Who can package the Meal Entertainment benefit?

This salary packaging option is available to the following industries:

• Healthcare & Charity

What is the Meal Entertainment benefit?

Meal Entertainment might sound like dinner and a show. However, in terms of salary packaging, the Meal Entertainment benefit allows you to pay for the “dinner” portion of your dinner-show night out using pre-tax dollars from your salary packaging account.

Meal Entertainment covers your restaurant, café and bistro bills when dining out with others. It is a salary packaging benefit offered to the Health and Charity industries. Meal Entertainment forms part of your salary packaging benefits: you simply nominate an amount for your employer to deduct from your pre-tax salary to send to your Maxxia account.

There are few greater pleasures in life than visiting your favourite restaurant with friends and family. Why not also enjoy some delicious potential tax savings by salary packaging the bill?

Is there a limit to how much I can package for Meal Entertainment?

You could package up to $2,650 of your pre-tax salary each Fringe Benefits Tax year towards Meal Entertainment. This amount is in addition to the existing salary packaging cap for the Living Expenses benefit.

What can I claim as Meal Entertainment?

For an expense to be classified as Meal Entertainment, you must be dining out with others at a restaurant, café or other similar venue.

Family dinner at a sit-down restaurant? Yes, this is considered Meal Entertainment, including drinks.

Picking up a sandwich for lunch by yourself? No, this is considered ‘sustenance’ and cannot be claimed under this benefit. Takeaway meals and solo dining also can’t be claimed.

The Meal Entertainment benefit can also be used to claim Venue Hire expenses. For more information on that, please go to the Venue Hire page.

How do you salary package Meal Entertainment expenses?

The easiest way to salary package your Meal Entertainment expenses is to use your Maxxia Wallet card. It's a debit card loaded with your before-tax money and the funds are drawn from your salary packaging account..

With a Maxxia Wallet card, you can:

• choose how much you wish to spend on your card (up to the yearly cap limit)
• put an end to paper receipts and filling out claim forms
• avoid paying bank fees

When it comes time to pay the bill at a restaurant, simply tap and go with your Maxxia Wallet card to use your pre-tax funds!

What is not considered Meal Entertainment?

The following are not eligible for the Meal Entertainment benefit:

• meals or drinks from workplace venues (e.g., hospital cafeteria)
• alcohol, unless consumed as part of a dine out meal with others
• groceries
• takeaway
• smaller, solo meals considered ‘sustenance’ (e.g., sausage roll from a bakery even if you dine in)
• Home delivery such as Uber Eats

Important things to know:

The Maxxia wallet fee is $4.40 per benefit, per month (GST inc.). This will be salary packaged and your deductions automatically increased to cover the charge. International transaction fees and disputed transaction fees also apply. Please refer to the Wallet’s Product Disclosure Statement for more information. Additional administration fees and charges may apply, as per your employer’s employee benefit program. All fees are paid out of your pre-tax dollars.

*Assumptions: The estimated potential tax benefit is based on the assumption that an eligible employee salary packages the specified amount. FBT rates effective 1 April 2024 and PAYG tax rates effective 1 July 2024 have been used and average Fees and Charges are included. The actual administration fee that applies to you may vary depending on your employer. Tax, benefit and Medicare Levy calculations are approximate, and assume no other taxable income is received. HELP repayments and taxation surcharges are excluded. This general information doesn’t take your personal circumstances into account. Please consider whether this information is right for you before making a decision and seek professional independent tax or financial advice. Conditions and fees apply, along with credit assessment criteria for lease and loan products. The availability of benefits is subject to your employer’s approval.

**This material is general information only. It does not take into account your particular/personal objectives, personal financial situation or personal financial circumstances. You should read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for this product before making any decision on the new Card (Maxxia Wallet). You can read the PDS here. The Target Market Determination for this product can be found here. Maxxia Wallet is a Mastercard and is issued by EML Payment Solutions Limited ABN 30 131 436 532 AFSL 404131 pursuant to license by Mastercard. Maxxia Pty Ltd (Maxxia) ABN 39 082 449 036 is an Authorised Representative of EML Payment Solutions Limited Australian Financial Services Authorised Representative number 000278683 and participates in the promotion and distribution of the Card. 

Things you need to know: The above information is not intended to constitute taxation or financial product advice. Your benefits and savings will vary depending on your personal objectives, financial situation and needs. We recommend you obtain independent financial advice before making any financial decisions. Eligibility criteria and terms and conditions apply. All salary packaging proposals are subject to the requirements of your employer. Administration fees will apply. The actual administration fee that applies to you may vary depending on your employer. Maxxia may pay and receive commission or rebates in connection with some services and products it provides or arranges to be provided by third parties.

Maxxia Pty Ltd | ABN 39 082 449 036.