Retail and fast food are two of the biggest employers of young Australians, and also two of the industries where the Fair Work Ombudsman consistently finds the highest rates of underpayment. If you’re working a register at a supermarket or the counter at a fast food chain, here’s exactly what you should be paid.
Quick answer: Both the Retail Award and Fast Food Award set a Level 1 base rate of $27.81/hr ($34.76/hr casual) as of 1 July 2026. Junior rates, penalty rates, and classification structures differ between the two, and a major Fair Work Commission decision is phasing out junior rates for 18-20 year olds in both industries starting December 2026.
Are You on the Retail Award or the Fast Food Award?
If you work at a supermarket, department store, or general retail shop, you’re almost certainly on the General Retail Industry Award (MA000004). If you work at a quick-service restaurant, food court outlet, or takeaway chain like McDonald’s, KFC, or Hungry Jack’s, you’re on the Fast Food Industry Award (MA000003).
Some large chains (McDonald’s is a well-known example) operate under their own Enterprise Agreement rather than the Award directly. Even then, an Enterprise Agreement can never leave you worse off overall than the Award, this is checked against the Better Off Overall Test (BOOT) when the agreement is approved.
Base Rates: Where They’re the Same, and Where They Split
Both Awards start at the same Level 1 rate: $27.81/hr full-time or part-time, $34.76/hr casual (base plus the standard 25% casual loading). Where they differ is in how many classification levels exist and what determines your level:
- Retail Award: 8 levels, ranging from entry-level duties up to store manager. Junior discounted rates only apply to Levels 1-3, anyone classified Level 4 or above is paid the full adult rate regardless of age.
- Fast Food Award: 4 classifications (Level 1 crew, Level 2, and Level 3 split by supervisory responsibility). Junior rates apply across all levels based on age.
Junior Pay Rates: Similar Scale, Different Application
Both Awards use a broadly similar junior percentage scale: roughly 50% at 16, 60% at 17, 70% at 18, 80% at 19, and 90% at 20, reaching full adult rate at 21. The key difference is where that scale stops applying, Retail Award juniors at Level 4+ skip the discount entirely, while Fast Food Award juniors are discounted at every level until they turn 21 (or until the new phase-out reaches them, see below).
Penalty Rates for Weekends and Public Holidays
For casual employees under both Awards:
- Saturday: 150% of the base rate
- Sunday: 150% for Retail (all levels) and Fast Food Level 1, but 175% for Fast Food Level 2-3
- Public holidays: 250% of the base rate
The Big Change Already Underway
Both these Awards (along with Pharmacy) are subject to a 2026 Fair Work Commission decision phasing out junior rates for 18-20 year olds entirely, starting from 1 December 2026 for workers with 6+ months of service with their employer. We covered the full timeline in our guide on Fair Work abolishing junior pay rates for 18-20 year olds. If you’re 18-20 and working retail or fast food, this is worth tracking closely over the next few years.
How to Check You’re Being Paid Correctly
Since your exact rate depends on your specific age, classification level, and whether you’re casual, part-time, or full-time, the fastest way to check is with a calculator that has the current rates built in for both Awards. Our Award Pay Calculator covers Retail and Fast Food alongside Restaurant and Hospitality, with weekday, Saturday, Sunday, and public holiday rates for each.
If You Think You’re Underpaid
Compare your payslip against the correct rate for your age, level, and the specific day worked. If there’s a gap, you can raise it directly with your employer first, most underpayments are genuine payroll errors rather than deliberate. If it isn’t resolved, the Fair Work Ombudsman provides free advice and a formal complaint pathway, and back-pay claims can generally go back up to six years.
Not sure whether your casual loading is supposed to stack on top of those weekend rates or is already included in them? That is exactly what our guide on casual loading explained covers.
FAQs
What is the retail and fast food award pay rate in Australia in 2026?
Both the Retail Award and Fast Food Award set a Level 1 base rate of $27.81/hr (full-time or part-time) and $34.76/hr casual (base plus the standard 25% casual loading), as of 1 July 2026.
Are junior pay rates the same for retail and fast food workers?
Both awards use a similar junior percentage scale — roughly 50% at 16, 60% at 17, 70% at 18, 80% at 19, and 90% at 20, reaching full adult rate at 21. The difference is where it stops applying: Retail Award juniors at Level 4 and above are paid the full adult rate regardless of age, while Fast Food Award juniors are discounted at every level until 21.
Are junior pay rates being phased out?
Yes. A Fair Work Commission decision is phasing out junior rates for 18-20 year-olds in the Retail, Fast Food and Pharmacy awards, starting December 2026.
What should I do if I think I’m being underpaid?
Check your payslip against the correct rate for your age, level, and the day worked. Raise any gap with your employer first, since most underpayments are genuine payroll errors. If it isn’t resolved, the Fair Work Ombudsman offers free advice and a formal complaint pathway, and back-pay claims can generally go back up to six years.
Wondering whether these rates are actually enough to live on? See a realistic weekly budget for a working holiday in Australia to compare your income against typical costs.
Final Thoughts
Retail and fast food share a lot of structural similarity in their Award rates, but the details that actually change your take-home pay, junior rate cutoffs, level-dependent Sunday rates, are easy to get wrong if you’re relying on memory rather than checking the current rates directly.
—
*This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Always confirm current rates with the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool.*