Workers’ comp insurance cost for fast food in Arkansas

Q: What does workers' comp cost fast-food restaurants in Arkansas?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $0.46 per $100 of payroll: a 20–49-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $1.6k–$3.9k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

Q: What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Fast-food restaurants fall under NCCI class 9083 (Restaurant: Fast Food); full-service restaurants (class 9082) and bars (9084) are rated separately.

Published 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: Arkansas fast-food restaurants pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $0.46 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 50th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most 20–49-employee fast-food restaurants land around $1.6k–$3.9k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

39% of AR fast-food restaurants have 20–49 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Arkansas sits 50th of 51: UT pays more ($0.66).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your fast-food restaurant needs in Arkansas →

What do Arkansas fast-food restaurants pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of AR fast-food restaurants

bar height = how many fast-food restaurants are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most AR fast-food restaurants

▼

<5 emp

≈$300/yr

5–9 emp

≈$670/yr

10–19 emp

≈$1.2k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$2.4k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$4.8k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$12k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A 20–49-employee AR fast-food restaurant: modeled $1.6k–$3.9k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 2,382 AR fast-food restaurants fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 2,382 AR fast-food restaurants (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($0.46/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 2,381 of 2,382 establishments (100.0%) — 1 establishments in larger, very small-count, or data-suppressed size bands are not shown. 2023 payroll dollars, not inflation-adjusted. Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation.

Filed manual rate (AR)

$0.46 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical 20–49-employee fast-food restaurant (39% of AR)

$1.6k–$3.9k / yr modeled

as of 2024 · CBP 2023

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04) · US Census County Business Patterns 2023, state file (Limited-service restaurants (NAICS 722513)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does Arkansas compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 9083 (Restaurant: Fast Food), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
46	Nevada	$0.65
47	Maryland	$0.64
48	Kentucky	$0.64
49	Arizona	$0.61
50	Arkansas	$0.46
51	West Virginia	$0.42

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04)

Frequently asked questions

What does workers' comp cost fast-food restaurants in Arkansas?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $0.46 per $100 of payroll: a 20–49-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $1.6k–$3.9k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Fast-food restaurants fall under NCCI class 9083 (Restaurant: Fast Food); full-service restaurants (class 9082) and bars (9084) are rated separately.

Fast food in nearby-ranked states: Arizona ($0.61) · West Virginia ($0.42) · Kentucky ($0.64) · Nevada ($0.65)

Stay informed

We’ll notify you when we’re ready to benchmark your fast-food restaurant’s coverage.

No spam — one email.

Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 2,382 Arkansas fast-food restaurants; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.