Key Takeaways
- In the United States, there are approximately 3.48 million fast food and counter workers employed as of 2023
- Women make up approximately 62.4% of the fast food workforce in the United States
- The average age of a fast food worker in the U.S. is 23 years old
- 73% of fast food workers are enrolled in one or more public assistance programs
- 79% of fast food workers do not have access to paid sick leave
- 20% of fast food workers report having more than one job to meet expenses
- Fast food workers are 1.2 times more likely to be victims of workplace violence than the average worker
- 13% of fast food workers report being burned on the job at least once per year
- 87% of fast food workers report experiencing at least one injury in the past year
- The turnover rate in the fast food industry reached 150% in recent peak years
- McDonald’s employees average 2.5 years of tenure per worker
- Fast food workers handle an average of 45-60 transactions per hour during peak shifts
- The median hourly wage for fast food and counter workers in the U.S. is $14.34
- The annual mean wage for fast food workers in California is $37,840
- The state of Mississippi has the lowest average hourly pay for fast food workers at $10.89
In the US, 3.48 million fast food workers, averaging age 23, face low pay and heavy scheduling demands.
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Wages and Compensation
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How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Fast Food Employee Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fast-food-employee-statistics
Kevin O'Brien. "Fast Food Employee Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/fast-food-employee-statistics.
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Fast Food Employee Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fast-food-employee-statistics.
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