Santa Clara, CA – February 7, 2026 – OysterLink analysis highlights how much hospitality workers can earn during the Big Game (LX), set to take place this weekend, February 8, 2026, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Average daily hotel rates have reached $510, with projected citywide occupancy at 95% and more than 9 million visitors expected across Big Game–related events.
OysterLink modeled the pay you can get during the Big Game using BLS wage benchmarks from the San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara metropolitan area, with supporting indicators, including Instawork data showing roughly 12% higher hourly wages reinforcing the projections.
See the table below for estimated hourly wages and annualized earnings during the Big Game.
| Hospitality Occupation | Average Hourly Wage | Average Hourly Wage During the Big Game | Annualized Salary Based on Big Game Wages |
| Baggage Porters and Bellhops | $21.54 | $24.12 | $50,187 |
| Bakers | $22.04 | $24.68 | $51,341 |
| Bartenders | $23.98 | $26.86 | $55,866 |
| Cashiers | $20.75 | $23.24 | $48,350 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $38.33 | $42.93 | $89,298 |
| Concierges | $23.53 | $26.35 | $54,813 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $24.13 | $27.03 | $56,213 |
| Dishwashers | $21.06 | $23.59 | $49,067 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $20.83 | $23.33 | $48,530 |
| Food Service Managers | $41.14 | $46.08 | $95,827 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge and Coffee Shop | $20.63 | $23.11 | $48,048 |
| Janitors and Cleaners | $21.80 | $24.42 | $50,770 |
| Lodging Managers | $44.42 | $49.75 | $103,488 |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $27.28 | $30.55 | $63,549 |
| Meeting, Convention and Event Planners | $45.92 | $51.43 | $106,971 |
| Parking Attendants | $21.40 | $23.97 | $49,840 |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $23.79 | $26.64 | $55,418 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $24.41 | $27.34 | $56,851 |
Note: Wage estimates exclude tips, service charges and bonuses.
Economic scale extends beyond hotels
The Big Game is projected to generate roughly $500 million in regional economic impact and support thousands of jobs tied to tourism, events, logistics and food service. Workforce demand has accelerated in the final week before kickoff, with shift bookings rising more than 20% year over year and strong growth across roles such as barbacks, brand ambassadors and merchandise staff.
Spending is also unusually high, with average visitor expenditures exceeding $5,500, reinforcing the event’s outsized importance for local service-sector earnings.
“Large-scale events like the Big Game rapidly raise demand, wages and shift availability across hospitality,” said Milos Eric, Co-Founder and General Manager of OysterLink. “That makes this week one of the strongest income opportunities for hospitality workers, especially for those working on the frontline.”
About OysterLink
OysterLink is a job platform for restaurant and hospitality professionals, reaching over 400,000 monthly visitors. The platform connects talent with opportunities across the U.S., including Server jobs in San Francisco and part-time Bartender jobs in Miami.
OysterLink also publishes data-driven trend reports, industry insights and interviews with hospitality leaders. To explore more labor market data or post a job, visit www.oysterlink.com.
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