Hospitality salaries
Food Runner Salary in Australia
Food runners are the link between kitchen and table — delivering dishes quickly and accurately during service. It’s a fast-paced entry point into restaurant floor work.
Fair Work award base rate
Award base — full-time
$25.61/hr
Award base — casual
$32.01/hr
Full-time (annual)
$50,605/yr
MA000009 base rate (classification L2), effective 1 July 2025. Excludes evening, weekend, public-holiday and overtime penalties — verify your classification at fairwork.gov.au.
What food runners actually earn on Tavro
Food Runner pay — frequently asked questions
What is the award rate for a food runner in Australia?
Under the Fair Work Hospitality Industry (General) Award (MA000009), the base rate for a food runner is about $25.61/hr full-time, or $32.01/hr casual (which includes the 25% casual loading), as at 1 July 2025. These are base weekday rates — evening, weekend, public-holiday and overtime penalties are paid on top.
How much does a food runner earn per year?
A full-time food runner on the award base rate earns roughly $50,605 per year before penalties, superannuation and overtime. Actual pay varies by venue, experience and hours — on Tavro every listing shows the salary upfront.
Do food runners get penalty rates?
Yes. The figures above are base rates only. Under MA000009, hospitality staff are generally entitled to higher rates for evenings, weekends, public holidays and overtime. Check your exact entitlements at fairwork.gov.au.
Looking for food runner work?
Every listing shows the salary upfront — no guessing.