Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in Detroit, MI
Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $29,590 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $24,949 take-home, or $2,079 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median fast food and counter worker salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,371
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,835
- Medicare (1.45%)$429
- Michigan income tax$1,007
- Take-home pay$24,949
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $710 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $24,239 ($2,020 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Fast Food and Counter Worker pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $25,960 | $12.48 | $22,136 | $1,845 |
| 25th percentile | $28,170 | $13.54 | $23,862 | $1,988 |
| Median (50th) | $29,590 | $14.23 | $24,949 | $2,079 |
| 75th percentile | $33,950 | $16.32 | $28,267 | $2,356 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $36,140 | $17.38 | $29,933 | $2,494 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $29,590 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $24,949 take-home pay has the buying power of $24,875 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 about as common in Detroit, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.90).
Best-paying cities for fast food and counter workers, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #196 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 |
| 196 | Detroit, MI | $29,590 | $24,949 | $24,875 |
*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 Michigan
- Ann Arbor, MI — $33,220
- Muskegon, MI — $28,850
- Flint, MI — $28,330
- Kalamazoo, MI — $28,790
- Lansing, MI — $28,640
- Grand Rapids, MI — $28,240
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fast food and counter worker make in Detroit, MI?
The median fast food and counter worker salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $29,590 a year, or about $14.23 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,170 and $33,950.
What is a fast food and counter worker’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $29,590 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $24,949 a year ($2,079 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,007 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?
Pay here is 5% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $24,875 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #196 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 54% 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 Detroit, MI
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,870
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $38,570
- Waiter and Waitress — $37,490
- Cooks, Restaurant — $37,410
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $37,360
- Bartender — $36,780
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $35,170
- Dishwasher — $34,350
- Food Preparation Worker — $33,060
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $30,760
- Cooks, Fast Food — $29,810
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,290