Restaurant workers are the soul of a great dining experience. Yet, the foodservice industry continues to face a persistent challenge of retaining its workforce. Why are so many employees unsure about their future in the industry? What do restaurant workers really want, and how can operators deliver it?
To answer these questions, Toast surveyed over 600 workers currently employed at a restaurant, including both Toast and non-Toast customers between January 31, 2025, and February 19, 2025, to discover what matters most to them. From concerns about pay and benefits to the role of technology in their daily lives, our findings reveal valuable insights.
As the industry continues to evolve in an ever-changing economy, understanding what matters to industry workers is critical to the survival of restaurants everywhere.
Top findings
Let's dive in.
What matters to industry workers in 2025
What restaurant workers love about their jobs
This year, 37% of respondents say good hourly pay is their favorite aspect of the job, making it the top response. Still, flexibility remains important as 35% say a flexible schedule is the main reason they like their job.
Positive relationships with co-workers (33%), connecting with regular customers (26%), and being part of a team (18%) are also key sources of job satisfaction. And it’s not one-sided. Toast data shows that 70% of guests consider themselves regulars at one or more restaurants. The bond between staff and their regulars is real, and for many workers, that sense of connection is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
Another 18% of workers ranked making someone’s day special as one of their favorite aspects of the job. While money and scheduling matter most, restaurant workers deeply value camaraderie and the human side of hospitality, especially in suburban and rural areas where connections with regulars rank even higher.
In addition to emotional fulfillment, restaurant workers also appreciate the practical aspects of the job. Employees also ranked a fast-paced environment (21%), a convenient commute (18%), and good management (17%) as top favorite parts of the job.
What motivates workers to stay in the industry
At its core, the motivation for most restaurant workers to seek employment is financial. About 59% of respondents say their main goal is to make money to pay bills and support their lifestyle. This number has increased year over year, up 4 percentage points from 2024 and 13 from 2023.
Industry workers motivated by growing their career in the industry have slightly dipped from 2023 (22%), but remained pretty consistent from 2024 at 18%.
By offering competitive pay and growth opportunities, restaurants can both attract new talent and create lasting relationships with their current staff.
How long restaurant workers plan on staying in their current role
It’s looking like industry workers may have some commitment issues. In 2025, 22% of employees said they’re unsure how long they’ll stay in their current position, which remained the same since last year.
But among those with a plan, most aren’t locking in for the long haul. A full 26% say they expect to stick around for just 1–2 years. On the flip side, only 7% are in it for the long run, reporting plans to stay 15+ years, a small but mighty group of restaurant lifers.
There’s some promising movement, though: just 5% of employees now say they’ll leave their role in under six months. That’s down from 8% in both 2024 and 2023, the lowest it’s been in three years.
With tenure timelines as unpredictable as a busy Saturday night shift, restaurants have a real opportunity to improve retention by addressing these critical needs. After all, creating a workplace where employees want to stay could turn uncertainty into commitment.
Top pain points for workers in the industry right now
The restaurant industry thrives on its people, but job challenges can drive even the most passionate workers away. According to our survey, several pain points weigh heavily on employees’ minds in 2025, and some are becoming more pressing year over year.
Despite pay, co-workers, and schedules being employees’ favorite aspects of the job, these were also top pain points for some, along with a lack of recognition.
1. Financial pressures
It’s no surprise that poor hourly pay (33%) remains a critical issue, which has increased compared to last year. This issue, combined with the pain points of a lack of available shifts to work (26%) and bad tips (12%), makes for financial instability. These barriers could push workers to seek opportunities elsewhere.
2. Poor leadership
Both difficult managers (30%) and difficult co-workers (28%) top the list of frustrations. These interpersonal challenges highlight the importance of fostering supportive team dynamics and effective leadership to retain your staff.
3. Lack of appreciation
One in four respondents (25%) report feeling unrecognized for their hard work. This reflects a major wake-up call for restaurant operators to build a culture of appreciation and recognition.
4. Lack of benefits & growth
Restaurant benefits and growth have consistently been a drawback for workers over the years. In 2025, 19% of workers stated a lack of long-term growth as a top pain point, while 15% said it was a lack of flexible scheduling. These were closely followed by inadequate health benefits (14%) and not enough paid time off (12%).
Our data shows that these challenges are both widespread and intensifying. Addressing these pain points is essential for creating a workplace that employees want to stay in.
The demand for pay & benefits improvements continues
Speaking of benefits, satisfaction with current benefits has remained stagnant year over year, with just 46% of respondents expressing contentment with their current offerings.
Top preferred benefits remain consistent with 2024, with medical benefits (31%), free meals (29%), and PTO (26%) continuing to lead.
Over half of restaurant employees feel satisfied with their pay, and this number has increased for FOH workers compared to last year. However, over a quarter (28%) of tipped employees are unsure how much of their wages are made from tips; this emphasizes the need for access to pay transparency. Also, the way tips are managed is a pain point.
Tip pooling remains a divisive practice. While 25% of tipped employees say they are indifferent to tip pooling, 46% report disliking or hating it. However, the employees who actually participate in a tip pool are more likely to feel positively about it, as 39% of tip pool participants say they love or like it, compared to just 19% of all tipped employees.
This suggests that direct experience may soften opinions. Still, skepticism remains strong among non-participants, with concerns about fairness and effort equity driving negative sentiment.
Tip pooling can create a more collaborative environment in your restaurant. To implement effective tip pooling that minimizes employee dissatisfaction:
Establish clear rules for dividing tips, including specific percentages.
Involve staff in developing the tip pooling policy.
Ensure the distribution is proportional to job roles and actual contributions to service.
Provide regular communication about how the tip pool works. Check out Toast Tips Manager for guidance.
How industry workers currently feel about restaurant tech
Restaurant workers use technology every day on the job. But how do they feel about the tools that are supposed to make their work easier, and do they have any say in the process? Turns out 42% of employees believe their opinions matter when management makes decisions or switches technologies. This is a promising sign of collaboration between staff and operators.
Beyond the point-of-sale (POS) system, restaurant workers rely heavily on a range of technologies to perform their duties. Luckily, about half of restaurant workers feel “extremely comfortable” with technology, and 40% feel “somewhat comfortable” as well.
When it comes to innovation, restaurant employees have clear preferences. Many (52%) are extremely interested in using an app to access their schedule, pay, and the ability to communicate with their team
By prioritizing technologies that workers find valuable and involving them in the decision-making process, restaurants can ensure their teams feel supported.
Where do we go from here?
From pay and benefits to job satisfaction and technology, employees are looking for more support and flexibility. By listening to these needs, restaurants can create a workplace that not only attracts talent but keeps it around for the long haul.
Time to improve your benefits and leadership before your workers decide to use your timesheet software to indefinitely "clock out".
Related resources
Methodology
1 Toast conducted a blind survey from January 31, 2025, to February 19, 2025, of 624 respondents 18 years old and older who are based in the US, and are currently employed at a restaurant, including both Toast and non-Toast customers. Respondents were not made aware that Toast was fielding the study. Panel providers granted incentives to restaurant respondents for participation. Using a standard margin of error calculation, the margin of error on average is +/- 4%.
2 Toast conducted a blind survey from February 14 to February 21, 2024, of 1,571 respondents aged 18 and older who are based in the U.S. and had dined in, ordered takeout, or received delivery from a restaurant within the past 3 months. Respondents were not made aware that Toast was fielding the study. The panel sample was sourced from InnovateMR. Incentives were provided to participants by the panel provider. Using a standard margin of error calculation at a 95% confidence interval, the margin of error on average is +/- 2%.
Hire and Retain Great Restaurant Employees
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DISCLAIMER: This information is provided for general informational purposes only, and publication does not constitute an endorsement. Toast does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of any information, text, graphics, links, or other items contained within this content. Toast does not guarantee you will achieve any specific results if you follow any advice herein. It may be advisable for you to consult with a professional such as a lawyer, accountant, or business advisor for advice specific to your situation.
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