What perks do restaurant employees value most?
Restaurant workers rank paid time off and paid sick days highest, yet fewer than 40% of employers offer them. Next come schedules posted one to two weeks ahead, faster access to pay and specific recognition. Free meals are the most common perk, but only 24% of workers put them in their top three.
Restaurants often offer perks their staff do not value much, and skip the ones they do. 7shifts' 2026 survey of more than 1,000 restaurant workers makes the gap clear: 72% of restaurants offer free meals, but only 24% of workers rank meals among their top three benefits.
These are the perks workers say they want most, and what to check before offering each one in Massachusetts.
How this list was put together
- Ranked by what restaurant workers themselves say they value, in published surveys.
- Each perk comes with the practical or legal point to check before offering it.
1.Paid time off
Paid time off and paid sick days were the benefits workers wanted most in the 2026 survey, yet fewer than 40% of restaurant employers offer them.
Why it matters: Massachusetts already requires earned sick time, and it must be paid at 11 or more employees. PTO above that is a real perk. Write the policy down so it is applied the same way to everyone.
2.Schedules posted further ahead
75% of workers want one to two weeks' schedule notice. It is a perk that costs nothing but planning.
Why it matters: it helps most for staff with second jobs, classes or childcare.
3.Faster access to pay
Demand for daily pay rose from 24% of workers in 2024 to 32% in 2026, according to 7shifts.
Why it matters: earned wage access and daily tip payout tools make this possible. See tip payout tools. Check the fees and how each tool fits your payroll before signing up.
4.Recognition that is specific
71% of workers say recognition matters to them, and one in five say they rarely get praised.
Why it matters: the cheapest perk on this list, and the one managers most often forget.
5.Paid training and certifications
Pay for ServSafe, allergen awareness and alcohol service certification, and the training time. State grants such as the Workforce Training Fund Express Program can offset the cost of other training.
Why it matters: staff gain credentials they keep, and you get a better-trained team.
Source: Commonwealth Corporation: Workforce Training Fund Express
6.Support beyond the paycheck
In 7shifts' 2025 workforce report, 69% of restaurants said they offer no childcare or mental-health support. Even small steps, such as an employee assistance program or flexibility around childcare, stand out.
Why it matters: few restaurants offer this, so it helps you stand out when hiring.
7.Shift meals (still worth doing, just not alone)
Free meals are the most common restaurant perk, and staff appreciate them. They just rank lower than time off, schedules and pay when workers are asked to choose.
Why it matters: keep them, but do not treat them as your retention plan.
Before you add a perk
Write it down. A perk that exists only by habit gets applied unevenly, and that is where fairness complaints start. Put it in the handbook, and check with your payroll provider or tax adviser whether it counts as taxable pay.
Where to go next
- Best ways to reduce restaurant turnover: perks are one lever of several
- Employee handbook support: putting the policy in writing
- Restaurant employee handbook guide: what a handbook should cover
Keep reading
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Your restaurant remains the employer of record and approves payroll and employment decisions. BOHO is not a PEO, a staffing agency, or legal counsel.