Waiter and waitress jobs in Australia on a working holiday visa

Waiting tables in Australia is paid significantly better than in many countries because the base wage is higher and tipping is not relied on for income. The trade-off is that getting the award rates correctly applied requires more attention than most workers realise.

What does the work involve?

Waiter roles typically include:

• Greeting and seating guests
• Taking food and drink orders
• Serving food and drinks
• Clearing tables and resetting between customers
• Processing payments and cash handling
• Cleaning the dining area and restocking
• Coordinating with kitchen and bar staff

In smaller venues, the waiter role can include barista duties, bar service, and basic food preparation. The classification depends on the actual range of duties performed.

What classification applies?

Under the Restaurant Industry Award:

• Introductory level: first three months with no industry experience
• Level 1 (Food and Beverage Attendant Grade 1): setting tables, clearing tables, picking up glasses, basic service
• Level 2 (Food and Beverage Attendant Grade 2): taking orders, pouring drinks (with RSA), full service responsibilities
• Level 3 (Food and Beverage Supervisor): supervising small sections, taking section responsibility

After three months at Introductory level, you must move to Level 1 automatically unless there is a genuine reason for further training. If you are doing the same work as Level 2 staff, you should be classified at Level 2 regardless of how long you have been in the role.

See our article on award classifications for the detailed test.

What does waiter work pay?

Pay depends on the classification, shift timing, and whether you are casual or permanent:

• Casual hourly rate for Level 2 in a stand-alone restaurant: typically $30 to $34 per hour (base plus 25% casual loading)
• Saturday loading: typically 50% under the Restaurant Industry Award
• Sunday loading: typically 75% under the Restaurant Industry Award
• Public holiday loading: typically 150% under the Restaurant Industry Award
• Evening loading after 7pm: applies in some classifications

Working a Friday and Saturday night dinner service can substantially increase weekly earnings if the penalty rates are correctly paid.

What about tips?

Tipping in Australia is voluntary and far less prevalent than in many countries. The amounts are modest (10% is generous in most venues) and tips:

• Are taxable income and must be declared on the tax return
• Do not reduce the employer's obligation to pay award rates
• Are sometimes pooled and distributed by the employer

See our article on tax on tips for how tips are treated.

What are the common underpayment patterns?

The Fair Work Ombudsman has identified consistent issues in restaurant service:

• Flat hourly rates with no penalty rates
• Keeping workers at Introductory level beyond three months
• Classifying experienced waiters at Level 1
• Refusing to pay public holiday loading
• Unpaid pre-shift set-up and post-shift clean-up time
• Charging for uniform purchases, laundry, or breakages (generally illegal - see uniform deductions)
• Cash payment with no payslip and no super
• Unpaid trial shifts of full evenings

Each of these is recoverable.

What if you also work the bar?

Many waiters in smaller venues also serve drinks at the bar. Once you serve alcohol, you need an RSA certificate. The classification typically moves to Level 2 (or stays at Level 2 if you were already there) once alcohol service is part of the duties. See our article on RSA certificates for the detail.

A waiter with an RSA who also covers the bar should be paid at Level 2 even if the employer assigned them to "waitressing" on the roster.

What deductions can waiters claim?

Working holiday makers in waiter roles can typically claim:

• Non-slip work shoes
• Black work clothing if specifically required and not provided
• RSA certificate fees if you paid for it
• A share of phone costs for shift communications
• Limited vehicle costs in specific circumstances

Most waiter deductions are modest. See our article on tax deductions for the framework.

How does our service support waiters?

For working holiday makers in waiter roles, our team:

• Identifies the correct award (Restaurant Industry or Hospitality)
• Cross-checks payslips against the correct classification and rate
• Reviews penalty rates for weekend, evening, and public holiday shifts
• Identifies missing pre-shift and post-shift time
• Identifies unpaid super where contributions are missing
• Reviews any tip income for the tax return
• Lodges the tax return capturing every venue

Waiter work generates substantial penalty rate value when properly classified. Get in touch with our team to make sure your restaurant work has been correctly handled.