Restaurant employees are feeling better about their pay and benefits, according to Toast's 2026 Voice of the Restaurant Employee Survey, as operators continue to compete for labor in a challenging hiring environment.
The survey of 702 U.S.-based restaurant employees found that 67 percent are satisfied or extremely satisfied with their pay, up 12 percentage points from 2025. Benefits satisfaction also jumped, with 62 percent reporting they are satisfied or extremely satisfied with their benefits, a 16-point year-over-year increase.
The findings suggest many operators are investing more heavily in compensation, benefits and retention efforts as workforce participation remains below pre-pandemic levels.
Key findings include:
- 67 percent of employees said they are satisfied or extremely satisfied with their pay, up 12 percentage points year over year.
- 42 percent of tipped employees reported their tips increased during the past 12 months.
- 62 percent reported being satisfied or extremely satisfied with their benefits, up 16 percentage points from 2025.
- Flexible scheduling and competitive pay tied as the most-valued aspects of restaurant work, with 32 percent ranking each among their top three favorite parts of the job.
- Poor hourly pay remained the industry's biggest pain point, cited by 31 percent of respondents.
Pay Satisfaction Rises
Overall pay satisfaction reached 67 percent, with 42 percent saying they were satisfied and 25 percent reporting they were extremely satisfied with their compensation.
Just 14 percent of employees reported some level of dissatisfaction with their pay, down 8 percentage points year over year.
Toast noted that restaurants continue to face labor pressures, particularly as younger workers participate in the workforce at lower rates than in previous years. The survey suggests operators are responding by improving compensation packages and benefits to attract and retain employees.
Restaurant Workers Warming To AI
The survey also found broad openness to artificial intelligence in restaurant operations.
Only about 10 percent of respondents said they completely reject the idea of using AI at work, while roughly 20 percent said they are extremely open to incorporating AI into job-related tasks.
Employees expressed the strongest enthusiasm for AI tools that can streamline day-to-day operations:
- 23 percent said they are extremely open to AI-generated end-of-shift summaries.
- 23 percent are extremely open to AI-generated upsell recommendations.
- Only 12 percent said they are not at all open to AI-powered training or coaching.
Toast said most workers expressed at least some willingness to use AI for functions including scheduling, shift summaries, staff training and sales recommendations.
While AI continues to gain traction across restaurant operations, the survey indicates that traditional concerns such as hourly wages, tips and benefits remain the issues that matter most to restaurant employees.