Memphis-based barbecue restaurant adopts earned wage access to strengthen employee support and ease financial pressure between paydays.
MEMPHIS, TN, UNITED STATES, January 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Express Wages, a rapidly expanding financial technology company specializing in earned wage access (EWA), today announced a new partnership with A&R Barbecue Hickory Hill in Memphis, Tenn. Through the on-demand pay offering, employees at the Hickory Hill restaurant can access a portion of their earned wages ahead of their regular payday. The collaboration reflects Express Wages’ mission to ease the financial stress of workers living paycheck-to-paycheck by giving them faster, more flexible access to the wages they’ve already earned.
A&R Barbecue Hickory Hill is a popular, locally owned Memphis establishment, recognized for its slow-smoked meats, house-made sauces and deep ties to the surrounding community. The partnership with Express Wages supports the restaurant’s efforts to attract and retain top talent by providing a valuable employee benefit that helps improve cash flow and cover unexpected expenses.
For restaurant operators, workforce stability remains a top priority in a competitive labor market. By introducing earned wage access, A&R Barbecue Hickory Hill is helping to improve cash flow for workers while reinforcing its commitment to employee well-being.
“We’re thrilled to be working with A&R Barbecue Hickory Hill,” says Express Wages Founder and CEO Alfred Milan. “They understand the realities of restaurant work, and this partnership brings greater financial flexibility to the table by helping employees better manage expenses between paydays.”
The Hickory Hill eatery is owned by Lashun Pollard, a longtime Memphis entrepreneur who has continued the A&R Barbecue tradition while investing in tools and benefits that support her staff. Partnering with Express Wages allows the restaurant to extend that support beyond the workplace and into employees’ everyday financial lives.
Breaking barriers in both finance and tech, Express Wages is the first Black-founded fintech company in the EWA space. Its platform offers employer-integrated on-demand pay solutions, providing financial relief to frontline workers. Prior to launching Express Wages, Milan built a 20-year track record of success in senior care and health care technology — scaling operations, capturing new markets and leading high-performing teams.
According to Bankrate’s 2025 Annual Emergency Savings Report, more than one-third of Americans had to tap their emergency savings in the last year, and nearly one in five had no emergency savings whatsoever. Express Wages’ plug-and-play solution empowers companies to provide their employees with immediate access to a portion of their earned wages before payday, helping them avoid high-interest predatory loans, credit card debt, overdraft fees and late payment penalties.
Based in Delaware and headquartered in Memphis, Express Wages differentiates its offering by delivering a full ecosystem of employee financial wellness tools. In addition to earned wage access, the company’s strategic partnerships offer:
• Insurance through Allstate, including affordable identity theft protection for employees and their families for just $6/month per family.
• Financial literacy education.
• Mortgage literacy resources through Edge Home Finance.
• Transparent pricing and no hidden fees for employers or employees.
Milan adds: “At Express Wages, we focus on building tools that fit into real working lives. Earned wage access is about timing and choice — giving people another option when expenses don’t follow a set schedule.”
Express Wages recently closed a $1.2 million friends and family funding round to accelerate its expansion across multiple industries, including food service, hospitality and health care. With growing awareness of the financial pressures facing hourly and frontline workers, earned wage access is rapidly gaining momentum. According to Business Research Insights, “The global earned wage access software market is set to rise from approximately USD 2.07 Billion in 2026, on track to hit USD 6.67 Billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 14% between 2026 and 2035.”
About Express Wages
Express Wages is transforming how employers support hourly teams — delivering on-demand pay and long-overdue financial relief to frontline workers nationwide. Offered at no cost to employers, the innovative platform allows employees to access a portion of their earned pay on demand, empowering them to meet urgent financial needs without relying on credit or debt. Express Wages partners with industry leaders to deliver holistic financial wellness tools, including insurance, mortgage education and literacy resources. For more information, visit https://expresswages.com.
Zack Perry
Express Wages
+1 833-424-5348
info@expresswages.com
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