Fast food is a vastly profitable part of the American economy, raking in $387.5 billion in 2023. That’s comparable to the entire GDP of Missouri or Connecticut. Fast food workers don’t often share in that prosperity from a job that typically employs teenagers and retirees. However, for a variety of reasons, they make considerably more in some states than others.

How Has the Fast Food Industry Changed?

The COVID-19 pandemic made major changes to the fast food industry. To comply with social distancing requirements, most chains optimized their menus for takeout and expanded drive-through service. In the low-unemployment inflationary period that followed, many of them have expanded their use of technology, such as ordering by apps and self-service touch screens as these are more cost effective than increasing staffing.

What Are the Top Fast Food Chains?

In 2024, these were the top-performing fast food chains in the U.S., along with their annual revenue and number of locations, based on the QSR 50 report: 

1. McDonalds: $53.1 billion, 13,457 locations
2. Starbucks: $28.7 billion, 16,346 locations
3. Chick-fil-A: $21.6 billion, 2,552 locations
4. Taco Bell: $15 billion, 7,405 locations
5. Wendy’s: $12.3 billion, 6,030 locations
6. Dunkin’: $11.9 billion, 9,580 locations
7. Burger King: $11 billion, 6,778 locations
8. Subway: $10.3 billion, 3,437 locations
9. Domino’s: $9 billion, 6,854 locations
10. Chipotle: $8.7 billion, 3,437 locations

Why Are Fast Food Workers Paid More in Some States?

Fast food wages differ somewhat by restaurant as well as state-by-state. These are some of the factors that cause variation in fast food salaries: 

• Minimum wage differs by state, from just $2 an hour for small employers in Oklahoma and $7.25 for large employers, up to $17 an hour in Washington, D.C. 
• Employers compete with each other for limited numbers of workers, driving up salaries. 
• Some parts of the country have a higher cost of living, so that people will not work for less than they can afford. 
• Some fast food employees are in unions that advocate for better conditions and higher wages. 

Fast Food Salaries Under $16 an Hour

Florida and West Virginia have low minimum wages of $13/hr. and $8.75/hr. respectively. While the cost of living is higher in urban areas of South Florida, much of the interior and northern part of the state is rural. Chick-fil-A is the most popular fast food place in both states. 

• Florida: $14.58
• West Virginia: $15.10

Fast Food Salaries $16.01-$17 an Hour

States in this income category for fast food workers are almost all in the south, with low minimum wages and affordable costs of living. Of course Kentucky is known as the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken, where Colonel Harland Sanders operated a roadside restaurant, but the first actual Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise opened in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1952. 

• Arkansas: $16.13
• Georgia: $16.47
• Louisiana: $16.68
• Kentucky: $16.95
• Michigan: $17.00

Fast Food Salaries $17.01-$18 an Hour

This range includes rural and agricultural states in the south, midwest, and west. 

• Kansas: $17.40
• Alabama: $17.68
• Tennessee: $17.71
• North Carolina: $17.73
• Utah: $17.76
• Montana: $17.91

Fast Food Salaries $18.01-$19 an Hour

This is by far the average salary range for fast food workers nationwide, with states all over the country, but particularly the midwest, represented. Texas is on this list; it has the largest number of Burger Kings of any state (571) as well as the most Chick-fil-As (460).

• Oklahoma: $18.01
• South Carolina: $18.10
• Texas: $18.18
• Arizona: $18.18
• Missouri: $18.30
• Iowa: $18.33
• Idaho: $18.36
• Mississippi: $18.48
• Ohio: $18.55
• Connecticut: $18.56
• Indiana: $18.57
• Nebraska: $18.60
• Wyoming: $18.75
• Maine: $18.89
• Illinois: $18.91
• New Mexico: $18.91
• Maryland: $18.94
• New Hampshire: $18.97

Fast Food Salaries $19.01-$20 an Hour

This salary range includes California, Nevada, and a cluster of states in the northeast, and a scattering elsewhere. With a few exceptions like South Dakota, these are generally some of the more expensive states to live in. California has more McDonald’s locations than any other state: 1,221 (9% of the national total). 

• Rhode Island: $19.11
• Minnesota: $19.11
• California: $19.25
• Virginia: $19.34
• South Dakota: $19.51
• Delaware: $19.53
• Pennsylvania: $19.56
• Wisconsin: $19.69
• New Jersey: $19.81
• Nevada: $19.87

Fast Food Salaries $20.01-$21 an Hour

Hawaii, Colorado, and Oregon are politically progressive states where advocates for minimum wage workers can get more traction with voters. The states on this list, with the exception of North Dakota, also tend to have a relatively high cost of living. In Hawaii, Subway has more restaurants than any other fast food chain (120). 

• Hawaii: $20.27
• Colorado: $20.52
• Oregon: $20.63
• North Dakota: $20.64
• Vermont: $20.74

Fast Food Salaries $21.01-$22 an Hour

Massachusetts and New York are both urbanized and politically progressive, so both of those factors drive up salaries for fast food workers and other entry-level employees. Dunkin’ is one of the top chains in New York state, which of course conjures up stereotypes of tough cops and their donuts.

• Alaska: $21.01
• Massachusetts: $21.31
• New York: $21.34

Fast Food Salaries $22.01-$23 an Hour

Both of the “Washingtons” pay the highest salaries for fast food workers. Voters in each have some of the most politically liberal views in the country. Seattle and Washington D.C. are also expensive places to live. One of Seattle’s claims to fame is that it is the birthplace of Starbucks. 

• District of Columbia: $22.05
• Washington: $22.10

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.