Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in New York, NY
Fast Food and Counter Workers in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $35,420 a year — 14% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,324 take-home, or $2,444 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median fast food and counter worker salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,070
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,196
- Medicare (1.45%)$514
- New York income tax$1,316
- Take-home pay$29,324
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.40% state
Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $951 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,373 ($2,364 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Fast Food and Counter Worker pay by experience in New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,070 | $15.90 | $27,563 | $2,297 |
| 25th percentile | $34,480 | $16.58 | $28,620 | $2,385 |
| Median (50th) | $35,420 | $17.03 | $29,324 | $2,444 |
| 75th percentile | $37,790 | $18.17 | $31,101 | $2,592 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,130 | $21.22 | $35,852 | $2,988 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,420 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $29,324 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,051 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Fast Food and Counter Worker jobs are less concentrated in New York, NY than nationally (location quotient 0.71), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for fast food and counter workers, adjusted for cost of living
New York, NY ranks #143 of 241 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modesto, CA | $42,630 | $35,184 | $33,796 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $44,110 | $36,295 | $33,458 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa, CA | $43,610 | $35,920 | $33,326 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $44,570 | $36,640 | $33,182 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $42,860 | $35,357 | $33,146 |
| 6 | Stockton, CA | $41,740 | $34,517 | $32,845 |
| 7 | Riverside, CA | $42,280 | $34,922 | $32,808 |
| 8 | Salinas, CA | $43,260 | $35,657 | $32,701 |
| 143 | New York, NY | $35,420 | $29,324 | $26,051 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 241 metros →
About the job: fast food and counter workers
Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages. Counter attendants who also wait tables are included in "Waiters and Waitresses" (35-3031),
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.8% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Fast Food and Counter Worker salaries elsewhere in New York
- Buffalo, NY — $34,560
- Binghamton, NY — $33,280
- Syracuse, NY — $33,940
- Rochester, NY — $33,430
- Albany, NY — $34,060
- Kiryas Joel, NY — $35,320
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fast food and counter worker make in New York, NY?
The median fast food and counter worker salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $35,420 a year, or about $17.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,480 and $37,790.
What is a fast food and counter worker’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $35,420 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $29,324 a year ($2,444 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,316 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?
Pay here is 14% above the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,051 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #143 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 97% of a median fast food and counter worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in New York, NY
- Chef and Head Cook — $71,780
- Bartender — $61,220
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $48,690
- Waiter and Waitress — $47,610
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $46,870
- Cooks, Restaurant — $43,740
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $39,120
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $36,980
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $36,500
- Cooks, Fast Food — $35,780
- Food Preparation Worker — $35,670
- Dishwasher — $35,670