Daily, Weekly, Biweekly? What’s the Best Pay Schedule for My Restaurant?

After a rough few years due to the pandemic, restaurant workers now have a reason to celebrate: Their average hourly earnings have grown 66% from 2017 to April of 2024, according to data from the Square Payroll Index, compared to 40% growth for retail workers.

This is a positive development for the restaurant industry, which has been battling higher rates of turnover compared to other industries. Pay of course is the most important element of most jobs, and in the restaurant industry specifically, not getting paid enough is the top factor in an employee’s decision to quit, according to 7shifts data released this past summer.

But it’s not just the amount of money that employees care about—when they are paid is also an important factor for restaurant staffers. Restaurant owners can choose the payroll schedule that works best for their business as long as it's compliant with state regulations. Most restaurant operators go with monthly, weekly, or bi-weekly schedules. There’s…