Workers’ comp insurance cost for fast food in California

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

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $3.11 per $100 of payroll: a 10–19-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $7.9k–$15k 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: California fast-food restaurants pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $3.11 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the most expensive of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most 10–19-employee fast-food restaurants land around $7.9k–$15k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

27% of CA fast-food restaurants have 10–19 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
California sits 1st of 51: VT pays less ($1.63).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your fast-food restaurant needs in California →

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

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

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

typical · most CA fast-food restaurants

▼

<5 emp

≈$2.5k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$5.5k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$11k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$22k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$49k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$90k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A 10–19-employee CA fast-food restaurant: modeled $7.9k–$15k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 34,527 CA fast-food restaurants fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 34,527 CA fast-food restaurants (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($3.11/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 34,511 of 34,527 establishments (100.0%) — 16 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 (CA)

$3.11 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical 10–19-employee fast-food restaurant (27% of CA)

$7.9k–$15k / 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 California 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
1	California	$3.11
2	Hawaii	$2.64
3	New Jersey	$2.54
4	New York	$1.87
5	Rhode Island	$1.68

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 California?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $3.11 per $100 of payroll: a 10–19-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $7.9k–$15k 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: Hawaii ($2.64) · New Jersey ($2.54) · New York ($1.87) · Vermont ($1.63)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 34,527 California fast-food restaurants; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.