Restaurant Industry Award
Explore the coverage rules for restaurants and cafés, including businesses mainly serving food and beverages for consumption on the premises.
Restaurant Award summary ↗
AD ASTRA / A HIGHER PERSPECTIVE BOOKKEEPING & BAS / A FOCUS ON HOSPITALITY
Your next move.
With clarity.
Practical support for restaurants, cafés and venues—and other Australian small businesses.
Get your records in order and know what comes next.
By Paola · Bookkeeping & BAS Agent Services
A GOOD PLACE TO STARTFour tools. One clearer quarter.
START WHERE YOU ARE
What would help today?
Choose a task. We’ll point you to a practical next step.
YOUR SUGGESTED STARTING POINT
A guide to your next step, not an assessment of your tax position.ONE STEP AT A TIME
Your BAS preparation checklist
A practical handover list to help you prepare your records.
Clear ticks for this period?
LESS SEARCHING, BETTER RECORDS
A place for every record
Build a simple routine, then keep the evidence together.
Keep records for the right length of time. GST records generally need to be kept for five years, measured from when the record was prepared or obtained, or the transaction or action was completed, whichever is later. Some records must be kept longer; check before deleting. ATO record guidance ↗
LOOK A LITTLE AHEAD
Your BAS date navigator
Find a standard reference date for your reporting period.
Your issued BAS is the source of your actual due date.
These are standard dates before online or agent concessions, deferrals, and weekend or public holiday adjustments. If a due date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the ATO allows the next business day. Confirm your date in ATO online services or with Paola under your engagement.
Good habits make a calmer quarter.
Keep receipts as you go. Reconcile regularly. Ask about anything that doesn’t look right.
FOR RESTAURANTS, CAFÉS & VENUES
Hospitality Pay & Awards
Find the official information for your venue and your team.
Start with award coverage, then check the employee’s classification.
A café or venue name alone does not determine the award. Check the business activities, duties, coverage and exclusions, and whether an enterprise agreement or a different workplace system applies. These links are starting points, not an award determination.
Hospitality Industry (General) Award
Check the coverage and exclusions for hospitality operations. Read the official summary before deciding whether it fits your venue.
Hospitality Award summary ↗Fast Food Industry Award
Review this award when checking a fast food or takeaway operation. Coverage differs from restaurants and mainly eat-in cafés.
Fast Food Award summary ↗Check pay with Fair Work
Use the relevant date, award, classification, employment type and age. Check junior rates where applicable, penalties, overtime and allowances against the actual hours worked.
Open Pay & Conditions Tool ↗Before processing payroll
- Confirm award or agreement coverage and classification.
- Check employment type, age and any relevant training arrangements.
- Review approved timesheets, breaks and actual shift times.
- Check penalties, overtime and allowances for that pay period.
- Retain the rate source and effective date with your payroll records.
Official Fair Work links checked 15 October 2026. Current rates are available through Fair Work; this hub does not store a pay-rate table. Read the award itself if a summary or calculator differs. General payroll preparation resources; Ad Astra is not affiliated with Fair Work.
