Toast’s 2026 Restaurant Employee Survey: How Industry Workers Feel About Pay, Tips, Benefits, and AI
Toast released its 2026 Voice of the Restaurant Employee Survey, polling 702 U.S. restaurant employees on pay, tips, benefits, and AI attitudes. Pay satisfaction rose 12 points year-over-year to 67%, and benefits satisfaction climbed 16 points to 62%, amid a shrinking restaurant workforce.
Key figures
- Open to ai pct
- ~20% extremely open, ~10% fully reject AI at work
- Pay satisfaction pct
- 67% (up 12 points YoY)
- Survey respondents 2025
- 624
- Survey respondents 2026
- 702
- Benefits satisfaction pct
- 62% (up 16 points YoY)
- Tipped employees reporting tip increase pct
- 42%
AI analysis
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AI-generated analysis of a public disclosure. Not investment advice; verify against the original document.