While general managers at chains like In-N-Out Burger and Taco Bell often earn the most (potentially over $100k for In-N-Out), leading hourly payers include In-N-Out Burger, offering high starting wages for associates, and Chipotle and Chick-fil-A, known for competitive rates for team and shift leaders, often exceeding $17-$21/hour, with location and experience significantly impacting pay.
Highest paid fast-food jobs
KFC Australia pay varies by role and experience, but generally ranges from around $26-$28 per hour for Team Members/Cooks to $29+ for Shift Managers, with potential increases for evenings, weekends, and public holidays under the Fast Food Industry Award, though actual rates depend on specific locations and awards.
McDonald's. McDonald's maintains its position as the world's most profitable fast food chain, with McDonald's revenue for the twelve months ending June 30, 2025, at $26.060 billion, a 1.18% increase year-over-year .
In Australia, many jobs pay over $100,000, spanning sectors like Tech (ICT Manager, IT Specialist), Healthcare (Psychiatrist, Dentist, Pharmacist), Engineering (Mining, Aerospace, Construction), Finance (Accountant, Business Analyst), Construction (Project Manager, Site Manager, Trades like Electrician), Sales/Marketing (Business Development, Digital Marketing), and Management (HR Manager, Project Manager, Store Manager), with high potential in specialized trades, public service (Air Traffic Controller, Police Detective), and even roles like Pilot, often requiring specific skills, experience, or certifications.
Yes, $50 an hour ($98,800/year) is a very good wage in Australia, significantly above the average full-time earnings and offering a strong income for most lifestyles, common in skilled trades (electricians, plumbers) and professional roles, though living costs, especially housing in major cities, can influence its purchasing power.
KFC's brand is ranked #130 in the list of Global Top 1000 Brands, as rated by customers of KFC. Their current valuation is $32.95B. McDonald's's brand is ranked #85 in the list of Global Top 100 Brands, as rated by customers of McDonald's. Their current valuation is $167.91B.
The top fast-food restaurants vary by metric (sales, locations, brand value), but consistently high-ranking chains globally and in the U.S. include McDonald's, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Subway, KFC, and Taco Bell, with McDonald's often leading in revenue and Starbucks in brand value, while Subway boasts the most locations in the U.S. Other top contenders frequently cited are Burger King, Wendy's, Dunkin', and Domino's.
Crew Member applicants have rated the interview process at KFC with 1.9 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) and assessed their interview experience as 58% positive. To compare, the company-average is 61.4% positive. This is according to Glassdoor user ratings.
Subway pay rates in Australia vary by role and location, with Sandwich Artists typically earning around $18-$30/hour, while managers earn more, but rates depend heavily on the specific franchise and the national minimum wage/Fast Food Award, including penalty rates for evenings, weekends, and public holidays. You can find current rates from job listings (Glassdoor, Seek) or the Fair Work Ombudsman for industry standards.
The psychological burden of working in fast food is perhaps the hardest part to endure. Dealing with difficult customers is a daily reality, and some of them seem to forget that the person behind the counter is human. I've been yelled at, made fun of, insulted and even blamed for things entirely out of my control.
Here's a current look at some of the highest-paying F&B roles and what it takes to earn a six-figure salary in 2025.
In-N-Out Burger managers can earn up to $160,000 annually, one of the top-paying roles in the industry. Shift leaders at Chipotle and team leaders at Chick-fil-A also offer above-average hourly wages, often between $17 to $21 per hour.
McDonald's has surpassed Starbucks to become the world's most valuable restaurant brand, according to a report by global brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance. In 2025, the McDonald's brand rose 7 per cent to US$40.5 billion to overtake Starbucks for the first time since 2016.
Some of my favorite memories from growing up revolve around eating cheeseburgers with my family at Burgermaster. The Laurelhurst location was even my dad's unofficial office in the early days of the Gates Foundation. If you're ever in Seattle, there's nowhere better. Happy National Burger Day!
Fast Food Chains With the Highest Prices
Currently, McDonald's has a market capitalization of $208.66 billion. Buying $1000 In MCD: If an investor had bought $1000 of MCD stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $3,019.74 today based on a price of $288.95 for MCD at the time of writing.
After decades as the top U.S. fast-food chicken chain by sales, KFC now ranks fourth, and it recently experienced six consecutive quarters of U.S. same-store sales declines. KFC is revamping its executive ranks and menu, offering new chicken sandwiches and marketing a discounted price.
Subway leads with 1,248 outlets as of 10 September 2025. Subway, McDonald's, and KFC remain Australia's biggest food chains in 2025, according to ScrapeHero's data last updated on 24 October 2025.
$90,000 a year is approximately $43.27 per hour, assuming a standard 40-hour workweek (2080 working hours per year), calculated by dividing the annual salary by 2080.
The average Australian full-time worker is now earning more than $2000 a week for the first time in history. New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show the average ordinary full-time weekly earnings for adults hit $2011.40 before tax in May.
$100,000/year is above an average salary and if you're frugal enough, on $100,000/year, you should be able to live a good life and save some money too. Usually if you consider living in desirable locations of cities like Melbourne and Sydney, most of your income will be consumed in the house rents.