Two employees can run the same station, wear the same uniform and handle the same dinner rush yet their age can still place them on different hourly rates. That arrangement is set to change for young adults covered by the Fast Food Industry Award. In March 2026, a Fair Work Commission Full Bench decided to phase out junior rates for employees aged 18 to 20 under the Fast Food, General Retail and Pharmacy Industry Awards. Once the changes take effect, an employee aged 18, 19 or 20 will become entitled to the applicable adult classification rate after working for the same employer for more than six months. Discounted junior rates will continue during the first six months, and the decision does not change rates for employees under 18. Importantly, this does not apply automatically to every café, restaurant or hospitality venue. It concerns employees covered by the three named awards, including quick-service businesses operating under the Fast Food Industry Award. The final implementation timetable is also still being settled. Fair Work guidance says the changes could begin from 1 December 2026, but that date is not yet confirmed and further Commission proceedings are required. The debate involves two legitimate industry concerns. Young adults performing the same duties as older colleagues may reasonably question why their pay remains lower. Employers, particularly labour-intensive franchises and smaller operators, must also understand how higher wage costs could affect rostering, pricing and entry-level employment. Fast-food employers should identify which workers are covered, confirm their ages and service dates, and check whether payroll systems can automatically move eligible employees to adult rates at the correct point. Franchisees should also clarify whether responsibility for system updates sits with head office, the payroll provider or the individual operator. Workforce planning matters too. An employee approaching six months’ service should not suddenly become less attractive because their legal rate changes. By that stage, the business has already invested in induction, station skills and workplace knowledge. Retaining a capable employee may deliver far more value than restarting recruitment to preserve a lower hourly rate. The Commission’s decision is settled in principle, even though the phasing remains unfinished. As the Full Bench put it, junior rates will be removed for workers aged 18 and over, while discounted rates remain for those with “six months’ or less experience with the same employer.” While the implementation date creeping closer, everyone affected by this upcoming change should start getting ready for the change',
