Restaurant Jobs: Pay Per Hour & Hiring Age (2026)
Average entry-level hourly pay and minimum hiring age at 70 U.S. restaurant chains, highest-paying first. Pay figures are self-reported averages published by Indeed, Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter; each chain's page shows the source and date.
| Chain | Entry-level pay | Hiring age |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Roadhouse | $21.74/hr | 16 |
| Chili's Grill & Bar | $21.36/hr | 16 |
| 7 Brew Coffee | $21.32/hr | 16 |
| Red Robin | $20.42/hr | 16 |
| Red Lobster | $19.70/hr | 16 |
| Outback Steakhouse | $19.27/hr | 16 |
| Del Taco | $19.04/hr | 16 |
| Applebee's | $18.89/hr | 16 |
| Dave's Hot Chicken | $18.88/hr | 16 |
| Jack in the Box | $18.18/hr | 16 |
| P.F. Chang's | $18.14/hr | 16 |
| Dutch Bros Coffee | $17.68/hr | 16 |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | $17.62/hr | 16 |
| Panera Bread | $17.53/hr | 16 |
| Golden Corral | $17.45/hr | 16 |
| In-N-Out Burger | $17.45/hr | 16 |
| Denny's | $16.84/hr | 16 |
| Panda Express | $16.72/hr | 16 |
| El Pollo Loco | $16.43/hr | 16 |
| Starbucks | $15.94/hr | 16 |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill | $15.80/hr | 16 |
| Jersey Mike's Subs | $15.57/hr | 14–16 |
| Portillo's | $15.49/hr | 16 |
| IHOP | $15.43/hr | 16 |
| Carl's Jr. | $15.36/hr | 14–16 |
| Qdoba Mexican Eats | $15.27/hr | 16 |
| Olive Garden | $15.16/hr | 16 |
| Cracker Barrel | $14.91/hr | 16 |
| Raising Cane's | $14.77/hr | 16 |
| Culver's | $14.64/hr | 14–16 |
| Five Guys | $14.57/hr | 16 |
| Dunkin' | $14.38/hr | 14–16 |
| KFC | $14.31/hr | 16 |
| Crumbl Cookies | $14.27/hr | 16 |
| Chick-fil-A | $14.23/hr | 14–16 |
| Taco Bell | $13.99/hr | 16 |
| Cook Out | $13.95/hr | 16 |
| Hardee's | $13.93/hr | 14–16 |
| Jimmy John's | $13.84/hr | 16 |
| Little Caesars | $13.81/hr | 16 |
| Wingstop | $13.81/hr | 16 |
| The Cheesecake Factory | $13.73/hr | 16 |
| Waffle House | $13.66/hr | 16 |
| Burger King | $13.24/hr | 14–16 |
| Dickey's Barbecue Pit | $13.24/hr | 14–16 |
| McDonald's | $13.24/hr | 14–16 |
| Pizza Hut | $13.20/hr | 16 |
| Long John Silver's | $13.13/hr | 14–16 |
| Dairy Queen | $13.00/hr | 14–16 |
| Zaxby's | $12.80/hr | 16 |
| Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers | $12.78/hr | 14–16 |
| Wendy's | $12.73/hr | 14–16 |
| Steak 'n Shake | $12.72/hr | 16 |
| Tropical Smoothie Cafe | $12.71/hr | 14–16 |
| Firehouse Subs | $12.43/hr | 14–16 |
| Bojangles | $12.39/hr | 14–16 |
| Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen | $12.29/hr | 16 |
| Domino's Pizza | $12.18/hr | 16 |
| Fazoli's | $12.06/hr | 14–16 |
| LongHorn Steakhouse | $12.05/hr | 16 |
| Arby's | $12.01/hr | 14–16 |
| Krispy Kreme | $11.91/hr | 16 |
| Subway | $11.88/hr | 16 |
| Potbelly Sandwich Works | $11.77/hr | 16 |
| Whataburger | $11.72/hr | 16 |
| Sonic Drive-In | $11.70/hr | 14–16 |
| Church's Texas Chicken | $11.34/hr | 16 |
| Cicis Pizza | $11.29/hr | 14–16 |
| Checkers & Rally's | $11.12/hr | 14–16 |
| Papa John's | $10.31/hr | 16 |
Starting a Restaurant Job? Gear for Long Shifts
Most restaurant kitchens require slip-resistant shoes, and new crew members are usually expected to bring their own. These are the basics for eight-hour shifts on your feet.
