Data for owners
Restaurant minimum wage by state, 2026
The minimum wage and tipped cash wage for restaurant staff in all 50 states and DC. Highest: District of Columbia ($18.40), Washington ($17.13), New York ($17.00), Connecticut ($16.94), California ($16.90). 20 states still use the federal $7.25.
Updated November 11, 2026 · Source: US Department of Labor state tables and state labor departments, as of Nov 2026 · For information only, not legal advice.
| State | Minimum wage 2026 | Tipped cash wage | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Alaska | $14.00 | $14.00 | Source | |
| Arizona | $15.15 | $12.15 | Source | |
| Arkansas | $11.00 | $2.63 | Source | |
| California | $16.90 | $16.90 | San Francisco: $19.61 · Los Angeles (city): $18.42 | Source |
| Colorado | $15.16 | $12.14 | Denver: $19.29 | Source |
| Connecticut | $16.94 | $6.38 | Source | |
| Delaware | $15.00 | $2.23 | Source | |
| District of Columbia | $18.40 | $10.30 | Source | |
| Florida | $15.00 | $11.98 | Source | |
| Georgia | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Hawaii | $16.00 | $14.75 | Source | |
| Idaho | $7.25 | $3.35 | Source | |
| Illinois | $15.00 | $9.00 | Chicago: $17.05 · Cook County (suburban): $15.40 | Source |
| Indiana | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Iowa | $7.25 | $4.35 | Source | |
| Kansas | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Kentucky | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Louisiana | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Maine | $15.10 | $7.55 | Source | |
| Maryland | $15.00 | $3.63 | Source | |
| Massachusetts | $15.00 | $6.75 | Source | |
| Michigan | $13.73 | $5.49 | Source | |
| Minnesota | $11.41 | $11.41 | Source | |
| Mississippi | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Missouri | $15.00 | $7.50 | Source | |
| Montana | $10.85 | $10.85 | Source | |
| Nebraska | $15.00 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Nevada | $12.00 | $12.00 | Source | |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | $3.27 | Source | |
| New Jersey | $15.92 | $6.05 | Source | |
| New Mexico | $12.00 | $3.00 | Source | |
| New York | $17.00 | $11.35 | New York City: $17.00 | Source |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| North Dakota | $7.25 | $4.86 | Source | |
| Ohio | $11.00 | $5.50 | Source | |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Oregon | $15.55 | $15.55 | Source | |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | $2.83 | Source | |
| Rhode Island | $16.00 | $3.89 | Source | |
| South Carolina | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| South Dakota | $11.85 | $5.93 | Source | |
| Tennessee | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Texas | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Utah | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Vermont | $14.42 | $7.21 | Source | |
| Virginia | $12.77 | $2.13 | Source | |
| Washington | $17.13 | $17.13 | Seattle: $21.30 | Source |
| West Virginia | $8.75 | $2.62 | Source | |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | $2.33 | Source | |
| Wyoming | $7.25 | $2.13 | Source |
City minimum wages for restaurants
- Seattle, Washington: $21.30 (from 2026-01-01)
- San Francisco, California: $19.61 (from 2026-07-01)
- Denver, Colorado: $19.29 · tipped $16.27 (from 2026-01-01)
- Los Angeles (city), California: $18.42 (from 2026-07-01)
- Chicago, Illinois: $17.05 · tipped $12.96 (from 2026-07-01)
- New York City, New York: $17.00 · tipped $11.35 (from 2026-01-01)
- Cook County (suburban), Illinois: $15.40 · tipped $9.25 (from 2026-07-01)
What higher wages mean for your restaurant
Every staff hour costs more, so hours spent on the phone or copying orders are expensive. See how Maya answers calls, check your margins with the menu price calculator, and read how to read a restaurant P&L.
What is the tipped minimum wage?
It is the cash wage an employer pays a tipped worker before tips. The federal tipped cash wage is $2.13, but many states set a higher one, and some (like California) allow no tip credit at all, so tipped staff earn the full minimum wage.
Do cities have higher minimum wages?
Yes. Cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Denver set their own higher rates. Check your city as well as your state.
How can a restaurant handle rising wages?
Common moves: menu price reviews, cutting phone and admin time (an AI phone host answers calls), and moving app orders to your own ordering to keep more margin per order.
See it working in a real restaurant.
Order from a restaurant that runs on WhatsTable, then talk to us for 20 minutes about yours.
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