Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the cafeterias, grill buffets, and buffets industry earns $25,941 per year ($12.47/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets Workers Earn?
At $25,941/year (equivalent to $12.47/hour for a full-time worker), cafeterias, grill buffets, and buffets wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical cafeterias, grill buffets, and buffets business employs 14 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average cafeterias, grill buffets, and buffets business generating $906K/year with 14 employees at $25,941 each, total payroll represents roughly 40.1% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a cafeterias, grill buffets, and buffetsbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $33,723/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 14 employees = ~$363,174/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $12.47/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $906K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do cafeterias, grill buffets, and buffets employees make?
- The average cafeterias, grill buffets, and buffets employee earns $25,941 per year, which is equivalent to $12.47/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the cafeterias, grill buffets, and buffets industry?
- The cafeterias, grill buffets, and buffets industry employs 75,294 workers across 5,285 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 14 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).