Connecticut minimum wage and tipped wages for restaurants

Connecticut has one of the higher minimum wages in the East, and a tipped wage that is far above the federal cash wage of 2.13 dollars. If you run a restaurant or bar in the state, the cash wage you pay a server or bartender is set by state regulation, and the tip credit has limits. Check the Department of Labor's wage pages before you set payroll, because wage orders change every year.

What is the minimum wage in 2026?

The Department of Labor's 2026 tip statement form uses a minimum wage of 16.94 dollars an hour. A further increase is scheduled for January 1, 2027, so confirm the new figure with the Department of Labor. The rate is indexed each year, so check the department's announcement for the next January's figure.

What cash wage can you pay tipped staff?

The department's 2026 form lists a guaranteed cash wage of 6.38 dollars an hour for servers and 8.23 dollars for bartenders, with tips making up the rest of the minimum wage. The tip credit in Connecticut has been changing in recent years and the figures are adjusted annually, so confirm the current cash wage with the Department of Labor. Older figures appear on many web pages, so use the current form. If you pay a tipped employee the cash wage and their tips do not make up the rest of the minimum, you must pay the difference.

Is the tipped wage likely to change?

The tipped wage has been a subject of repeated debate at the State House, including a push to raise server wages that drew opposition from the restaurant industry. Rules can change by bill or by wage order, so ask the Department of Labor in writing for its current position and keep the answer. If the credit does shrink, your labor cost per server will rise, and menu pricing and scheduling will need to follow.

Do tipped employees need to sign anything?

Ask the department whether you must keep a signed record that tips covered the credit, and what that record must say. If the answer is yes, the simplest approach is to build it into your payroll process: a short form or an electronic acknowledgement in your timekeeping system each week. A missing record can turn a small mistake into an order to pay the full minimum wage.

Who counts as a server or a bartender?

The two groups have different rates because the state's regulations define the occupations. Job titles do not control. If a person spends most of their time making drinks, they are likely a bartender for wage purposes, even if the title says server. Runners, bussers and bar backs are treated differently, and many are not tipped employees at all, so they should be paid at least the full minimum wage. Check the department's definitions.

What are the rules on tip pools?

Federal law lets employers who do not take a tip credit include back-of-house staff in a tip pool, while employers who take the credit must limit pools to staff who customarily receive tips. Managers and owners cannot take any part of the pool. If your restaurant uses a service charge for large parties, say clearly on the menu and the check whether it goes to staff or to the business, because guests assume it is a tip. Connecticut also has its own rules on tips and service charges. Keep a written policy that explains how tips are shared, and give it to staff. Review it each year and when you change your staffing model, and ask staff to sign that they have read it. See our US guide to tip pooling and service charges.

What about overtime, breaks and payroll records?

Overtime is paid at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over forty in a week, with the tip credit calculated on the regular rate. Keep time records, tip records and wage notices, and give staff pay statements that show hours and tips. Keep them for the period the state requires, which is typically several years. Electronic timekeeping that records clock-in, clock-out and tips by shift is the easiest way to show that you paid what you owed. Records are your defense if an employee claims unpaid wages.

What should you do now?

Read the department's current wage page. Compare your payroll with the numbers above. Ask in writing about the tipped wage and the record you must keep. Update your scheduling and pricing models for the next January increase. Tell your staff early about any changes. Work out the effect on a typical week with your accountant, using your own server and bartender hours and payroll taxes. Then decide whether the cost is covered by menu prices, hours or staffing, and give your team notice. Staff who understand the reason for a change are more likely to accept it, and a clear message about pay is itself a way to keep good people.

How should you explain a pay change to your team?

Put the new rates in writing before they take effect, with the date, the hourly cash wage for each job and a plain example of how tips fill the gap on a typical shift. Offer a short meeting so people can ask questions, and keep a signed copy of the notice in each personnel file. Staff who understand how their pay is built are less likely to suspect a mistake, and a clear record helps you if a claim is ever made.

More guides for your business:

• Connecticut's 7.35 percent meals tax: what restaurants collect
• Connecticut certified food protection manager rules for restaurants
• Connecticut paid sick leave for restaurants: the 2026 and 2027 changes

More in the US guides for food businesses.