies on top of award wages (currently 11.5%, rising to 12% from 1 July 2025). The $450 monthly minimum was removed in 2022, super now applies to under-18 employees once they work 30+ hours/week, regardless of total earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Restaurant Industry Award cover cafes?
Yes, MA000119 covers most cafes, restaurants, hotels (food service component), and reception/function centres. Standalone bakeries fall under the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Manufacturing Award; standalone pubs without significant food service fall under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (MA000009). Where there's overlap (a cafe inside a hotel), check whose business is the 'substantial character', that determines the applicable award.
What's the difference between MA000119 and the Hospitality Award MA000009?
MA000119 (Restaurant Industry Award) covers restaurants, cafes, reception centres, and night clubs. MA000009 (Hospitality Industry General Award) covers hotels, pubs, motels, taverns, and clubs. A pub that primarily sells alcohol and gaming uses MA000009; a restaurant inside that pub uses MA000119. Many venues operate under both, they classify each role under the appropriate award.
Where do I find the current MA000119 dollar rates?
The Fair Work Commission updates minimum award rates each 1 July. Use the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay & Conditions Tool (pay.fairwork.gov.au) to look up specific dollar amounts, type 'Restaurant Industry Award' and your classification level. Avoid printed wall posters and third-party guides, they go stale every 12 months.
Can I pay a flat 'salary' instead of dealing with penalties?
Only via a properly structured annualised salary clause in MA000119 or an Individual Flexibility Arrangement (IFA). The annualised salary must be high enough that, on a roll-up calculation against actual hours worked (including penalties, loadings, allowances), the employee is better off than strict award compliance. Most operators get tripped up by under-budgeting Sunday and public-holiday work, the Fair Work audit then finds underpayment.
Do junior rates apply to apprentices?
No, apprentice rates supersede junior rates. An apprentice cook is paid the apprentice percentage of the Level 4 rate regardless of age. Adult apprentices (21+) receive the protected minimum (currently 80% of Level 4 in year 1) which is higher than the straight apprentice scale.
Which employee records must a restaurant keep under the award?
Time-and-wages records for 7 years (s 535 Fair Work Act). For hospitality this means: daily hours per employee, start/finish times, breaks, classification level, base rate, penalties applied, allowances paid, super contributions, and payslips. Fair Work audits of hospitality businesses are common, the audit defence is contemporaneous time records, not 'we paid the right amount overall'.
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Reviewed by Bishal Shrestha
About the author
Bishal Shrestha
Founder & CEO, OneBookPlus
Bishal spent a decade running digital projects for Australian small businesses before founding OneBookPlus. He writes and maintains these pages, and publishes what OneBookPlus does not do alongside what it does.
Read the founder bioHow this page was researched
The compliance and licensing statements above are taken from the bodies this page links to, including the Fair Work pay calculator, so you can read the rule rather than take our word for it. Plan prices come from the OneBookPlus price registry, so the page and the checkout cannot disagree. Everything said about OneBookPlus describes what the product does today, and the page says so where it does not do something.
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