Workers’ comp insurance cost for fast food in Tennessee

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

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $0.71 per $100 of payroll: a 20–49-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $2.5k–$6.2k 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: Tennessee fast-food restaurants pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $0.71 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 43rd-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most 20–49-employee fast-food restaurants land around $2.5k–$6.2k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

39% of TN fast-food restaurants have 20–49 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Tennessee sits 43rd of 51: MA pays more ($0.81), KY less ($0.64).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your fast-food restaurant needs in Tennessee →

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

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

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

typical · most TN fast-food restaurants

▼

<5 emp

≈$580/yr

5–9 emp

≈$1.1k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$2.1k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$3.8k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$8.6k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$18k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A 20–49-employee TN fast-food restaurant: modeled $2.5k–$6.2k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 5,735 TN fast-food restaurants fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 5,735 TN fast-food restaurants (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($0.71/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 5,733 of 5,735 establishments (100.0%) — 2 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 (TN)

$0.71 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

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

$2.5k–$6.2k / 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 Tennessee 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
39	Virginia	$0.74
40	District of Columbia	$0.74
41	Indiana	$0.73
42	Ohio	$0.72
43	Tennessee	$0.71
44	North Dakota	$0.68
45	Utah	$0.66
46	Nevada	$0.65
47	Maryland	$0.64

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 Tennessee?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $0.71 per $100 of payroll: a 20–49-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $2.5k–$6.2k 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: Indiana ($0.73) · Utah ($0.66) · District of Columbia ($0.74) · Nevada ($0.65)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 5,735 Tennessee fast-food restaurants; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.