Award coverage for café employees depends on the employer’s industry and the employees’ duties.
Restaurant Award
The Restaurant Award covers employees in the restaurant industry. A café is in the restaurant industry if the business mainly sells food and drinks for customers to consume on the premises.
Fast Food Award
The Fast Food Award covers employees who make food and serve customers in the fast food industry. A café is in the fast food industry if they take orders for, prepare and sell coffee, beverages, meals and snacks for customers to take away, or consume in a food court.
Example
Popular Café operates in a small Melbourne laneway.
They have a couple of tables inside, but the café mostly sells drinks and snacks for their customers to take away.
Popular Café is covered by the Fast Food Award.
Other industry awards
A café may be covered by another industry award if the café operates within that industry.
For example, cafes may be covered by one of the following industry awards:
- The Hospitality Award covers cafés that are part of the hospitality industry such as cafés run by hotels or resorts.
- The Registered Clubs Award covers cafés in licensed clubs.
- The Amusement Award covers cafés that are part of the amusement industry such as a café in a theme park or a museum.
Example
The Museum of Examples runs a café selling coffee and snacks to museum visitors.
The whole museum including the café is covered by the Amusement Award.
For other examples, see:
What to do next
- Use our Pay and Conditions Tool to calculate pay rates, allowances and penalty rates (including overtime).
- Not sure this is your award? Use Find my award to find out which award applies to you.
- Get help with pay.
- Find out about Other workplace relations help
