Workers’ comp insurance cost for fast food in Wisconsin

Published 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: Wisconsin fast-food restaurants pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $1.26 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 13th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most 10–19-employee fast-food restaurants land around $2.4k–$4.6k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

29% of WI fast-food restaurants have 10–19 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Wisconsin sits 13th of 51: OK pays more ($1.42), NE less ($1.22).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your fast-food restaurant needs in Wisconsin →

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

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

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

typical · most WI fast-food restaurants

▼

5–9 emp

≈$1.8k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$3.4k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$6.7k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$14k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$24k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A 10–19-employee WI fast-food restaurant: modeled $2.4k–$4.6k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 3,925 WI fast-food restaurants fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 3,925 WI fast-food restaurants (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($1.26/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 3,184 of 3,925 establishments (81.1%) — 741 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 (WI)

$1.26 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical 10–19-employee fast-food restaurant (29% of WI)

$2.4k–$4.6k / 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 Wisconsin 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
9	Georgia	$1.38
10	Louisiana	$1.38
11	Maine	$1.38
12	New Hampshire	$1.29
13	Wisconsin	$1.26
14	Pennsylvania	$1.25
15	Missouri	$1.24
16	Florida	$1.24
17	Alabama	$1.23

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 Wisconsin?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.26 per $100 of payroll: a 10–19-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $2.4k–$4.6k 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: New Hampshire ($1.29) · Maine ($1.38) · Missouri ($1.24) · Florida ($1.24)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 3,925 Wisconsin fast-food restaurants; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.